Lessons ❭ Guitar Scales ❭ Minor Pentatonic Scale ❭ Melodic Patterns
Playing melodic patterns in a scale allows you to create "phrases" with the notes and improvise easier with riffs or solos. These patterns run through the minor pentatonic scale in a set order. After the first group of notes in the pattern is played, the next group starts on the 2nd note of the previous group as shown below.
🎼 Phrasing in music refers to using notes of a scale in an order other than simply moving up or down the scale note by note. This allows melodies and riffs to have a unique or distinctive expression, similar to talking or singing.
e|------------------------------| B|------------------------------| G|------------------------------| D|--------------------5----5-7--| A|----3-5--3-5-7--5-7----7------| E|--5---------------------------| Note Pattern: 1-2-3 2-3-4 3-4-5 4-5-6
e|------------------------------| B|------------------------------| G|------------------------------| D|--7-5----5--------------------| A|------7----7-5--7-5-3--5-3----| E|---------------------------5--| Note Pattern: 6-5-4 5-4-3 4-3-2 3-2-1
e|-----------------------------| B|-----------------------------| G|-----------------------------| D|-----------------3------3-5--| A|----1-3-5--1-3-5----3-5------| E|--3--------------------------| Note Pattern: 1-2-3-4 2-3-4-5 3-4-5-6
e|-----------------------------| B|-----------------------------| G|-----------------------------| D|--5-3------3-----------------| A|------5-3----5-3-1--5-3-1----| E|--------------------------3--| Note Pattern: 6-5-4-3 5-4-3-2 4-3-2-1
Practice each pattern until you can play them at a fast pace. The muscle memory that will develop will help improvising in a solo or when coming up with riffs. The patterns are just a method to develop different note combinations and phrases.
Root Note on F e|------------------------------------| B|------------------------------------| G|------------------------------------| D|-----------------------1------1-3-1-| A|-----1------1-3-1--1-3---3--3-------| E|-1-4---4--4-------------------------| Note Pattern: 1-2-3-2 2-3-4-3 3-4-5-4 4-5-6-5
Root Note on A e|--------------------------------------| B|--------------------------------------| G|-------------------------------5------| D|-------------5--------7---5------5-7--| A|----7---5------5-7--5---7----7--------| E|--5---8----8--------------------------| Note Pattern 1-4-2-3 2-5-3-4 3-6-4-5 4-7-5-6
Guitar Scales