Pentatonic Shapes & Application

This masterclass covers pentatonic scales and their applications in guitar playing. Lyle Brewer begins by explaining the five positions of the minor pentatonic scale and demonstrating them on the guitar. He emphasizes the importance of knowing these positions to develop as a well-rounded musician.

Lyle then discusses the relative major scale and demonstrates the five positions of the E major pentatonic scale. He shows how to connect the major triads within each position to give musical context. Next, he demonstrates a popular way to play pentatonic scales using three notes per string then two, as exemplified in Jimmy Page's "Black Dog."

The discussion turns to approaches for soloing over chord progressions using pentatonic scales. Lyle gives examples of outlining each chord's scale versus staying within a single scale shape. He also takes questions from viewers on related topics. Throughout, Lyle stresses the value of understanding how scales, chords, and musical concepts interconnect.

Transcript Summary

Introduction (0:00-4:26)

  • Lyle introduces the stream topic of pentatonic scales and applications
  • He demonstrates the five positions of the E minor pentatonic scale
  • Emphasizes the importance of knowing these positions to develop as a musician

E major pentatonic scale (24:21-28:03)

  • Lyle demonstrates the five positions of the E major pentatonic scale
  • Shows how to connect the major triads within each position
  • Discusses the relationship between relative minor and major scales

Popular pentatonic playing approach (47:06-51:01)

  • Lyle demonstrates a style using three notes then two notes per string
  • Provides the example of Jimmy Page's solo in "Black Dog"
  • Encourages learning lines from songs one finds inspiring