Stuck in the Minor Pentatonic!

[othefisho]

Hey,

I've been playing guitar for 1 year, piano for 9. Whenever I try to come up with riffs out of my head, I only resort to the minor pentatonic, it's like it's stuck in my head. What are some other scales that are used a lot in rock soloing?

[Malcolm]

The 4th position of the G Major scale - and/or - the Mixolydian mode are used as a basic rock & roll scale. Both have the same pattern.

click here (http://www.guitarstuff.com/lessons/majscale/majscale.html) and check out the 4th position.

[othefisho]

Thank You!

[Mettra]

Listen to some varied music. Hang up on the pentatonic stuff and listen to something you wouldn't usually.

Play around with the harmonic minor scale, it sounds real 'different' and it should pull you away from the minor pentatonic. Maybe try some major scale stuff.

[sum1]

heh im not too good with theory so ignore this post if it doesnt help

but yeah i love playing around with the blues scale.. its fun to make beats that gets peoples heads bobbing

[Mettra]

Well, the blues scale = minor pentatonic, just with one added note. Same basic sound.

[beautiful_dae]

Most rock uses pentatonic. You can try major scales, minor relative scales. You can also fusion major/ minor scale and create a impressive solo... but that takes a higher level to master it.

[brown_man]

Originally posted by othefisho
Hey,

I've been playing guitar for 1 year, piano for 9. Whenever I try to come up with riffs out of my head, I only resort to the minor pentatonic, it's like it's stuck in my head. What are some other scales that are used a lot in rock soloing?

I think you should try the harmonic minor scale... got a really nice sound.

[ianb]

Try the Major Pentatonic.

The patterns are all the same as the Minor Pentatonic, but the root note moves.

It may give you a complete new outlook on pentatonic stuff and as you already know the patterns, moving everything down by three frets will cost you nothing in wasted effort, learning a scale you don't like.

The Allman Brothers stuff is often Major pentatonic, it might cheer things up after all the suicidal gloom you can generate with the Harmonic and Melodic Minors.

[disasterpiece]

Originally posted by ianb
Try the Major Pentatonic.


The Allman Brothers stuff is often Major pentatonic,

I never would have guess that.
Does that make me a bad guitarist?
:confused:

:D


The advice that I have on this subject is to try and play around with the different shapes of the minor pentatonic "box" pattern. I did such a thing, and it actually gave me better ideas of where the notes are of a certain key and such . . . sadly, my mind can't think three notes ahead. :mad:

In adition, buy a scale and chord book and just play around with that type of stuff. I've been too busy to do so myself, but it has helped a friend of mine who was always whining about playing the same things over again.

Another good idea is to learn songs, man. Figuring out how the 'professionals' come up with their songs is an excellent learning tool. Not only can you learn, but it also makes you sound cool in the guitar stores with that $2,000 amp you want!

:D

[Shahab]

WEll the Aeolian mode or the natural minor scale has proved to be the ultimate scale for rock!! especially try the E minor scale. very nice soloing positions. And apart from that since you know the minor pentatonics, it would be a good idea to mix the natural minor and pentatonics. Just keep experimenting.

[bills]

playing with the Lydian b7 scale can get some nice darkness going
(1,2,3,#4,5,6,b7)