Naming Pentatonic Scales

fortdick
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Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:31 pm

I have been working hard on the pentatonic scale patterns, but have also been reading some theory stuff from other sources.

One thing that has me a little befuddled is whether to go with Neil's naming convention of pattern 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or to try and learn the CAGED method. I don't believe I am to the point where I can use both interchangably, althought that is where you would certainly like to end up. For instance, the pentatonic pattern one is named the E form pattern in CAGED.

Who has experience with both and which method should I be focusing on? Also, if you can explain a little why you would recommend one over the other.

thanks
Dan


AndyT
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Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:34 am

Jeffery,

I realize you may be new here, but advertising your own guitar lessons on this site is not cool. This site belongs to Matt and Neil and you need permission from them to post any links or such like that.


TGMatt
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Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:46 am

Thx Andy..He has been "taken care of"


BigBear
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Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:53 am

Dan- I have spent much time learning the pentatonic scales with the goal of accompanying another guitarist and playing some lead. I feel like I have purchased every CAGED system book and DVD ever printed.

The pentatonic scale patterns are different from the CAGED system patterns. The CAGED system uses the five chord shapes and moves them around the fretbroard and builds off of them. They also do a pretty good job moving up and down the fret board and not just across it.

The Pentatonic scale patterns are really two octaves of scale notes repeated and interconnected all the way up the fret board. Neil is the only person I have encountered that omits the 4th scale pattern (because there are no fourths in the pattern scales) and uses the 1,2,3,5,6 naming convention. That's fine but it is a bit confusing when no one in the outside world does so.

I have had much better luck learning the pentatonic patterns than I have with the CAGED system. I know they are very much inter-related but learning 5 patterns just makes more sense to my old brain.

One little thing that has really helped, and I believe Neil supports this, is to learn all the notes on the fretboard and then get in the habit of calling out or saying the root notes of each pattern when you play them. This really helps when you try to understand the difference between a C major pentatonic and an Am pentatonic because the root (or tonic) of each pattern are different.

Good luck with these and keep firing those questions! We can all learn together!

Cheers! :cheer:


BigBear
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Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:54 am

TGMatt wrote:
Thx Andy..He has been "taken care of"

WOW! That was fast! :laugh:


fortdick
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Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:55 pm

BigBear,

Thx for the response. I see now that what you say about across the fretboard versus up and down makes sense.

I also noticed that lead pattern 2 translates to Neil's number system very nicely. I guess it is all the naming of the same thing in different ways. I spent some time just staring at pictures of the patterns and I can see why Neil prefers to use the numbering system.

AndyT,

I don't know who Jeffery is, but I missed his response and assume that he screwed up.


AndyT
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Tue Sep 07, 2010 5:17 pm

Dan,

He actually had a decent answer, but he was promoting his own guitar lessons here. Not Cool.
I'm a guitar teacher also, but I don't push my stuff here. It's not right. And I'm a student here also, Teachers have to learn from someone too right? I choose the best.


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