GUITAR THEORY

Modes of the Minor Pentatonic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtHZpPFbNUE
By Andrew Wasson
Visit: www.creativeguitarstudio.com

SECTION ONE:
Modal Pentatonic Concepts Offer Guitar Players Unique Sounds...
ESTABLISHING MODAL PENTATONICS WILL PRECISELY TARGET HARMONY:
The idea of applying musical analysis and melodic & harmonic study upon the guitar fingerboard
(creating musical ideas using the, Modes of the Minor Pentatonic), is most definitely important work.
Guitar study with these modal concepts, (covering the pentatonic scale), could of course be analyzed
from the perspective of, Major Pentatonic, just as easily. However, due to both the popularity of the
Minor Pentatonic, as well as, the question sent in that established the videos topic - we will be
focusing upon the Minor Pentatonic as a way of analyzing our Modes of the Pentatonic Scale.

When most guitar players work on the modes they often overlook the Pentatonic scales. For this very
reason, it is an excellent idea that we have a lesson covering this topic - in detail. If we were to begin
on other degrees of the Minor Pentatonic we would establish a number of interesting modal sounds
that would alter how licks from a standard Minor Pentatonic would harmonically operate. The new
sounds would be built from off of a new tonal center. This new degree for our tonal center can
allow for very targeted sounds that melodically target directly into the chord of the moment.

The result when doing this type of work using Modes of the Pentatonic is two-fold...
1). We achieve melodies that have the 1/2 step interval removed, creating stronger melodic
concepts. The new Pentatonic melodies (minus the 1/2 step interval) are very rich.

2). These new Pentatonic melodies (established using the Modal Pentatonic concept) will
allow for larger intervals that closely resemble arpeggio lines. These new Modal
Pentatonic sounds will directly target chords of the moment with interesting lines
that will be very, arpeggio-like, yet will contain unique intervals not normally found inside
of the common major and minor arpeggios.

Creative Guitar Studio 2012

 Modes of the Minor Pentatonic
Page (2)

SECTION TWO:
Analyzing the Modes of the Minor Pentatonic Scale...

All of these examples will be based upon the tonic of the, G Minor Pentatonic Scale. From each
degree, we will work out the modal relationship in connection to the harmony related to the specific
degree of the G Minor Pentatonic scale that we are examining.

In my first example, I have the tonic chord of G Minor and the complete G Minor Pentatonic based
upon that tonal center note. Many guitar players will probably already know this scale quite well.

NOTE: All handout examples will only be covering the 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings.

Example #1a). TheExample

Tonic #1).
Mode of the G Minor Pentatonic Scale.
A

4 U V V V V V eV
eUUU V
Gm

e V V
Gm I 4 UU V V W
A Example #1).1

U V
V V V V eV
1
I 44 eUUU
UU V 3e V V V 1 3 1
V W
T 3 1 3 3 1
3 0 3 3 0
3
A 5 1 3 1
T 3 B 5 1 3 3 1
3 0 33 3 0
A 5
B 5
3
Example #1b). Guitar lick phrase usingVthe G note as the tonal center.
Gm

I V eV V V V V V eV V V V eV V V W
u
5

V V V V
Gm

I V eV V V V eV V V eV V V WM
u
5
1/4

M
1
T 3 1 (1) 1 1 3 1/4
0 3 3 3 0 0
A 1
T B 3 1 (1) 1 1 3
0 3 3 3 0 0
A
B
B Example #2).
`
eUU V eV V V V V
eV V V V
B

B`
B Example #2).
I eUUU eV W
eUU eU V eV V V V V
9

I eUUU eV V V V eV W
eU
9
6 3 6 3
T 6 3 6 6 3
7 3 5 5 3
6
A 8 3 6 3
T 6 B 8 3 6 6 3
7 6 3 5 5 3
A 8

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B 8 Creative Guitar Studio 2012

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6

V V
B

I eV V V V V V V V V eW
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 A Example #1).

U 0 V3 V
V3 V V V3 1 3 0
3 1 3 1

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V
T
V eV eV V W
3 1
3
UU
1 A 5
B 5
3 Modes of the Minor Pentatonic
Page (3)
3 1 3 1
T 3 Gm 1 3 3 1

V V V V
3 0 3 3 0

V V eV V V
A
V eV V eV V V
5
B TWO
SECTION 5
I cont... 5
3
u W
I begin at the second degree chord of the G Minor PentatonicM which is that of,
1/4
In my second example,
off Vof this
Gm

I V
Te V (based
Bb Major. The mode
V V V 1
V2nd3 degree
1V V Ge VMinor
of
(1) V 1 3 produces
1V Pentatonic)
e V V V 0W
a quality that is
u
5
of a major sound.A 0 3 3 3 0

M
B
1/4

1
Example #2a).
T The second degree Mode
1 of the
(1) G Minor Pentatonic Scale, based off of Bb Major.
`
3 1 1 3
0B Example
3 #2). 3 3 0 0

eUU V eV V V
A

eV V V V
B

eUUU V V eV W
B
I
eU
9

B Example #2).
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eUU eV6 V V
6 3 6 3
3 V5 V
B
T
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6 3 6 3

I W
7 5 3
A 8
eU
9
B 8
6

` 6 3 6 3

V
T 6 3 6 6 3

V V
B

V V V V
7 3 5 5 3

I eV V V V V eW
A 8
B 13 8
6
Example #2b). Guitar lick phrase using the Bb note as the tonal center.

T`
V
5

V V
B

V V V V
6 3 3 6 3 3

13
I eAV V 3 5
V 5
V 5
V eW 5 3

B
P P P

5
T 6 3 3 6 3 3
A 16 3
I 5 5 5 5 3

B
P P P
T
A
16
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T Generated using the Power Tab Editor by Brad Larsen. http://powertab.guitarnetwork.org

A
B

Generated using the Power Tab Editor by Brad Larsen. http://powertab.guitarnetwork.org

Creative Guitar Studio 2012

 Modes of the Minor Pentatonic
Page (4)

SECTION TWO continued...

In my third example, I begin at the third degree chord of the G Minor Pentatonic which is that of,
C Minor. The mode (based off of this 3rd degree of G Minor Pentatonic) produces a quality that is of
a minor sound.

Song Title - Artist Pa

Example #3a). The third degree Mode of the G Minor Pentatonic Scale, based off of C Minor.
C Example #3).

V eV V V V
Cm

eUU
Song Title - Artist
V V V V V V W
Page
17
I UU
C Example #3).

6 e8V V V
V V
Cm 6 8 6
T
eUU 4
V 5V 7V 8
V 6V 7V W
IB UU
5 5
17 A 5
3

6 8 6
T 4 6 8 8 6

eV V V V V V V e VV VV V
5
Cm 5 7 7 5
A
V V V V W V W
5

I
B 3
21

Example #3b). Guitar lick phrase using the C note as the tonal center.

e V
5V 7 V V 7V V V
6
V V 8V e VV 66VV 68 7V 6
Cm

V W V W
T 8 6 8 6

IA
7 5 5
21
B
6 6 6
T 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 6
5 7
Example #4). 7 7 5 7 5
AD
eV V V V V
Dm

UU V V V V V
B
25
I UU V W
D Example #4).

8V 11V V V V
e
Dm 8 10 8

UU V 7V 10V V 8V 10V W
T 6 11

IA UU
7 7
25 7
B 5

8 10 8

V e7V 10V V V V
T 6 8 11 11 8
A
W
7
V V V V 10 V 7 V W
I
7
29
B 5

M
3 3 3 3

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1/4

T W
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IA 7
11 8 11
10
8
10 10 10 7 10 7

M
3 3 3 3
B 1/4
P
 17
I
eUU
UU
Song Title - Artist
V V V V V V V V W Page 2

C Example #3).
Modes6 of 6the
8 Minor
6 Pentatonic
V
e V Page
V V (5) V 7 5
V V V V
T 4
Cm 8 8 6

eUU53 V V W
5 5 7
A
17
I
B UU
6 8 6
5 eV e VV VV V
V V V V V V V V
SECTIONT TWO
Cm 4continued... 6 8 8 6

V V53 W V W
5 7 7 5
A
21
I
B
In my fourth example, I begin at the fourth degree chord of the G Minor Pentatonic which is that of,
D Minor. The mode (based
6
off of this 4th degree of G Minor Pentatonic)
6 6
produces a quality that is of
eV V V V V V V e VV VV V
T Cm
a minor sound. 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 6

V V V V W V W
5 7 7 7 5 7 5
A
21
I
B
Example #4a). The fourth degree Mode of the G Minor Pentatonic Scale, based off of D Minor.
6 6 6
T Example #4).
D 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 6

eV V V V V
5 7Dm 7 7 5 7 5
A
B UU V V V V V V W
25
I UU
D Example #4). 8 10 8
T 6
e V V V V V
8
11 11 8
Dm

UU V V V V 10V V7 W
7 7 10
A
I UU
7
25 B 5

V e V 7 V 10V 8 V 11 V V V V V
8 10 8

W 7 V10 V7 W
T 6 11 8

I
7
29 A
5
B Guitar
Example #4b). lick phrase3 using the3 D note as 3the tonal center.
M
3
1/4

V8 e11V V V8 11V V V8 10V V8 10V V7 10V

T
I
29 A W7 10 10 W7
M
B 3 3 3 3
P 1/4

I
32
T 11 8 11 8 8
7 10 10 10 10 7 10 7
A
B
T P

A
32
I
B

T Generated using the Power Tab Editor by Brad Larsen. http://powertab.guitarnetwork.org

A
B

Generated using the Power Tab Editor by Brad Larsen. http://powertab.guitarnetwork.org

Creative Guitar Studio 2012

 Modes of the Minor Pentatonic
Page (6)

SECTION TWO continued...

In my fifth example, I begin at the fifth degree chord of the G Minor Pentatonic which is that of,
F Major. The mode (based off of this 5th degree of G Minor Pentatonic) produces a quality that is of
a major sound.

Song Title - Artist Pag

Example #4a). The fifth degree Mode of the G Minor Pentatonic Scale, based off of F Major.
E Example #5).

V V V V V
F

U V V e V eV V V W
Song I UUUU
33 Title - Artist Page 3 o

E Example #5).U

V V V10 V13 V10 13e V V11

F

T UU
1
1 V e V
V 10 12 11 13
V12 10 W
I UU 2

UU
33 A 3
B 3
1

e V V10 V12 11V 13V V V 13 V 11 12 `P10 V V V

F
1 10 13 10

V V z W
T 1

B I
2
A37 3
Example #4b). Guitar
3 lick phrase using the F note as the tonal center.
1
M
Full [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[
e V 11V 13V V 13V 13V 10V `P 11V 13V 12V
F

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V V 11 V z W
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10 12 12 10
37 A
M [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[
B
Full H

13 10
T 11 13 13 11 11 13
10 12 12 12 10
A
B
H

Creative Guitar Studio 2012

 Modes of the Minor Pentatonic
Page (7) - Video Opening Guitar Jam

Make-shift
by Andrew Wason

P = 92 `
c c c
Gm F B Cm Dm

V k VVVV VVVV VV j VV k VVV VV VV j e VV VV WW

I 44 e VVVV VV VV
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1

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3 3 3 3
T 3 3 3 3 6 6 6 6 3 3 3 3 4 6
3 3 3 3 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 5 7
A 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 3 3 3 3 5 7
B 5 5 5 5 8 8 8 8 1 1 1 1 3 5

`
3 3 3 3

Gm F B Cm Dm

V V e V V VV VV
5
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T 6 3 4 6
7 5 3 5 (5) 5 3 3 3 5 3 5 5 7 7
A 5 8 3 5
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V
V eV V V V V V
Gm F B Cm Dm

W j V V V V eV V V V V V V k V eV V P V V V V
9
I z
13
T 15 13 11
12 15 10 (10) 10 7 7 7 10
A 10 8 8 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 12
B 10
P sl.

13
I
T
A
B

14
I
T
A
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I
Creative Guitar Studio 2012
15
 Modes of the Minor Pentatonic
Page (8) - Video Opening Guitar Jam
Song Title - Artist Page 2 of 2

eV V V V V V V eV V V eV V V V V V V V V eV V
Gm F Gm F

W V W
16
I
10
T 11 10 8 8 10 11 10 8 11 10 8 8 10 13 11 10
10 (10) 7 10 (10)
A
B
`
V V V V V eV V V eV V V V V V V
Cm B F Gm F

20
I V V V V V V V V U

T 8 6 8 10 11 10 8 8 10
7 10 7 5 7 10 (10)
A 10 10 8 (8) 5 8
B
Gm F B` Cm Dm

V V e V V VV VV
24
I V eV V V V V V V V V V V V eV V V V V V V V

T 6 3 4 6
7 5 3 5 (5) 5 3 3 3 5 3 5 5 7 7
A 5 8 3 5
B
`
V
V eV V V V V V W
Gm F B Cm Dm Gm

j V V V V eV V V V V V V k V eV V P V V V V U
28
I z
13
T 15 13 11
12 15 10 (10) 10 7 7 7 10 12
A 10 8 8 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 12
B 10
P sl.

A good guitar teacher is one who is well aware that

they will never; do it all, play it all or, teach it all...
A bad guitar teacher is one who believes that they
know more - than they dont know.

Thank you for your donations & Generous Support - Andrew Wasson

Creative Guitar Studio 2012

Generated using the Power Tab Editor by Brad Larsen. http://powertab.guitarnetwork.org