An Easy Guitar Solo in the Major Pentatonic Scale (Key of E)

[joalucard]

Great Lesson, very will and explained, thanks for mentioning the odd notes outside the box shape. Well done Brian

[kevkev1411]

thank you very helpful

[guitarfreak3422]

Thanks man!! great lesson for beginners!! I love that you actually explained that bit about going out of the scale shape!!

[mysoukouss]

Thanl you for your great teaching style

[eddie2744]

luv ur guitar <3

[ghshelton]

I know I heard in your video we could download the Jam track for free, but I tried to do so and it asked me to pay $5 for a premium account. I think you deserve to be paid, but don't tell people they can download it for free.

[PowerTwang]

Great lesson.

[activemelody]

@PowerTwang I understand what you're saying. And explain all of this on a blog post on my website. Basically these videos were added over a year ago - and for over a year and a half everything WAS free. I had to start charging though because of unforeseen popularity (good problem to have right?). Anyway, these videos on YouTube are the primary source for how people discover ActiveMelody and so if I pull them down and edit - I'll lose my rank. It was never my intention to mislead.

[boleynali]

looks like you dropped your guitar into a vat of polish.;-)

[georgeisupset]

Is it possible to blend the major & minor scale in one solo?

Ex: play 1st bar in e major then 2nd bar in e minor? Or would it work to change to minor scale when the backing chord goes to A?

Any help would be great.

[dclan86]

@georgeisupset Yes in fact, one of my favorite scales to use is a super scale (this is just my name for it) which consists of the major blues and minor blues scale combined. Its a great sounding scale.

[Horaciow14]

What chords are played for rhythm?

[georgeisupset]

@Horaciow14 probably E A B 

[TheStrongdude21]

720p 4 better sound

[MrPrestonWeezer]

Love Telocasters, but I'm an sg guy.

[activemelody]

@MrPrestonWeezer Can't beat the SG tone that's for sure. Classic rock and roll.

[MrPrestonWeezer]

@activemelody Right right, It screams like a beast with the right picups and amp settings as well. Signature weezer tone. gotta love it

[GtrDudeL]

@activemelody SG's do jazz and funk well too! : )

[Antiks72]

@MrPrestonWeezer everytime i see an sg I think of acdc.

[heatmanable]

Nice job ...

[Willistonkid]

Nice lesson. I am a more advanced player. But sometimes we forget how sweet is the sound of simple. Nice tone and lesson. How about a lesson building on that. It would make a great slow dance instrumental.

[nmssis]

good stuff! you r helping me gel. cause i've been blindly practicing techniques n it's slowly coming together

thanks!

[activemelody]

@margovallen wait, so I'm sweet? :)

[margovallen]

Great lesson! Just please hold your guitar still a moment, I need to check my makeup.. haha!

[activemelody]

@margovallen Next time I'll angle it for ya ;)

[margovallen]

@activemelody hehe! Pretty guitar.. nice and shiny. Great playing, too! Thank you for your 'lessons made easy" ;-)

[activemelody]

@margovallen Now see, you're never supposed to tell a guy his guitar looks "pretty". ;)

[margovallen]

@activemelody Well, it is! But, I suppose you'd rather me tell you it's "sweet".. and I guess that goes for its owner too.. ;-)

[georgeisupset]

I'm trying to get out of the minor scales and into more major scales... it seems as if you move the minor down 3 frets you are now in the major scale... is this true with all keys??

i've noticed it in E and A , so it must work for all? can anyone answer?

[activemelody]

@georgeisupset This works for all keys, yes.

[TheZakariyaa]

nice lesson for the bluse

[nmssis]

true genius is in the simplicity and you kept it simple and it was genius. Thanks!

[rasikachaminda]

waw

[justin20111000]

how often do you polish that baby

[activemelody]

@justin20111000 Never once :)

[BeastifyMeBaby]

what guitar is that !?? plz answeerr :D nice vid, really chilled solo

[activemelody]

@BeastifyMeBaby That's a 1950's Fender Telecaster Reissue - USA Model.

[opey05casero]

you are a great teacher.... Really really thank you and I will support you by joining up for lot's of lessons

[88ripitup]

Really good lesson, simple but affective. penatonics are good to learn. and by the way a great looking gitfiddle very nice color

[bozo5116]

just lear some scales then throw in some licks and your done ! its all up to you then as in timming and having thar blues feel!! dont overwork your lessons ,,let them go and use your soul to guide you regardless of mistakes because thats human

[GraemeGrande]

Nice clear instruction Dude, keep up the good work.

You can change the world.

[lewis56405]

Good stuff. Very well explained

[TurnDistortionON]

Your Telecaster shines so nicely. It just pampers my eyes :)

[mysoukouss]

hi Brian. Thanks for this. Really helpful

[raross6119]

awesome love the melodic phrasing,also a big Hendrix would love to hear it

[CristiGuitarHero]

How can I get the backing track?

[ugemac]

great stuff - I know the pentatonic but don't know how to play lead over chord changes - any help would be great.

thanks.

[MrFrenchy80]

Where did you find the backing track of this song?

[gabetreacy]

thanks man you just made alot of stuff make more sense

[Mastahboys]

nice tone

[wesley12106]

Sounds like AC/DC's "The Jack"

[whyyeseyec]

I`ve always played by ear. The minute someone says the word `pentatonic` my mind goes blank. I don`t know what that means and don`t care. I just play what sounds good....

[sohaibn]

i'm sorry i havent read any of the previous comments but u've just confused me... i'm a self taught guitar player.... from the 15th fret yepp thats Em Blues or minor pentatonic like u called it but then three frets behind which u just called Major Pentatonic is exactly the same as C#m Blues.. :S.... so i'm kinda confused or my terminology is terrible.... help please :) cheers!

[bladenrocks]

@sohaibn You would do well to look up both minor and major pentatonic blues scales along with the box patterns. But 3 frets back is the same box as C#m blues but you use it in the key of A...meaning you use the A root notes. Once you figure that out you'll see you already know more than you thought you did. Guitar is cool that way.

[TheBeatlesfan1991]

@sohaibn what he's doing is using the relitive minor scale to solo over the paralel major chord. see he's in the Key of E major so he can play either the C#m pent or the E major Pent. If he was in Em he would then play eather a G major scale or an Eminor scale. G Major being the relitive Major of E major.both are tehe same notes only the root is on another note

[elhammerhand]

just found this guy! my new favorite guitar teacher!

[greenguitarday]

where can i found backing track for this??

[96halofan]

why dont you use your pinky ?

[WeeklyIntegrate]

OMG your the man activemelody guy!!!! so much great stuff for beginners who wanna learn the blues you are a very short list of guitar badass'es who love to teach and good at it!! any chance we can get more albert king and maybe some SRV and Hendrix?

thanx again

[activemelody]

@WeeklyIntegrate lol - thanks man :) Maybe I'll do Hendrix's approach to rhythm next - good suggestion!

[gibby6117]

Hey I have been trying to play for several years and you are the only person to show it slow and complete and I joined your site and I would like to say thanks to you for the way you teach. Gil

[Shannonrm]

That is one shiny fretboard

[Toushiro5127]

thnks i have made my own solo out of parts of yours

[phatman811]

isnt that e major pentatonic scale a c sharp minor pentatonic scale?

[darlonz]

@phatman811 Yes it is. C# is the relative minor of E. Just depends on the chords underneath and the notes that you pause on.

[thegarbagefly]

dont really need it , but great teaching

[seventhsonof7sonfin]

great job,look out my first upload,some solo too:)

[TheLeverge]

super

[SimplyHelpful]

Abousoeltly love it brilliant lesson good jop

[foolhunter88]

brillant guitar :)

[mrdanthguitarman]

This lesson is brilliant, it really helps a novice (like me without a single guitar lesson) properly learn structures, basic techniques and boundaries of a solo. Thanks very much

[activemelody]

@mrdanthguitarman Glad this is working for you - I have many more lessons that are coming along the way so stay posted!

[mrshlltoy]

I noticed because I just got a '52 reissue as a graduation present, and I was drooling over the red 335 you had on the B.B. lesson. Can I request some Freddie King stuff?

[activemelody]

@mrshlltoy Freddie King, you got it. I'll work in some Freddie stuff into the next lesson

[justintierno]

@activemelody teach hideawayyyyyyyy

[belman67]

Yes! Bring on some Freddie...

[mrshlltoy]

Great stuff man, love where your blues are coming from. I've been meaning to praise you for your Robert Cray lesson. I've been into him for a while and haven't had time to really sit down and analyze his style. Keep it coming man. Great guitar collection too! This one's a beauty.

[activemelody]

@mrshlltoy thanks for noticing the guitar collection - I try to sneak a new one in every now and then and you're the only one that's made a comment :) I'm a huge Robert Cray fan as well - there's clearly not enough Robert Cray lesson material out there.