Since the pentatonic scale has no half steps, and is constructed of whole steps and minor thirds (1.5 steps), it lends itself well to sliding up and down the fretboard from position to position. One great way to connect the patterns as we slide between them is to take advantage of the finger friendly 2x2s or 3x2s in each of the 5 vertical patterns of the pentatonic scale.
read more
The Circle of Fifths is a concept used in music theory that shows the relationship between all of the musical keys. The circle is also used to show the number of sharps and flats in a particular key, which is helpful to understand the relationships between major and minor keys as well. Finally, the concept gets its name because the Circle of Fifths is presented as a circle of musical keys, these are all separated by degrees of a fifth.
read more
Want to be able to play a scale in any key, major or minor? This A Minor / C Major pentatonic scale pattern can be moved up and down the neck to fit into pretty much any key you might find yourself in. If you'd like to learn more about pentatonic (and other) guitar scales, read more
In this video, Gary shares three classic blues riffs, or bits of vocabulary that are inspired by classic sounds we’ve all heard before. If you listen to the blues greats, you will hear ideas very similar to these. What you want to do is see if you can play them exactly as I present them with my guidance, and THEN, take the most important step, which is to reinterpret them, develop them, change the rhythm, start them the same, and end them differently, change when they start within a measure (we go over this in depth), change their direction. The possibilities are truly endless.
read more
The Covid-19 pandemic affected most businesses and retail outlets in a negative fashion. However one of the few industries that saw growth was music instrument builders and lesson-oriented websites such as online guitar lessons. Despite live music disappearing there was an incredible push in music retail sales that led to 8.9 billion in growth! But as of 2022 the pandemic music sales boom has been in decline.
read more