i skipped the penatonics.

when i first started playing i skipped right over the penatonics into the modes. ive mastered all 7 shapes of the modes, but now my solo's are well uhhh very modal. lol. now im learning the penatonic shapes and i was wondering if anybody had any tips on making the penatonics not sound so bluesy. i wanna rock. shred style. :cool:

The whole idea of the pentatonic scales is to sound bluesy :D . You can still incorporate bluesy ideas into shred (it won't be blues anymore, but anyway...). You could mix up your blues-based and modal improvisational ideas, like Satch; play on the compound minor/blues scale, following modes and throwing in the odd bluesy lick to mix things up, like Hammett; or just play the pentatonic scales with lots of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and fingertapping, like Zakk Wylde (I advise against the latter approach, though!). Probably the best way is to think about it yourself, and come up with your own approach.

Well, as I'm sure you know, the pentatonic scale is based off of the Major scale (the modes)...It is just lesser notes to get a different sound. If you know which mode from the pentatonic corresponds to every mode from the Major scale, you can throw in more notes that mesh well while still staying primarily in the pentatonic. Dave Gilmour seems to do that in his solos. I think the pentatonic is good for tapping, too. For some reason when you play ascending or descending runs on the pentatonic, it sounds more rock than blues to me. Hope that helps.

thanks guys.

so let me ask one ? an a minor penatonic scale is from the a aeolian mode?

indeed.


as for the question of making a pentatonic sound rock and roll, id get a book on rock licks for starters. second of all, its speed and economy picking. find interesting ways to play the same old lick. for instance, instead of just doing this: ---------------
----------5-------
----5--7----------
--7---------------
------------------
-----------------

think like a percussionist and put an interesting rythym in it, like this:
--------------
---------------5---
---555--5--5-7------
-7-----7--7--------
---------------
---------------

okay, maybe that looks confusing, but basically just cram some damn notes in there and end up on tempo when you come out of the measure. thats a good "technique" to keep in mind when floating over rythyms.

nah that isnt confusing.... i guess i came across as a nublet. i dont suck i just dont know enough theory and i cant make the penatonic sound rockin. thanks again guys and or gals.