Pentatonic question

hey all, Im finally biting the bullet and learning me some theory! Im just finishing learning the major pentatonic to all degrees up and down the frets, and now I'm moving to minor, but I had a question as to how you decide which degrees to keep in and which to take out, since minor is sans 2 & 6 and major is without 4 & 7?

Originally Posted by: JoR0hey all, Im finally biting the bullet and learning me some theory! Im just finishing learning the major pentatonic to all degrees up and down the frets, and now I'm moving to minor, but I had a question as to how you decide which degrees to keep in and which to take out, since minor is sans 2 & 6 and major is without 4 & 7?

The minor and the major pentatonics are the same scales, just starting at a different root notes and then have different intervals because the minor and the major scales have different intervals (The notes left out are at the same places but are differtent degrees because of the counint being different for majors and minors

The way I remember them is I learned the major pentatonic first, and then the relative minor is the 6th degree of the major(Always 3 half steps back from the root of the major penta

For example if :
major is C, the Am is the relative minor

Major is D, minor is Bm etc etc

But the scale form is the same for both(Just different root note and then different intervals.

Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you.

Michael

I did these tutorials on pentatonic scales. They cover all the theory and the practice very extensively.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=296
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=722
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=185

Originally Posted by: JoR0... how you decide which degrees to keep in and which to take out, since minor is sans 2 & 6 and major is without 4 & 7?

It seems like you've answered your own question there.

You keep out the 4 & 7 in major - and therefore leave in all the other scale degrees: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.

You keep out the 2 & 6 in minor - and therefore leave in all the other scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7.

Interestingly, the 4 in major is the 6 in it's relative; the 7 in major is the 2 in it's relative minor.

Hope this helps. Please ask more if and when necessary.

Originally Posted by: guitarplayer196The minor and the major pentatonics are the same scales...

Oh ok, Im getting it, you know I think Ive heard these concepts a million times already but every few times or so I see it at a different angle and its a eureka moment and I think, man Ill be shredding like a champ tommorrow, and every day tommorrow gets just a little closer, thanks guys

Originally Posted by: JoR0hey all, Im finally biting the bullet and learning me some theory! Im just finishing learning the major pentatonic to all degrees up and down the frets, and now I'm moving to minor, but I had a question as to how you decide which degrees to keep in and which to take out, since minor is sans 2 & 6 and major is without 4 & 7?

when do you use them together is it safe

Originally Posted by: mervtheswerve19when do you use them together is it safe

Can you clarify that question please?

If I understand correctly, the answer you are after is: it depends upon what sound you want. Have a look at this tutorial pentatonic scales:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=296

Hope this helps. Please ask more if and when necessary.