Originally Posted by: cj.stevens

Is there a shortcut to determine that a song will be using pentatonic scales (or some other non major or minor scale) based upon the key? As there is no such thing as a 'Dmaj pentatonic key', right?[/quote][p]There isn't any shortcut per se. A song or part of a song is either in a major key or minor key. To be in a certain key means the melody & chords are based on one particular major or minor diatonic scale. And as you say, pentatonic scales are merely subsets of diatonic scales. The only difference is that you avoid 2 of the diatonic notes to use the pentatonic "version" of the scale. Those 2 notes are still there to use. And frequently those diatonic notes are still used in the chords & harmony of a song even if they aren't used in the vocal melody or guitar licks of a pop or rock song.

So, it really doesn't help clarify anything to make a distinction between diatonic & pentatonic for key signatures. If you use D major diatonic, you are in the key of D major. If you use D major pentatonic, you are in the key of D major. Make sense? :)

Originally Posted by: cj.stevens[p]So if I am playing a song in the key of Dmaj, is there a way to know if it would be using primarily notes from the Dmaj pentatonic.

[/quote]

Primarily you would work it out by the sound. The primary difference between diatonic & pentatonic is that they sound different because you are avoiding 2 notes.

Originally Posted by: cj.stevens[p]I know a good amount of rock music is based on the pentatonic scale, and that the pentatonic is made up of 5 notes from its related major or minor scale.

I stick mostly to classic and alternative rock and I don't remember seeing any songs using minor keys?

[p]There are tons of pop rock & classic rock songs in minor keys.

Stairway To Heaven (LZep)

Babe I'm Gonna Leave You

All Along The Watch Tower (Hendrix & Dylan)

Simple Man (Skynyrd)

Enter Sandman (& most Metallica & metal)

Dream On (Aerosmith)[br]Eleanory Rigby (Beatles)

Comfortably Numb (the verse)

Miss You (Stones)

Dust In The Wind (Kansas)

Those are just the first 10 that I thought of off the top of my head!

[quote=cj.stevens]

I'm sure it's covered in Guitar Fundamentals but I guess I haven't made it that far yet.

I encourage you to work through GF course & then a style course. And learn songs! Start learning songs! That will improve your ear & fingers more than anything else!

[quote=cj.stevens][p]The only thing I know about minor keys is that they are sad - thank you Spinal Tap!

HAHA! True.