Originally posted by noticingthemistake
You definitely don't need to know buckets and buckets of theory to be a good player. It helps, but even the most knowlegdable theorist shouldn't think to much when playing. To apply pentatonics to playing over a jam tracks, here's the order you should know.

1. What key the Jam track is in. (i.e. E major, A minor.)
2. What are the chords in the jam tracks. (you should start off with 3-4 chord vamps).
3. Match the pentatonic scales with each chord.
Major pent over a major chord.
Minor pent over a minor chord.
Match of chord and pent.


example chord progression.
||: Gmaj // Em // Cmaj7 // D7 :||
G maj pent // E min pent // C maj pent // D maj pent


Now just play and that's it.

I'll agree with Noticing the Mistake on his post, but will add that "most" rock leads will follow the min pent associated with the root chord - in the example above, this would be G - thus G min pent through the entire chord progression. A maj pent over a maj chord is seldom heard in metal leads....but you'll find them in alot of country rock (Allman Bros, Outlaws etc) tunes.

Practice your pent leads with a jam track (I have plenty on my site), listen to Dimebag Darrell and David Gilmour leads (kings of the min pents) and you're off.
-Bob
http://guitar-wav.com