Guitar Student finally understands how to mix the major and minor pentatonic scales in a simple way

[@Mike-rw2nh]

Massive thank you to the student for agreeing to this upload. This instructor is a keeper. Subbed.

[@johnschoppmusic]

SAME!

[@MrHellfinger]

Went to subscribe and found that I was already subb'd!

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

he's got a great approach eh, it's all very musical, it sounds silly but most guitarists lack that.. i don't think they could explain what musicality is let alone teach it.

[@tjsound1258]

Hi Glen, I'm Tim. I taught music in a classroom for 20 yrs, I've been playing guitar twice that long. It's one thing to know that A minor and C major are relative. But to put in in context as you do is a real talent. Connecting the major/minor pentatonics and then adding the the # 3rd and 6th; like I mentioned; you put it in a usable, musical context that motivates me to pick up my guitar and start ripping away.

[@brentbartbuchanan]

The tone on that tele is just perfect. 😊

[@bend185ont]

Hell yes it is!

[@zillmer448]

looks vintage to me

[@Mike-vk4cd]

It sounds so good haha

[@petarivancevic2162]

The tele tone is wonderful, but his hands and playing is what makes it perfect :)

[@artysanmobile]

We mostly don’t hear the Tele neck pickup alone. It is my magic sound.

[@Straitjacket808]

Great guitar lesson. Nice to see and hear two guys just playing and discussing blues licks.

[@DOWNLOADZ]

Well done. Something I never see on YT is an actual live lesson with questions and answers. Very helpful. Cheers.

[@franciscoscaramanga7956]

What i find the most interesting about this video is how this teacher is also imparting the importance of knowing what you learn. When I watched this i realise that while i learned how to play stuff it wasn't necessarily as important as UNDERSTANDING it. The jonny b goode lick part was just pure learning gold. Its so refreshing to see a teacher who seems so keen just to pass on knowledge. So patient and keen to teach, Thank you for the upload.

[@willlodge5386]

Your patience alone has earned my respect and a sub! Kudos to both of you for the upload.

[@frankspeaking]

Taught guitar for many years, all abilities. I found that since the internet and KZbin, many learners don't use their ears at all. Too much reliance on online lessons and tabs etc. I used to encourage them to learn simple blues solos from records by ear (I did myself)- which almost always incorporare a major/minor penta mix. Once they got the basic sound in their head and under the fingers, I would explain the theory. Always worked better that way in my experience.

[@sautante]

What simple records would you recommend to do this on?

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

@@frankspeaking i just put that trick in a comment too, you are correct in what you say, listening is like layers of an onion, essentially we have to teach them how to listen deeper..

[@thomasmicaelcannon7867]

It's true, I'm self taught and struggling with this myself now. Ear training is the tuff for me at the moment.

[@JohnOeneBijstra]

​@@sautante Although not simple, a very good exercise is to listen to music from Wishbone Ash and attempt to play along (by ear). For something a little easier, I would recommend for example The Animals - House of the Rising Sun. The chords there are simple, easy to catch on by ear and you train yourself to recognize the chords, etc. Besides that, the following songs have worked very well for me: Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - Jumping at Shadows Eddie Boyd & Fleetwood Mac - You got to Reap Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (blue Horizon Album) - Drifting Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - ''Have You Ever Loved A Woman' Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - "Oh Well" J.J. Cale - Cocaine (better version to learn before moving on to Clapton's version) BB King, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy & Jimmie Vaughan (Crossroads Festival) - Rock me baby

[@rogerelton6791]

GREAT IDEA TO SHARE A STUDENTS LESSON, FOR OTHERS TO PICK UP LITTLE ALONG THE WAY. I'M SURE YOU WILL GAIN STUDENTS ALSO. NICE ONE GLEN.

[@dananthony6258]

This is probably the most important lesson a blues player can learn. Great video.

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

playing A maj pentaonic on the A and A min over the D chord is a good way in to this style too.

[@maniphaces]

I think there was an opportunity (at the beginning) to detour the student from trying to learn how to play licks with the pentatonics and get a deeper understanding of intervallic relationships. What good is it really to play licks if you don't understand the musical emotional context. I feel if you can't hear when a minor/major 3rd swap or injection has happened, even with bends (as well as major and minor 7)- this suggest you have not spent enough time familiarizing yourself with scales; if for no other reason than to hear "resolution" and intervallic relationships. you really gotta know what notes make a mode or scale what it is. Moving on with the musical journey without a good grasp on that, you are just leaving so much goodness on the table.

[@slayaz12]

Around 4:20 you differentiate between a minor example and a major example. Distinguishing that the major example has a c sharp. You're bending to a c sharp in the minor example though. The only difference between the two is that you hammer on c sharp in the "major" example and bend to it in the "minor" example.

[@pwrhr]

Yep. Sounds like a habit

[@irishRocker1]

Its only really a typical blues 1/4 bend though so not really hitting the C sharp. The hammer on holds the c sharp for a fraction of a second so it stands out more.

[@slayaz12]

​@@irishRocker1agree to disagree

[@ryandavis4985]

Mapping out all of the intervals (Major, Minor, Perfect) on a white board and understanding the difference between the major and minor triads is what really opened my mind to this concept.

[@G_Demolished]

The Solo app is awesome for drilling intervals.

[@MD-bc3wb]

i agree...knowing the intervals and be able to hear them opens up the whole thing without the need of going too deep on theory

[@scotticidal]

​@@G_Demolishedwhat app exactly?

[@duchessofhazjack4878]

You're a wonderful musician and teacher. So patient. Thank you for sharing.... so many teachers over complicate this and we're like "arrrgh what do we do with these patterns and all these notes! which go with which?!!", you've got to know how to teach it in a really simplistic way, step by step - especially with students like me! they then will be amazing, appreciative musicians with a full grasp of it. The world needs all the musicians it can get. ~The jam at the end sounded lush.

[@KekeElBecko]

BB King was a good guy to pick up blending major and minor. I remember when I twigged about the major pentatonic, having not even heard of it before. My friend was playing a Bob Marley song - No Woman No Cry or Three Little Birds - and I was doing the solo break. I realised that the pattern was the same but 3 steps down. THE key to really getting though, was figuring out which notes to bend, as they're different to the minor pentatonic.

[@bobbyjoehope]

The "Night and Day" analogy helped me alot.... you guys are on to something, in twenty plus years of trying to "blend them together like B.B King" no one has ever suggested just using one or two notes as flavor. Great Video Thank You.

[@juanmlarios]

It's so much easier to start with a MAJOR and MINOR scale, Pentatonic is a subset of notes of either scale. I have bene playing guitar for over 20 years and this is so amazing to me. I was there one day. What a patient teacher and enthusiastic student. Keep playing!

[@ryanswiggs]

I think what confused the student was hearing on the 6:13 minor lick was the bend on the C note, sounding close to a full half step, very similar to the pure C# note in the next added "major" note example Great lesson! so cool seeing it click for people, you're a great teacher

[@m.vonhollen6673]

Mix Major Pentatonic with the Blues scale for 1-2-b3/3-4-b5-5-6-b7 (also Mixolydian + Blues scale). Use b2-b6-7 in chromatic lines that resolve, for all 12 notes.

[@JimmyWatfordGuitar]

Lol, this teacher just taught me so much more than what he says. Thanks for the major and minor conversation. I played it, learned it. Whats really cool is you just taught me the modes with the same line of thinking. When you mentioned johnny b good mixolydian. BOOM! Thank you.

[@ModernPsychadelic]

Now try Dorian (from the root) when going to the IV chord.

[@benb6744]

Actually i can agree to that modes thing. I also had a lightbulb moment

[@Newmusicreview]

Your patience is commendable....;-)

[@emmanuelmaurice5777]

Absolutely agree. I’d love to have him as a teacher but I live in Mauritius 😂

[@oases6862]

First understandable explanation I've come across as to how the minor pentatonic can be enhanced musically with elements of the major key. Very good.

[@WestonPreisingGuitar]

Night and Day is a great analogy--thanks Glen!

[@paulcooper5748]

He's a good teacher.

[@petarivancevic2162]

Video popped up and put it in the background. Wonderful teaching and really love the tele. As people have already stated, sounds perfect.

[@GuitarInfrastructure]

nice video. Reminds me a lot of my guitar teacher back in high school. He had so much patience with me I just wish things clicked more for me during that time. I'm sure he would get frustrated with me not understanding the (to him) simple point he was trying to make. I remember the discussion about Locrian being the same as ionian, just with the root beginning 1 note below. I think his head exploded trying to explain that but this lesson kind of reminded me of it at times. It's wonderful when things finally become clear!

[@lewistaylor1965]

Free guitar lesson right there....Brilliant....Thank you

[@darnassiannightsaber7835]

It's all about the context of the notes :) Good stuff

[@conraddixon6735]

A great working session that brings out the joy of playing music !

[@jam1ecs]

you gotta make more of these vids! they are perfect

[@runningreviewz]

great instruction, wonderful way to teach improvisational ideas

[@brin57]

Well explained. People tend to think about it too much and over analyze it, instead of just listening, and it becomes confusing to them.

[@thenewtowncryer]

Hi...I've been that guy for the past 30 years...until this video! Danka mate!!!!

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

@@thenewtowncryer i broke out recently i always no therory but thought everything had ot be in one scale or key or it was wrong, this may be right in most cases but there is so much more it's like they said you wnat to add a spice sometime, also you can put the off note on a weak part of the beat or step of of it quickly up a semi tome to a right note.. theres tons of stuff you can do, i do like pentatonic maj or minor for a lot but i think in 12 notes almost now, watch victor wooten talk about it on here, he plays every wrong note but make you dance, he made the guitarist sound wrong.. he is also a great teacher.

[@thenewtowncryer]

@@jibicusmaximus4827 I appreciate you!!!

[@Joel_Powell]

Many people don't understand the blues is three different keys as you play the changes - blues in A? obviously the chords are A7/D7/E7....but A7 implies the key D, D7 is the key of G and E7 is the key of A. If you target the 3rds and 7ths of each chord you start to hear that. But the funny thing about the blues is the I chord usually means you can "get away" with playing the minor pentatonic over that (or even better the blues scales). I go back and forth between the D major tones (A mixo) and A min pentatonic and it gives me endless options. All of this assumes you know the neck well - if you don't -- at least pick one position and find notes for the mixo/min pentatonic in one place - and then have a lot of fun. This teacher is VERY good.

[@JimmyWatfordGuitar]

What do you mean by A7 implies key of D

[@flashpadxxx]

i dont get it and to me that seems wrong

[@ModernPsychadelic]

@@JimmyWatfordGuitar A7 is the V chord of the D major scale.

[@Joel_Powell]

@@JimmyWatfordGuitarThey key of D major's V chord is A7. The diatonic V chord of any key is dominant. For most diatonic (not blues) songs, there is only one dominant chord in the key.

[@Joel_Powell]

@@ModernPsychadelic Or yes, what @ModernPsycahdelic said LOL

[@realjumper]

Bingo!! Now Before I couldn't see the forest for the trees....now I can. Thank you to you and your student :)

[@rizalomar4377]

exactly this makes us learn together 😊

[@AndySalinger33]

Great teacher here. This was a pleasure to listen to this conversation.

[@lovinglife3675]

Just subscribed Glen , great teaching technique … Patience and a laugh .. GOLD … regards Steve (Adelaide Aust)

[@RotterStudios]

What a GREAT teacher! This is why I stopped theory years ago though....was driving me craze. The maze never ends. I play by ear.

[@thenewtowncryer]

1:34: That was a great question question!!!

[@mikedr1549]

Ha - this makes perfect sense! Great tone too!

[@map0spread57]

I would add another explanation to that. Blues are typically using dominant chords, which are major chords with a flat seventh. When improvising on a blues, unless it is a minor blues, I would use the major pentatonic as the basic scale. Then I would add some blue notes to add tension, and these blue notes are 'add-ons' that come from the minor scale (flat 3rd, flat 5th and flat 7th).

[@pazdylan1873]

agree..the minor pent seems to be generally taught as the default scale over the dominant 7th..but that gets you off on the wrong track.

[@ryanteacher8134]

@@pazdylan1873 The minor pent works okay as long as you hit the "chord tones" (hate that term, but yeh). So as long as you add in the note(s) which makes whatever flat 7 chord/any other chord you are playing sound like a flat 7, you can kind of cheat your way around a blues lol

[@dpheneghan2]

For a good example of integrating the major and minor pentatonic in a solo consider Dickie Betts on Statesboro Blues. Dickie's solo starts off (at 2:38 or so in the recording) in D major Pentatonic. At about 3:00, Dicky switches to D minor pentatonic. He doesn't mix the two scales but plays them discretely. Easy to comprehend and hear. As an example of a master mixing the two scales in lick after lick consider Mick Taylor in the the live version of Sympathy for the Devil from Get Yer Ya Yas Out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mojcZIRpZaihaKMsi=UYuZceDHhI1NNG18&t=158

[@davidmaxwell997]

Thanks for the upload I was struggling with the same problem for a couple months.

[@menamgamg]

This is how teaching should be!

[@jonk9697]

I've had similar difficulties- trying to "switch" between minor and major. Like I'm thinking "right, now I will play in the major scale". My take away from this video is that it's a matter of blending the two scales together, rather than switching between the two.

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

confusing topic eh, i think in dorian and blues scale and then i can play the major third usually after the minor third so the mixolydian and maj pentatonic are in there already but its not how i think, arpegios is another idea, in A i also work in the b flat note over the 5 chord, ala SRV hence my entire note pool is A, B flat, B, C, C sharp, D, E flat, E F sharp and G, also something you are missing is that your minor thirds are actually slightly sharp at the end, like you hold teh C and pull sharp just before it fades, thi sis great and correct obviously but i don't notice i do it if i teach too, i do the same on G note they are slightly sharp but i camm em half sharps so it's all the notes i listed plus G HS and C HS too

[@Joe-mz6dc]

Excellent explanation.

[@mattchambers]

To make it more clearer I’d have bent the C up to a D when you’re in the minor. Or not bending at all. Bending to the C# and saying it’s still minor just confuses him when you add the fretted note in - probably why he struggled to hear. Great lesson though, Glen!

[@Timjohnrob]

I like this format, it feels like ur talking to me

[@TomCPlus1]

It was easier to mix major and minor pentatonic sounds than I thought: (1) Pick your root note; (2) the minor sound happens when you play the note *three frets higher* or *two frets lower*. That's the b3 and the b7 respectively. (3) the major sound happens when you play the note *two frets higher* or *three frets lower*. That's the maj2 and the maj6 respectively. Besides that, bending the b3 up a half-step (to the maj3), yep that immediately takes you from minor to major. The 5 is the same every time . . . I agree that it comes easiest when you've already learned all five pentatonic boxes, and then also the "diagonal pentatonic chain" (minor is the b7 - R, then the b3 - 4 - 5. Major is the 1- 2- 3, then the 5 - 6. Rinse, repeat.) Your muscle memory takes over once your ear tells it where you are. 🎸🎸🎶🎶

[@RafaelHuguinim]

What a masterclass, loved it…keep it up and thanks a lot

[@chrisbardolph]

Great sound you get from that guitar.

[@guitarplayer5932]

i blend major, minor, dorian, mixolydian, chromatics, add diminished arpeggios just before chord changes etc

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

i like that last idea..

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

spaces and dynamics are equally important too i think

[@guitarplayer5932]

@@jibicusmaximus4827 yes , im not saying i play all of those all at once they’re just ideas

[@HeathWatts]

Very good explanation. Thanks!

[@glenparish7056]

Glad it was helpful!

[@markabbott-dl9bg]

I think that this will open the door for many students, I certainly had the same idea and was trying to mix the scales in their relative positions. Great lesson, look forward to watching many more 🎸

[@Adam-bq6ic]

i feel like by bending the minor third you were throwing him off since by bending the 3rd you're going up to the major third. so it sounds similar to your example of that lick in major.

[@Alex-o1t1t]

Exactly what I thought. I can't stand an intentionally confusing teacher.

[@pipespeeps5349]

@@Alex-o1t1t dont think ita intentional, its very common to bend that note in the pentatonic and i dont he thought of that

[@richardking7137]

He’s bending the C natural slightly sharp rather than all the way to C# . It’s common enough if your playing Aminor pentatonic against an A7 as c natural will sound flat. Obviously you won’t bend it at all if the chord your playing on is A Minor

[@vanfoster7596]

I hope the teacher made his bread with this class

[@StratsRUs]

Excellent ! Well done to the student too for being attentive and curious. I also found listening to T Bone Walker's 'T Bone Blues' album essential .B.B and Chuck's inspiration.

[@jamesrodriquez2863]

This is why I could never be a teacher. I do not have the required patience. It's a simple concept really. Write down all the notes from the A minor and A major scales. The notes that are the same you don't worry about. The notes that aren't the same are the notes you add to whichever scale you are playing in. This is called mixing the minor and major, and it's one of the things that makes blues music so great. It's that simple. My hat is off to you for having the patience to repeat yourself until he got it. 🙂

[@Jeff_H_the_Guitarist]

This was really a fantastic video of beginning to end. Thank you!

[@masterandkerranginparticul4324]

Oh man, subscribed. I want to be your student now.

[@hekakain4108]

Subbed...it's like I'm having the lesson...do more of these student / tutor vids please...

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

nice licks, good relaxed teaching style too.. i will be a better teacher if i take anyone again, from just seeing this, cheers!

[@Nametakenalready]

Learning modes and how to use the mixolydian is what started opening my eyes when initially learning. And often times it seems working in a major /dominant 7 th tonality. I rarely am in a minor sounding tune and mixing in major 3rds 6ths or at least spending much time on em

[@eagleman98]

This is why I could never teach my friends music. But also it took me a while to understand that I was a natural and I didn't get why they couldn't get this as easily as I could. Which was frustrating... Ultimate patience. 🎸🔊🎶

[@sometingwongwai9679]

I was taught to base everything on the chord tones of the chord being played and every other note is an extension. starting on any note of the chord tone pay anything and land on a chord tone, do that with rhythm and expression, you'll be surprised how that sounds.

[@kal5163]

This is the kind of teaching I could have done with decades ago. Tried the whole Guitar Techniques/Total Guitar route but just flatlined. Trying to get back in the saddle. Subbed.

[@bflatfive9456]

Finger lickin good!!!! Subscribed and hit the bell.

[@bobdillon1138]

I actually learnt how to do it without knowing i was doing it by copying Angus young solos note for note...I think it is called the Dorian mode and he is a master at it.

[@mdreid]

Copying solos is a great way to learn this stuff. However, I’m not sure the mixing of major and minor pentatonics is the same as any mode of the major scale, since the mix has eight notes and both a major and minor third, which no mode has. Case in point: A maj penta: A B C# E F# A min penta: A C D E G A mixed: A B C C# D E F# G A Dorian: A B C D E F# G So it’s pretty close but not the same. The A Dorian scale plus the major third has the same notes as the mixed major + minor pentatonic. Having both the minor and major third is crucial to getting more of a bluesy sound.

[@kevinmcguinness1113]

Yeah, Angus had always been great at blending minor and major, right from the early days. It's good to uderstand the theory behind what he does too though 👍

[@krystilynn3403]

This explanation helped a lot, thank you for a great lesson. Have subscribed.

[@pauls_guitartrip]

Wow, I am so glad, that i am not a teacher. Much respect for having so much patience! XD

[@glenparish7056]

You have to enjoy helping people learn and that is what makes it fun

[@Puppacha]

Deciding to watch this video was the best decision ive taken in a long time. Thank you for the upload.

[@By-Fun-Jokes-Guitars]

Angus is a master in mixing min and maj... It's a long way to the top..... This will help a lot of people nice one, 😎👍👀

[@blahdiblah2169]

The tele is the star of the show :)

[@billpholde4816]

I'm closer to understanding Major vs Minor because of this video. Thanks!

[@ttroopers1025]

The typical easy blue scales. Yet never go wrong with them.

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

true but it's not easy to make it sound like that, it can be deceptive..

[@diederrr]

I kept thinking of it as these "2 different scales" before but, actually the way to think about it is it's the same scale with one or 2 different notes.

[@TheOriginalArchie]

Wait until he finds out that EVERY note will sound OK if you resolve correctly.

[@JasonGeoffrey]

On your first example, you were bending the C note up half a step to the C# which was confusing the ear of the student. Then when you introduced the hammer on to C# it sounded pretty much the same.

[@philme9773]

Great lesson, I now understand too, thanks.

[@glenparish7056]

Great!

[@strin6lord]

Very patient teacher, the student wants to mix two scales but cannot find c# in the g string and then asking if the higher A is from the major, when it's actually the tonic. Trying to combine two scales and alterations without knowing your fretboard is like running before learning to walk imo.

[@guygfm4243]

Just starting wow

[@user-alpre1984]

that was great, thats how u learn

[@andybarrons323]

What a great lesson. That’s helped me a lot too. I agree that lesson snippets like this are a great idea. Thank you so much.

[@sammyflinn5706]

Brilliant 👏

[@charlesbongue608]

Thanks for that video really transformed my playing! I was getting bored with the penta but now I feel like it opened so many possibilities! Do you have any other magic tips like this one ? By any chance could you do a video on modes other minor blues ? ;)

[@glenparish7056]

Glad it helped!

[@G.S.W.SewmesomeMusic]

When mixing major and minor pentatonic if it sounds right it is right don’t overthink it👍

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

go from min third to maj third but not the other way round is a good tip too but yeah, ears are underrated lol.

[@bladerunner9646]

Very interesting - thank you

[@2410-s9l]

The little lick/riff at about 17:05 reminded me of the intro part to the song "In The Mood", the little chromattic run. Sounded cool.

[@_avia_]

Keep that in mind. The only note that is different between A and Am is C to C#.

[@nickbullock9779]

Plus an F sharp in the case of A major pentatonic. So two notes. If it was the major scale it would be three notes difference.

[@tonbuur5650]

Wish Glen was my nabur😂...great lesson, i struggle also with this...❤

[@kennycube5126]

Have a listen I Can't Quit You Babe, Led Zep (Blues in A7). Just the beginning😁Jimmy plays a couple of licks over the A7. At the end of the 2nd lick, when the song changes to D7, he hammers on to an F#. The F# is a note from the D7 chord, it's the maj 3rd. Basically by targeting 'chord tones' or 'notes from the chords' you will high light the chord and it will start to make you sound like you're playing with the music, not on top of it. Or another way of saying it, On the B string hammer from 5th fret on to 7th fret when it changes to D7.

[@TigerPalmer]

The student asks the right questions and confirms the answer with the teacher in a way that enlightens the teacher. Fascinating.

[@colink4823]

Good video, very instructive

[@caseyapgar1153]

Thank you!!

[@studiosys]

The " x" factor is the teacher has noodled around for 10, 000 hrs , the student has not 😂😂😂😂

[@insane_jarvis_9857]

good video, but nearly every time the instructor plays "minor pent" he instinctively bends the minor third (C) up a bit toward the major third (C#). His "minor" and "major" examples sound very similar for this reason.

[@rodolphezaro4671]

I was going to say this haha ! Instinct kicked in x)

[@harshitbad]

v. helpful!

[@bobyk87]

just need a 12 bar blues jam track or just play it together, experimenting major or minor during each chord to learn the hard way which works best. Actually you'll see many combinations that you thought'd not work actually work. Students gotta play wrong a lot to "learn". Make lots of mistakes.

[@lionheart1321]

Hmmm. Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton is using G Major chord and E minor scales. Can we duet G Major scaled with E minor scales?

[@mattshaheen5333]

Sure you can. Gmaj and Emin are the same scales.

[@JohnnyRayedd-Neck]

Wow he’s a really knowledgeable teacher!