Pentatonic Puzzle Solved! The Power of Fours

[@BlueArpeggio.PoDoDan]

I seriously have no idea how the hell is this pure golden video of such information is just free

[@zzzyzzzyzzzyxxx]

In the days of old you didn't buy gold, you discovered it after a time of prospecting. Metaphorically then, if you are prospecting for technique, this video and the result within, is like found gold for those who have been looking for such "treasure".

[@mattyb410]

BlueArpeggio agreed

[@BrunoChiovoloni]

+Brian Fucking use some punctuation marks, please.

[@FreekeeChakra]

Agreed. Amazing how much he's researched and compiled into a coherent learning system. Just signed up for the subscription on Troy's website. Amazing information I wish I had before putting in all those alternate picking hours on the metronome.

[@joanofheart]

d nollem well they are a bit up in years now and we do need the next gen to have a chance and to be as good if not better by taking it and possibly finding ways to improve it if approached this way.

[@PaulCrane_1]

Absolutely killer. I have to thank you for the time and effort that goes into putting this together. Definitely a labor of love.

[@troygrady]

Paul Crane thanks Paul!

[@VideoGameMovies]

+Troy Grady seriously this is Tv material

[@MrPyroguru]

+Troy Grady Frank Gambale Economy Picking - Paul Gilbert Intense Rock - Troy Grady Downward Slanting & Rebound Technique Like Drummers - Allan Holdsworth Legato Technique - Greg Howe Hammering On From Nowhere - Magnus Olsson Hybrid Picking These guys helped me so much. Combing all these ideas!

[@robjettjr]

Mr. Troy Grady, your lessons are the greatest I've ever came across. These techniques are really gonna make me shine for my upcoming gigs. Thanks man.

[@kengonzo1640]

Over 4 years late andI'm wishing I had seen this back then. This is the first video I've seen on your channel and I'm subbed for life. Slows enough to watch and understand while also being so packed with info to make you pause and re-watch a few times for good measure. Thank you for great content. 👌😎🍕

[@renovatr]

Troy, I've been playing for 35 years mostly by ear and what I've learned through lessons from a couple different teachers. Your videos are very informative and detailed and I would like to thank you. You've inspired me to relearn how to pick properly instead of stumbling over the strings... I'm just tired of being frustrated over that!

[@Fitzliputzli23]

When I learned git in the 80's everybody focussed just on left hand fingerings. Right hand matters had been neglected for decades. How to even hold the pick? What angle? Edge down or up? Everybody seemed to develop their own technique, more or less intuitively. Some made it to accuracy and high speed, most didn't. Then Troy Grady came and worked on the flat-pick-issue like a scientist. With extremely valuable results! Thanks for sharing all this knowledge for free!

[@berictyronesymes2678]

I remember your Shawn Lane isolated hammer-on sequence analysis from years back, blows my mind to see how you have systematically achieved all of these, once mysterious, patterns. You are truly a god amongst men.

[@jimmyc5498]

Those combined phrases toward the end sounded sick. Thank you for figuring these out .Very cool

[@bobbysbackingtracks]

HI Troy, I just wanted to thank you for your AMAZING work here. You really have provided us all with the keys. Just subscribed and purchased your Series 1 and 2. What a VERY fair price for all this knowledge. Touched and blown away!

[@nfijef]

Might be worth pointing out that a lot of jazz players play the diminished arpeggio from the Flat 9 (half step above root) That gives b9, 3 5 7, over more dominant than minor blues sounds. Sounds great either way, keep up the good work!!

[@CurtisUaU]

I have been paying attention to pick movement and trying to do what you show and I have evolved a lot in just one day. Thanks so much. I have never thought before that I could play fast and sound good.

[@dieterschanzer7075]

Just discovered your videos Troy - a COMPLETE revelation and unlike anything I have ever seen ...I may well suscribe for the whole course...excellent work, thanks. Cant imagine the effort that went into producing these videos!

[@markj44r]

Beyond excellent! I understand everything. Amazing....I have beevn playing 30 years. This is my PhD studies of the guitar. You put me in light speed on the guitar and I understand the warp drive...You have uncovered the unknown and made the complex simple....Your information help cross me into elite world class.... my students are amazed .... I have been doing the slant picking for 10 years and told my students it was my circle slant picking style. I think circle . I use a combination of my wrist ,elbow and arm. to get hyper drive speed picking. Anyways you did help me in leaps and bounds..You saved me a decade easily...like you came from the future to give me inside information that would give me an edge...

[@ScottInk]

This is incredible! thank you for putting the time in on developing this kind of tutorial.

[@troygrady]

Scott Inkley No worries glad you enjoyed it!

[@stewmcleod7315]

In the years I’ve spent learning guitar I can’t remember picking ever being the focus. Now you have given me strategies I find myself planning out on the fly picking choices and options. Using the rigidity of only changing on upstrokes with slanting results in accuracy without having to think about how to strike the strings (or rather I’m now more aware of how I am doing it). Then combine this “rule” with sweeping and rotating the direction of slanting, more options and combinations open up. It seems so quick and precise to rehearse new combinations and applications as well as revisit licks with new eyes. Ultimately what you have provided Troy is freedom and creativity. Truly game changing. I can’t thank you enough.

[@jeffreyp1855]

And Yngwie says "I don't know, man! I just play it!" 😁

[@chilljlt]

Incredibly cool . I started with exclusively economy picking everything (frankly , that's what I thought alternate picking was, and never figured i was doing anything different). It's served me well all this while. I've now come to a stage where I see the few weaknesses it has and wanted to include alternate picking as well into my arsenal of tools. This entire series has been a revelation . It has changed my playing overnight. Looking forward to getting a pass when I have more time to dedicate.

[@shyboy2112]

I keep coming back to these videos. Such a trove of invaluable information

[@gt0703]

The work you put into these videos blows me away...

[@rdoetjes]

This man and this show are way beyond amazing!!!! I love his technical and theoretic knowledge. And the production values of this show are off the charts.

[@elmarto1716]

Hey Troy ! I've been playing for 25 years and I've been stuck for 25 years with that string changing slopiness but no more and that's all because of you :-) Thank you bro

[@jeffee47]

wow....where were you when I was 15? Your insight and analysis is remarkable on ALL of your videos. Awesome job!!! My only regret is that I'm just now finding you.

[@lahuellaguitar]

Awesome video, as usual!! I ll stay at home this evening, i have to study all these new concepts, it sounds incredible!! Thanks for this work, you are number one, greetings from Madrid!!

[@CaribSurfKing1]

You have to talk about the 4s pentatatic sweep descending version as well. It also starts with an upstroke and is just as elegant ( each 8 note sequence starts with 3 notes per string then a double direction change sweep to get the next string, note 8 happens to be a downstroke, which starts the pattern of 8 again on the lower string with an upstroke, voila )

[@spectrafence9064]

Thanks, now everything falls into place with hours of practice in my youth, the pick slanting was the missing piece. Totally awesome and BIG THANKS!!!!!

[@kurokamei]

this channel is a gem. its like Cosmo, full of information but easy to digest. hopefully i can be as good as you.

[@9Justo]

And finally someone who provides examples of different scales and how they are supposed to be played on guitar.

[@romanguitarify]

Troy, these are the BEST guitar lessons i've seen ever since i started playing guitar 13 years ago. Thank you

[@troygrady]

Roman Bilko thanks Roman!

[@TruthSurge]

It's inspiring but depressing too. hehe I can intellectually grasp it but physically doing the right hand part... hard but also getting the left hand shapes in TIME with that right picking hand... harder. I had no idea Yngwie was sweeping any scale runs. I knew he swept arps but not scales.

[@Born2RiffRock]

Troy it's just genius the way you have broken this down and showed it.

[@ThatVaiGuy]

I used to think I was a decent guitar player. Then I see these videos and I feel like i'm standing at the bottom of Mt. Everest looking up, and a bird just pooped on me.

[@remnant24]

It's the opposite for me. I feel like I was standing at the bottom of mt. Everest before, and then global warming struck, melted all the snow and raised the sea level, taking me half way to the top, the sun shining bright on my face.

[@cuauhtemocmorisco3493]

ThatVaiGuy 😂

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

You should watch Marshall Harrison videos then! He's on a whole other level so you can feel like all the water has drained to the bottom of the deepest ocean, you're stood there in the trench staring up at Concord flying over head now at 100,00ft.. someone flushed the toilet and a half frozen fat bastards turd splats you in the face and mouth !

[@kickbiker7920]

EVERYBODY was s*it when they started. NOBODY arrived fully formed. Your style is defined by your limitations. Keep learning, practice & get out play live ....

[@GtrMatt]

Mickeyislowd Marshall's technique is on a different level. Nothing against this stuff. It's fantastic and Troy' s videos have been a revelation for many players in regards to technique. Marshall's hybrid/sweeping approach is so fast and efficient. He's kind of merged Brett Garsed's and Frank Gambale's very unique right approaches which is a monstrous feat. Anyway, Marshall does live vids every Friday night through his KZbin channel. He talks about his technique and gives many great examples. Check it out!

[@Julio3dc]

Yeah!! Glad to see I was correct. A monthly or weekly homework will be great ***** Great video! Thanks a lot man!

[@frozencons]

Great video, guys! I really like how you've thrown in some cool scale ideas, especially the bit about the similarities between whole tone and Mixolydian. I'm looking forward to the next Master's in Mechanics seminar as well as Cracking the Code. Cheers!

[@Ryansoutdoorsandmusic]

Mr. Grady, my friend, I must say you’ve inspired me to start thinking about my technique and playing more than ever and I’m so thankful for that! Thank you very much sir!

[@Nathankthanks]

God damn! I never actually watched this whole video. Seriously digging the fusionesque tips at the end! Insane, Troy, I've never heard you play that sort of thing.

[@Nathankthanks]

Totally agree.

[@Strommel1]

I think this may be the ultimate guitar technique channel om youtube. Thanks

[@666ssn666]

I've been playing for about 25 years and after failed band situations became almost completely apathetic towards the instrument. I was merely playing for about half an hour per week all of a sudden just to keep muscle memory, because..you never know. I wasn't "feeling" guitar anymore for about 8 months though, maybe more. After stumbling across these videos I bought a better guitar and am loving it again (you really can't describe this to someone who doesn't play). I think it was the Yngwie 6 note per string video that done it. Something so simple completely opened up my playing and mind, not to mention patience to examine those little sloppy mistakes I often overlooked. Thank you.

[@hammerspace6491]

This really was a great tip, I ended up using idea in the solo section for my most recent track. Thank you a bunch! Keep it up!

[@CliffMcCauley]

These vids are GOLD. Creative/calculated/perfectly executed and entertaining. Thank you!!

[@BrianAuer]

9:11- 9:28 I would love to get a closer look of your marriage ideas ;) This video is top notch as always Troy. Thanks for the great stuff.

[@gila-clifffirewood5796]

WOW...just wow!!! And thank you Troy...you the Man!

[@Identitees]

I think I need this level of technical analysis to move me forward...thanks for all your excellent work.

[@johncenakiwi]

What an amazing lesson this was.

[@russwilson2305]

Love that whole tone action!

[@aliensporebomb]

I was binge watching this yesterday and have found it very helpful so far even though I was executing this in a different way than Troy does - pick the first note and hammer the next two then pick the next note and hammer on the next two. I'd been doing that for 20 years but doing the techniques here has been a big help in doing it more straightforwardly. And this morning after starting to watch Troy's fours video again I realized someone else came up with a different way of executing the ascending and descending pentatonics in a novel way: Shawn Lane. Even though his demo indicates he is doing fives in that video,, search for 'Shawn Lane Pentatonic Lesson Part 1 of 1 and Part 2 of 2". His fingerings are highly unusual and he of course blazes through the pentatonics like a buzzsaw.

[@GroovingGeckoMusic]

The best guitar technique videos I've seen so far! And that's including all the official instruction videos from the famous guys!

[@seags937]

These lessons are INCREDIBLE! Please continue to put this kind of effort in, you're changing lives :)

[@victorlaw4256]

So many useful tips … just crazy! Super useful. Big Big Thanks Troy!

[@cast390]

Ever have one of those "My head just exploded" moments?

[@tonyrobertsguitar]

Yngwie did it all...and continues to do so. Thanks for another great analysis!!

[@xxberserkxx9969]

I just wanted to say I really appreciate all your videos! Thank you so much for the awesome content!

[@troygrady]

Jake Mesta Hey, Brendan here from the Code team. Thanks for the comment…we appreciate your appreciation!

[@Watzline]

Yes, This is a picking method of Hybrid, 4 note patterns, pick angles, fast and fluid, that Paul Gilbert set me out on, years ago, but wanted to incorporate with a good wide vibrato, bluesy, beebop thing that Ive' been doing for years and is really slick. I could only achieve this Hi-octane picking style from time to time, but after MANY HOURS of watching guys like Frank Gambale, Greg Howe, Steve Morse, Tony McAlpine, Nuno, now Rick Graham, Ben Eller, Martin Miller [are you kiddind me?] until 3 a.m. starting to just grab a guitar and rip. I go out and watch guys locally playing good old pentatonic stuff, bending strings until they break, .I say Thank You God, that's not me anymore,, you just got to want to advance, some guys are happy staying on first base. Thanks for the explanation-advice.

[@SebastianGordonMusic]

For quite a moment i feel that he's learning the secuence too, ... then he starts to play the same sequence in every scale and i remember being a simple mortal. Great Videos.

[@TruthSurge]

oh my freakin GOD. hahahha I just watched at 5:31 then picked up my axe and i swear in 2 min i had this lick at about 40% of your speed. wow. I was stunned. It DID feel like it was meant to be that way and I almost never economy pick. just wow. I'm going to practice this in the 1st spot (good ole A min 5th fret). wow. It's crazy how it just flows once you get the first chunk figured out. The other strings are just repeats with diff left hand positions based on whatever pentatonic spot you're in. wow. That's just amazing.

[@Lanearndt]

I love that you put John Pizzarelli next to Django in that one image, that's great!

[@machia0705]

A lot of information here. Great video presentation.

[@robjettjr]

Mr Grady u r a genius. Your hi fi tutorials are the best and incomparable.

[@sunavila]

Thank you for your very high quality videos, you're an excellent guitarist.

[@jerryoutlaw3396]

Thank you for the great insight!!!! Your chops are fabulous too!!

[@phabi0]

Chris Poland could be a great example of 3 notes per string penta patterns.

[@StonefieldMusic]

Love your vids Troy and the excitement that you generate in them. I'm a bassist that will probably make little direct use of a lot of the content ... BUT ... man, does it get my brain gears turning. I'd love to see someone analyse the right/left hand techniques of Entwistle, Jaco, Clarke, Manring, etc. in the way that you do with these innovative guitarists. Thanks so much for your work.

[@RyanTaylor4real]

Thank you Troy! I plan to master Cracking the Code this summer!

[@agilebenton5763]

Beyond AMAZING. I'm in total awe. Thanks

[@martinpalmer3575]

Great video, even pure alternate variant sounded clean. That's something I really struggle with. But I guess thats the whole point huh!

[@timtippets]

Very cool. Thanks for another great vid, Troy!

[@jochengnu4214]

I saw an old video with Sean Lane. He also starts some pentatonic runs with an upstroke! He had a lot of pentatonic variations.

[@alexdattel2757]

Where has this channel been when I started playin 5 years ago? :D lovin it

[@berictyronesymes2678]

A vid on Shawn Lane's descending pentatonic 6's, starting on a down stroke, would be a treat.

[@thefuneralparade]

your new to me and blow my mind.i appreciate you

[@jeremywatson169]

Great video catapulted my playing tremendously thank you simply awesome

[@rowanmurphy5239]

Your videos are absolutely fantastic.

[@thesistersboil]

This will take me many months to work on but it's a great project thank you

[@arechj]

What is this madness? Awesome! Thanks!

[@FlockofSmeagles]

Damn it troy. My arm is on fire. After unlocking this door. I haven't been able to stop playing. The trove of content that's here has me picking up my guitar 10 minutes after I put it down.

[@politicalGRAFFITI]

Very well produced graphics and video.

[@patrick764]

Great presentation. Very intricate.

[@RyanMonty]

That blues lick at 7:24 is awesome.

[@stukershaw8394]

Really really helpful info from Troy, has helped me tremendously already Thanks dude, so good, the best lessons on you tube a cloud has lifted for me with the dwps :)

[@Nymblz]

That is a seriously wicked way of incorporating whole tone and diminished into blues, seems like very fertile ground for new creative sounds and textures, or as Holdsworth might describe it, "sheets of sound". Also, a lot of your own original riffs and ideas are total badassery, are you ever planning on releasing a CD of original stuff?

[@JamesLongPDX]

Great stuff, Troy Grady!

[@powerbylightfutureisnow1579]

Great work !!! So dam fun to watch .. you have improved your Guitarplaying 😎 since the last time a watched your first season. Thanks

[@KrustyDebris]

I hope you still have your Roadstar. I love those.

[@luther_beckett]

Great job on the video - technically(the video aspects) and musically.A person who makes shredding interesting to a life-long advanced garage guitarist. Good work. Oddly enough, coming from a punk/metal background(and a sloppy player), I still discovered up-angle picking and starting with an upstroke to cross strings comfortably. I still suck, except when I totally kill it.

[@paurutubetv1158]

Great video as usual! Man why is it that I just found this channel.

[@ivonsmith3095]

Troy some great alternate scale usage there outside of the pentatonic! Brilliant mechanics as usual too! Have you ever ventured into analyzing John McLaughlin's approach since he's a god of speed and creative complex scalic work. With his Indian raga scales and western exotic scales too and the "Sarod Picking" technique that he adopted from learning to play Indian instrument Vina. Because I never felt John's playing was "recognizable" in that its hard to identify patterns and pure scalic runs. He uses odd timings a lot and 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 note sequences but they never sound like he's just going through exercises or patterns. Every sequence seems unique yet Im sure it cant be. I guess playing "changes" a lot too helps break up the melodies by changing key really frequently. But it never sounds laboured or contrived. Al di Meola for instance is easily identifiable in the runs he does. But John is out there somehow and I dont know how. Both acoustic and electric work the same... Any insights??

[@sduke39]

Maybe in 10-15 years I'll understand this stuff. But it's still amazing to watch.

[@CleisonRodriguesComposer]

Thanks for this incredible video! I will study all that.

[@babackd.6485]

Thanks a lot for making this fantastic video

[@ТимурПятигорець]

Sounds great! Thank you!

[@szymonbalcer]

Your videos are amazing! Keep up the great work!

[@perrygisclair8931]

You mentioned that "Yngwie is not a guy who over-intellectualizes his guitar technique" but he used to turn his back on audiences so they couldn't see what he was playing. I'm guessing this means that he was fairly certain he had a revolutionary insight into guitar technique and he wanted to keep it to himself for a moment, at least. In light of what you've revealed, I totally get it. I didn't at the time. I love Yngwie and will forever admire his art and dedication. Thank you TG for giving us a window into the genius of all of these guitar masters!

[@GrooveDuude]

Speedies! Brilliant as always, Troy

[@Thundercloud_Jackson]

Dweezil Zappa has a crazy sweep to go through pentatonics inhumanly fast

[@Thelearner1000]

Great stuff Troy!!!!!

[@mikeforster1774]

Mindblowing!!!!

[@drewjohnson4794]

I wish executing this was just as easy as understanding it was. Something about your teaching makes me believe I can already do it. Then I pick up my guitar and remember that I can't. Yet!!!!!

[@troygrady]

The key where, which isn't explained in this video, is that your picking motion needs to be a USX motion ( troygrady.com/primer/picking-motion/usx-motion/ ). Meaning, it needs to move like that on a diagonal, even if you're just playing a tremolo on a single string. If it's not, and it's a DSX motion ( troygrady.com/primer/picking-motion/dsx-motion/ ), then none of this is going to work, and you'd be better off working on DSX lines and phrases first. I'm not saying you can't learn USX eventually, you can learn anything you want. But you should consider it like speaking a different language. You're going to be best at your own language first.

[@kevinclose5840]

awesome playing analysis and video computer skills!

[@podoz]

phenomenal video, wish i could hit the thumbs up 1000 times

[@tengkutaufik4132]

What a great Troy.

[@dougarnold7955]

This is an awesome lesson...thanks.