First Steps in Blues Improvisation using Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern 1

[Stuartw]

@Richard_close2u

A minor pentatonic pattern 1 : note skipping

What’s the best way of playing adjacent notes. Eg the first two notes are at 5 on the E and A strings. Is is best to playing these by moving my finger each time or just laying my finger of both strings? Or is it whatever works best?

[jjw1]

@Stuartw , there are two ways to play notes on adjacent strings, same fret.

1. If you want the first note to ring out while you play the 2nd note, then you can fret them together with one finger, a mini-barre.

2. Most often though, you want to play the notes separately, one after the other. Moving your fretting finger from one string to the other will accomplish this, but it’s slow. The best technique is the “roll”, where you sort of roll your finger from one string to the adjacent string. It’s hard to describe in words, but pretty easy on video. Check out Lick #3 in this video: https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/5-blues-licks-from-pattern-1-bl-404, where Justin describes the technique.

[Richard_close2u]

@Stuartw

@jjw1 got in with a great answer - thanks.

[Stuartw]

@jjw1

The best technique is the “roll”, where you sort of roll your finger from one string to the adjacent string. It’s hard to describe in words, but pretty easy on video. Check out Lick #3 in this video: https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/5-blues-licks-from-pattern-1-bl-404 , where Justin describes the technique.

Thanks for that. I kind of have been doing the roll action (more by lick than judgement) but it’s not easy (for me) and is going to take some practice. Still trying to work out the first 8 notes in the note skipping exercise!!

[yigiterinc]

@Richard_close2u

Hey Richard I have a question regarding the licks: I have studied all the licks in this Blues Lead 1 course and can successfully play them when I want. The problem is though: I am noticing that none of the longer licks from “FIVE LICKS USING THE BLUE NOTE” and “Licks linking 2 patterns” haven’t made their way into my improv sessions. I am finding myself using mostly licks from pattern 1 and some licks from pattern 2 while also passing from the blue note every now and then. Do I need to force myself to practice them more or just move on and accept that maybe they are not my style of licks?

[laser_171825]

Thanks @Richard_close2u for posting this. In general I feel that I am making good progress on my guitar journey but improvising and getting it to sound good is an area that I am struggling with.

[Richard_close2u]

Thanks @laser_171825 Can I recommend a little dive into the various improv challenge topics … you can get a sense of other people’s steps along the way and have a go yourself if you fancy it.

Guitar Challenge (Improv) - 12-Bar Blues in A (Justin Sandercoe backing track)

Welcome to the Guitar Challenges. Each ‘challenge’ is basically an open invitation to anyone and everyone to play a song, an improvisation, a study-piece etc and post a recording – just for the fun of it. So, whether you are a relative beginner learning the basic chords and strumming pattern of a song, a more experienced player adding a little fancy fretwork, if you want to do a little finger-picking, or you want to sing and play at the same time … you can join in with these challenges. Impor…

Guitar Challenge (Improv) - 3, 2, 1 improvisations

Hey Brian, Yep, some nice work there mate. Well done. Quite a few others on here too to have a crack at as well. I suppose this particular challenge is really an exercise in restriction - using just 3 notes in one spot - with the aim of stimulating ideas around phrasing, note selection, bends etc, and ultimately revealing to each individual how much variation can be achieved with just a few notes. Improv is improv though, and yours was pretty good. All the best, Cheers, Shane

Guitar Challenge (Improv) - Layla style Backing Tracks

Welcome to the Guitar Challenges. Each ‘challenge’ is basically an open invitation to anyone and everyone to play a song, an improvisation, a study-piece etc and post a recording – just for the fun of it. So, whether you are a relative beginner learning the basic chords and strumming pattern of a song, a more experienced player adding a little fancy fretwork, if you want to do a little finger-picking, or you want to sing and play at the same time … you can join in with these challenges. Import…

[MrPB]

Great thread thanks @Richard_close2u

[Shaun0708]

This is a great resource, thanks for steering me here and taking the time initially to share.

[Jabba]

It would be a huge help to hear each of these licks played along with the backing track to get a feel of the timing. I’m really surprised this hasn’t been done, as it feels like a big jump to apply the lick to a backing track without any sense of timing.

[Richard_close2u]

Hello @Jabba and welcome to the community. Thanks for checking out this topic.

Each of the licks has its own in-built rhythmic structure which you could call timing. But the timing can be elastic and is not a fixed thing that you are unable to mess around with.
If you notice, each of the licks has a duration of less than one bar. You could, of course, start them all on beat 1 which means they end before the end of the bar. But you can start them on a different beat, or on and & between the beats. You could start on the beat 1 and stretch out some of the notes so the overall duration is longer. Conversely, you could compress the notes so the overall lick is over and done with in less time.
These are simply ideas, suggestions, fragments of something that are there for you to use and explore and shape to your own ends.

I hope that helps.
Cheers
Richard

[Dman74]

Hello @Richard_close2u ! Thank you for sharing this at Blues#2 live lesson. I’m glad you did…I have been practicing getting bends in tune and have actually practiced the first lick you gave. So challenging, but so fun! However I have not been practicing 1;3 , 1:4 patterns like that. Will put that into the practice session!!! Many thanks brother!

Cheers! SOCIABLE! And peace out! Keep on rocking!!

[Richard_close2u]

@Dman74 I’m glad it is helping you Darren!

[SteveL_G99]

@Richard_close2u Richard, thanks for this thread. I just discovered it because it was initially posted before I restarted JG in July 2022. This is a good blues improvisation resource.

[Stuartw]

I use this thread all the time (have a shortcut on my desktop) as it’s such a great resource.

[Peterctid]

The advice to concentrate on licks is really good. I atched the recording of Justin’s live blues lesson and his demonstration of how mechanical sounding soloing over a pattern was, is really eye opening. Luckily,Ive been concentrating on pattern one and two and have started my own lick book. I find recirding what works is really useful. It aids my learning/recall to write each note under the tab

[Libitina]

I’m really looking forward to going down this road but, I dont really know when would be an appropriate time as a beginner.

R

[DavidP]

@Libitina Rachel, I think if you just follow the grades you’ll get your opportunity in grade 2 or 3. But you can also have a go at anytime. If still working through grade 1 and 2, I’d say watch out for losing your momentum and give priority to laying the foundation. But if inspired, no harm can come from dipping in.