This is probably good advice, and pretty much what I’m doing. Prolly 90% of my improv practice is devoted to minor pentatonic over blues. For the other 10%, I might improv a major pentatonic or major scale over some song that I like.
For my intellectual curiosity, I do try to learn about major scales, playing the changes and stuff like that, but as I mentioned above, I don’t try to play it. It’s just “book learning” for now.
Classic rock, which is the era I grew up in. I’ve also become quite a fan of blues music in recent years (mostly classic blues, 3 Kings, T-Bone, Wolf, etc., but also acoustic blues). Oh yeah, and late 70s punk (big fan of the Clash and the Ramones).
Woah, hang on. I’ve been pounding away at the major scale for the past month because the advice given to me here was to learn that first because all other scales derive from it. I WAS practicing improv with the extended minor pentatonic scale, but changed course based on that advice.
So which is correct:
Learn the major scale first because the others derive from it, OR
Learn the minor pentatonic first because it’s easier to learn and easier to apply (no need to ‘play the changes’)?
I personally feel if you learn the major scale first you’ll be further ahead in the long run. But if you’re already learning the minor pentatonic and working on licks keep going. Trying to learn both at the same time will only confuse you.
If you were already working on soloing with the extention then you should already have a grasp of the minor pentatonic. So working on both should be a problem for you.
There is no right answer.
@jacksprat
Justin introduces the C major scale and the A minor pentatonic scale in Grade 2 (C major marginally ahead in modules).
That is for nibbling at the edges.
When you progress and want to gorge on the scale stuff the Major Scale Maestro comes in before the minor pentatonic blues stuff from Grade 4.
If you want to follow the structure Justin sets out that is the route.
That said, he does have updates to the blues lessons somewhere in the pipeline - not sure when and not sure where any new lessons will be places just yet.