Originally posted by: Igor B
If you jam over G3 "Rocking in the free world" song, the obvious choice is 5 pentatonic shapes of E minor. But what if you are tired of it? Here is a very powerful recipe. You can treat the first pentatonic shape as the base for the Dorian mode with the same root on low E string! So you can attach every Aeolian pentatonic shape to the corresponding derived Dorian flavored modal shape and mix these two concepts. This discussion is the beginning on the way to understand (later) the following idea: "pentatonic shape add second". But I will mention that later. For now focus on the above mentioned concept. Here is the table to help you:
Jam tune: G3 Rocking in the free world, Little wing, Woodoo child (same G3 jam)
The following modal shapes can be seen on the following pentatonic
shapes in the same (or close by position, if you see two modes listed,
it means the pentatonic shape is in between these modes)
Aeolian flavor Dorian flavor
Pentatonic Shape 1 - Modal shape Dorian/Ionian
Pentatonic Shape 2 - Modal shape Phrygian
Pentatonic Shape 3 - Modal shape Lydian
Pentatonic Shape 4 - Mixolidian/Aeolian
Pentatonic Shape 5 - Locrian
Note for those who are already familiar with the idea
You almost don't need to learn pentatonic add second with this
approach if you know what i am saying
So again,
Jam song G3 Rocking in the free world :
Pentatonic Shape 1 E - Modal shape E Dorian/ D Ionian
Pentatonic Shape 2 G - Modal shape F# Phrygian
Pentatonic Shape 3 A - Modal shape G Lydian
Pentatonic Shape 4 B - AMixolidian/ B Aeolian
Pentatonic Shape 5 - C# Locrian
Notice that Satch and Vai use this idea a lot in the jam. Let me know what you think!igorgoga
Wed, 03/11/2009 - 12:47
Hey man! Thanks for the excellent post!
This is a great way to start "breaking out" of the pentatonic boxes that everyone learns at first. And the progression is simple: E - D - C.
Both Aeolian and Dorian will sound good over this progression. Aeolian will sound kinda sad, while Dorian will be a bit hipper sounding.
Also Pentatonic add2 is the same as Dorian or Aeolian with the 6th removed (another way to think about it)
Some ideas for practicing this might be: Play pentatonic licks and bends for 4 bars, then switch to Dorian and play some legato runs, then back to 4 bars of pentatonic, then Aeolian for 4 bars with alternate picking runs or melody. Try to think of a melody using the scale and play it while listening to the music behind what you are playing.
Great tips man,
Thanks!