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The 5th Pentatonic
Modal Study

Lesson by
 Michael Chodosh

 

  

Make sure that you've already studied the 1st four Pentatonic Modal Studies before pursuing this lesson.

Here is this set of pentatonic scales and chords with the example of how to practice them at the end.  The folowing will be the three chords: major, minor and half-diminished and the three pentatonic scales which we will assign to them.

 E minor chord

 The 4/6  minor pentatonic scale
                X   X
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   1   1   |   | 
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   2   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   |   |   |   |   | 12th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
                X    X
6th string          1st string
 
  
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   1   1   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
2   2   |   |   2   2
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   4   4   4   4   4 12th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
6th string          1st string
 
E major chord
The 4/6  pentatonic scale.
                X    X
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   1   1   |   |  
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   3   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   |   |   |   |   |12th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
                X   X
6th string          1st string
 
  
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
1   1   1   1   1   1  
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   3   3   3   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   |   |   |   4   4 12th Fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
6th string          1st string
 
E minor 7 b5 chord The 4/6  minor flat 5 pentatonic scale
    X               X
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   1   |   1   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   2   |   |  
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
3   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |12th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
    X               X
6th string          1st string
 
  
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   1   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   1   |   |  
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
2   2   |   |   2   2
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   3   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   4   4   4   |   4 12th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
6th string          1st string
 

 Now, as in study number one, you have enough scales to work on all of the pentatonic scale/chord studies in one key.  Try this. We will still be using  the key of E minor.

In E natural minor (the Aeolian mode) the chords are E minor, F# half diminished, G, A minor, B minor, C, and D.

First play the chord then the corresponding scale.

  Em                                
E:----------------------10-12-10---------------------
B:------------------10-12-------12-10----------------
G:9-------------9-12-----------------12-9------------
D:9---------9-12-------------------------12-9--------
A:10---10-12---------------------------------12-10---
E:12-12-------------------------------------------12-

    Em (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:---------------------------------------------------
  E:-9-12----------------------------------------------

   F#mb5                                
E:-------------------------12-14-12------------------
B:10------------------12-13--------13-12-------------
G:11-------------11-14------------------14-11--------
D:10--------10-14----------------------------14-10---
A:-----12-14--------------------------------------14-
E:12-14----------------------------------------------

    F#mb5 (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:-12------------------------------------------------
  E:---14-12-14----------------------------------------

   G                                
E:-------------------------12-15-12------------------
B:--------------------12-15--------15-12-------------
G:12-------------12-14------------------14-12--------
D:12--------12-14----------------------------14-12---
A:14---12-14--------------------------------------14-
E:15-15----------------------------------------------

    G (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:12-------------------------------------------------
  E:--15-12-15-----------------------------------------

  Am                                
E:-------------------------15-17-15------------------
B:--------------------15-17--------17-15-------------
G:14-------------14-17------------------17-14--------
D:14--------14-17----------------------------17-14---
A:15---15-17--------------------------------------17-
E:17-17----------------------------------------------

    Am (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:15-------------------------------------------------
  E:--17-15-17-------------------------------------------

   G                                
E:-------------------------12-15-12------------------
B:--------------------12-15--------15-12-------------
G:12-------------12-14------------------14-12--------
D:12--------12-14----------------------------14-12---
A:14---12-14--------------------------------------14-
E:15-15----------------------------------------------

    G (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:12-------------------------------------------------
  E:--15-12-15-----------------------------------------

  F#mb5                                
E:-------------------------12-14-12------------------
B:10------------------12-13--------13-12-------------
G:11-------------11-14------------------14-11--------
D:10--------10-14----------------------------14-10---
A:-----12-14--------------------------------------14-
E:12-14----------------------------------------------

    F#mb5 (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:-12------------------------------------------------
  E:---14-12-14----------------------------------------

  Em                                
E:----------------------10-12-10---------------------
B:------------------10-12-------12-10----------------
G:9-------------9-12-----------------12-9------------
D:9---------9-12-------------------------12-9--------
A:10---10-12---------------------------------12-10---
E:12-12-------------------------------------------12-

    Em (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:---------------------------------------------------
  E:-9-12----------------------------------------------

   D                              
E:------------------7-10-7---------------------------
B:--------------7-10------10-7-----------------------
G:-7---------7-9--------------9-7--------------------
D:-7------7-9--------------------9-7-----------------
A:-9---7-9--------------------------9-7--------------
E:10-10--------------------------------10-7-10-------

   C                              
E:----------------5-8-5------------------------------
B:-------------5-8-----8-5---------------------------
G:-5--------5-7-----------7-5------------------------
D:-5-----5-7-----------------7-5---------------------
A:-7--5-7-----------------------7-5------------------
E:-8-8------------------------------8-5-8------------

   Bm                              
E:----------------5-7-5------------------------------
B:-------------5-7-----7-5---------------------------
G:-4--------4-7-----------7-4------------------------
D:-4-----4-7-----------------7-4---------------------
A:-5--5-7-----------------------7-5------------------
E:-7-7-----------------------------7-5-7-------------

   Am                              
E:----------------3-5-3------------------------------
B:-------------3-5-----5-3---------------------------
G:-2--------2-5-----------5-2------------------------
D:-2-----2-5-----------------5-2---------------------
A:-3--3-5-----------------------5-3------------------
E:-5-5-----------------------------5-3-5-------------

   Bm                              
E:----------------5-7-5------------------------------
B:-------------5-7-----7-5---------------------------
G:-4--------4-7-----------7-4------------------------
D:-4-----4-7-----------------7-4---------------------
A:-5--5-7-----------------------7-5------------------
E:-7-7-----------------------------7-5-7-------------

   C                              
E:----------------5-8-5------------------------------
B:-------------5-8-----8-5---------------------------
G:-5--------5-7-----------7-5------------------------
D:-5-----5-7-----------------7-5---------------------
A:-7--5-7-----------------------7-5------------------
E:-8-8------------------------------8-5-8------------

   D                              
E:------------------7-10-7---------------------------
B:--------------7-10------10-7-----------------------
G:-7---------7-9--------------9-7--------------------
D:-7------7-9--------------------9-7-----------------
A:-9---7-9--------------------------9-7--------------
E:10-10--------------------------------10-7-10-------

  Em                                
E:----------------------10-12-10---------------------
B:------------------10-12-------12-10----------------
G:9-------------9-12-----------------12-9------------
D:9---------9-12-------------------------12-9--------
A:10---10-12---------------------------------12-10---
E:12-12-------------------------------------------12-

    Em (cont . . .)                               
  E:---------------------------------------------------
  B:---------------------------------------------------
  G:---------------------------------------------------
  D:---------------------------------------------------
  A:---------------------------------------------------
  E:-9-12----------------------------------------------

There, we traveled up the neck a bit then back down to the lower frets and back up to our starting point at the 12th fret.  With all of these exercises I recommend that you play to the top of the neck and down to the lowest frets as long as you stick to the chords and scales diatonic to the key you are playing.  In this case:  E minor, F# minor b5, G, A minor, B minor, C and D.

Now, why not try this in the 11 other keys?  How about melodic or harmonic minor keys?  Can you apply this to a song that you already know?  Whatever you do, try to make it fit your style and have some fun with it.

That is the fifth pentatonic modal study.

Achieve that dream!
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