This is a jazz concept known as modalism, over a Cmin chord the minor pentatonics of i, ii and V (C, D and G) gives you all the notes of C dorian. The Dmin pentatonic over the Cmin chord gives you the sound of the natural 6th, which is pretty characteristic of the dorian sound so I would definitely spend time exploring all three! Another way to look at it is that from Cmin pentatonic to Gmin you only have one different note in the scale (D instead of Eb) and same thing from Gmin to Dmin (A instead of Bb), it then gives us a very useful tool to explore the dorian mode while sounding pretty smooth.
Yep I was going to mention the same thing where you get access to C dorian or mixolydian while traversing the two pentatonic/mixing them in and out in context of C minor. Which makes sense as theyre relative to eachother (getting C mixolydian from G dorian and C dorian from g minor) . Watering all that down to "mix g and c pentatonic" really lets that become an easy tool for newer players before jumping into the theory. Also I think you mixed up the difference with it being (switching e natural and Eb) that get you access to the mixolydian sound (D is there regardless).
Does this not lead to focusing on less favourable tones in the scale or playing familiar muscle-memory pentatonic licks that end on awkward notes? The way I have always approached this is to know where the diatonic notes live within the pentatonic shapes, whether it's Dorian, Aeolian etc. or non diatonic - the major 3rd, b5 etc. to spice things up.
The other thing that thinking of it in terms of pentatonics is that or helps not play scales up and down. An other cool thing to do with pentatonics and even with this concept is up make a minor or major pentatonics use the scale degrees of the other so for a minor pentatonic, usually 1345b7, you can do the major numbers 12b356 (the 6 can be flat or normal depending on the key of the phrase) and vise versa. I love messing with pentatonics like using a different one than the chord is or use different cultural pentatonic like the major 1235b7
@@LilOlFunnyBoy I think its only awkward if you only see the lesson as playing both pentatonics with zero context of the songs key. But if you approach it as "options" or just another trick in the arsenal, then it will only expand your ability to mix up what seems to be the same old riff/key. Mixolydian and Dorian modes are inherently melodic and so they bode well with using them regardless of context. That "Eric Johnson" sound really comes from a more mixolydian based key and then most people, imo, tend to gravitate towards sprinkling dorian within the same minor key. This method lets you easily conceptualize doing both as long as you "respect the music" you're soloing on top of.
Indeed, that’s how I approach it. In Dutch I think we call it (translated to English) Pentatonic Displacement. I think of it as this, say I want to play in the key of C (Ionian) then the 2 (D), the 3 (E) and the 6 (A) minor pentatonic scales all consists of notes from the C Ionian scale. (D-f-g-a-c, E-g-a-b-d and A-c-d-e-g).
Other than "Modalism" as someone has mentioned, this is also called "Superimposition". Guitarists like Scott Henderson and especially Carlos Rios (see his solo on "Cool Weasel Boogie" by Chick Corea, perfect example of it) would frequently use the minor pentatonic of the ii and the V chord.
Many thanks for this video, I think I'll study note for note your initial solo because that progression is very common, but played by you it sounds modern and fresh. Thanks
I've heard it said thst if playing Am pentatonic over Am7 chords , you can slide the "box" up two frets and play licks from it, ideally resolving to the original Am pentatonic ( ie, substituting Bm pentatonic from Am pentatonic)
Mixing C minor pentatonic and G minor pentatonic (in a context of C minor) leads to an hexatonic scale (C D Eb F G Bb). Basically a C minor pentatonic with the addition of a Major 9th, which could work in a dorian or an aeolian context. Nevertheless, switching from one pentatonic to the other might help moving away from traditional sounding pentatonic phrases. Check out Frank Gambale's Technique Book if interested in learning more of this approach.
I seem to remember Jeff McErlain talking about this over a minor blues. I also seem to think he talked about guide tones. Good example of this kind of approach is Carlos Santana, especially Black Magic Woman.
JOHN CORDY, The only way to make it a Hybrid pentatonic is using guide notes lines which you need to do a lesson about how to add in guide notes & guide note lines.
Hey John, if possible in the future can you please do a video specifically on truss rod adjustment? I just changed from 10 to 11 gauge power slinky strings on my Gibson SG. I have never adjusted a truss rod in my life but I sort of understand the concept that its purpose is to relive tension on the neck (1/4 turns only seem safe?) With that said, since I’ve changed the strings a few weeks ago I haven’t noticed any issues with fret buzzing or anything. Is it absolutely necessary to even touch the truss rod if no noticeable issues? I tend to just leave it alone because I don’t want to damage my guitars (being someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing) but I have read when changing to heavier gauge then it should be done. I also have no real knowledge with setting up the bridge (heights etc.) but I seemed to do a decent job with that since, again, no noticeable issues since I put in the heavier gauge. Anyways, I love watching your videos and thanks for everything. Any recommendation is greatly appreciated.
There is a tug of war going on between the strings and the neck. the truss rod balances the forces of the string pulling on the headstock. When you increase the tension by going up a gauge, you will get more bend in the neck. You probably don't NEED to adjust the truss rod, but you may have extra relief in the neck now, since the strings are pulling harder on the headstock, lifting it up (ever so slightly). The best way to adjust a truss rod is to get a set of automotive feeler gauges, a capo, and use the feeler gauges to set the relief. There is a lot of info out there on how to do this. I'm not positive on what the specs for an SG are, but (for example) you would want to see a .010 feeler gauge under the 7th fret on a Tele or Strat with a capo on the first fret and a finger on the fret where the neck meets the body. On a side note, you wont break your guitar adjusting the truss rod unless you are torquing it really hard. it should turn easily and smoothly, otherwise you've reached the end of it's adjustment. People who go past that can break stuff. Hope that makes sense.
The chord progression is Cm - Ab - Bb. You play C minor pentatonic on the first chord then Ab major pentatonic (corresponds to F minor pentatonic) on Ab and finally you play Bb major pentatonic (corresponds to G minor pentatonic) on Bb. Is it correct?
Does anyone have recommendations of artists I should listen to to develop an improv style similar to John's? His ideas are unbelievable but to my knowledge he has no music out
He's playing two guitars in this video, and if you look at the headstock, you'll see the brand: K-Line. Do a channel search on John's channel for "K-Line" and you'll find lots of videos of him reviewing various K-Line guitars (they're among his very favorites). But I don't think he's reviewed the one in the intro, which looks like a Del Mar. The Strat-like guitar is probably a K-Line Springfield. -Tom
@@piktormusic2538 of course I meant d minor pentatonic over c minor chord. You add d and a notes to c minor pentatonic, a being the "dorian" flavour I edited my comment already. Thanks
@@NedJeffery Over a C major chord you can play a C major pentatonic/A minor pentatonic (C, D,E, G, A, C), an E minor pentatonic (E,G, A, G, D, E), an Ionian (major) scale, a Lydian scale (a major scale with a sharp 4th degree…the same notes that are in a G major scale), or a B minor pentatonic. That B minor pentatonic scale contains notes that all belong to that C Lydian /G major scale. The notes B, D, E, F#, A are a subset of C,D,E,F#,G,A,B,C. If you listen to Steve Vai for example, you will hear him using Lydian a lot. B Phrygian is the third mode of G Major or the seventh mode of C Lydian. This is all much the same as superimposing a D minor pentatonic, or G minor pentatonic over a C minor chord. Those alternate scales contain notes that are subsets of the C Dorian scale.
This is a jazz concept known as modalism, over a Cmin chord the minor pentatonics of i, ii and V (C, D and G) gives you all the notes of C dorian. The Dmin pentatonic over the Cmin chord gives you the sound of the natural 6th, which is pretty characteristic of the dorian sound so I would definitely spend time exploring all three! Another way to look at it is that from Cmin pentatonic to Gmin you only have one different note in the scale (D instead of Eb) and same thing from Gmin to Dmin (A instead of Bb), it then gives us a very useful tool to explore the dorian mode while sounding pretty smooth.
Yep I was going to mention the same thing where you get access to C dorian or mixolydian while traversing the two pentatonic/mixing them in and out in context of C minor. Which makes sense as theyre relative to eachother (getting C mixolydian from G dorian and C dorian from g minor) . Watering all that down to "mix g and c pentatonic" really lets that become an easy tool for newer players before jumping into the theory. Also I think you mixed up the difference with it being (switching e natural and Eb) that get you access to the mixolydian sound (D is there regardless).
Does this not lead to focusing on less favourable tones in the scale or playing familiar muscle-memory pentatonic licks that end on awkward notes?
The way I have always approached this is to know where the diatonic notes live within the pentatonic shapes, whether it's Dorian, Aeolian etc. or non diatonic - the major 3rd, b5 etc. to spice things up.
The other thing that thinking of it in terms of pentatonics is that or helps not play scales up and down. An other cool thing to do with pentatonics and even with this concept is up make a minor or major pentatonics use the scale degrees of the other so for a minor pentatonic, usually 1345b7, you can do the major numbers 12b356 (the 6 can be flat or normal depending on the key of the phrase) and vise versa. I love messing with pentatonics like using a different one than the chord is or use different cultural pentatonic like the major 1235b7
@@LilOlFunnyBoy I think its only awkward if you only see the lesson as playing both pentatonics with zero context of the songs key. But if you approach it as "options" or just another trick in the arsenal, then it will only expand your ability to mix up what seems to be the same old riff/key.
Mixolydian and Dorian modes are inherently melodic and so they bode well with using them regardless of context.
That "Eric Johnson" sound really comes from a more mixolydian based key and then most people, imo, tend to gravitate towards sprinkling dorian within the same minor key.
This method lets you easily conceptualize doing both as long as you "respect the music" you're soloing on top of.
Indeed, that’s how I approach it. In Dutch I think we call it (translated to English) Pentatonic Displacement. I think of it as this, say I want to play in the key of C (Ionian) then the 2 (D), the 3 (E) and the 6 (A) minor pentatonic scales all consists of notes from the C Ionian scale. (D-f-g-a-c, E-g-a-b-d and A-c-d-e-g).
Other than "Modalism" as someone has mentioned, this is also called "Superimposition". Guitarists like Scott Henderson and especially Carlos Rios (see his solo on "Cool Weasel Boogie" by Chick Corea, perfect example of it) would frequently use the minor pentatonic of the ii and the V chord.
Many thanks for this video, I think I'll study note for note your initial solo because that progression is very common, but played by you it sounds modern and fresh. Thanks
Oh this is great. And dont have the pressure of trying to learn a lick i NEED that is beyond me
I've heard it said thst if playing Am pentatonic over Am7 chords , you can slide the "box" up two frets and play licks from it, ideally resolving to the original Am pentatonic ( ie, substituting Bm pentatonic from Am pentatonic)
Mixing C minor pentatonic and G minor pentatonic (in a context of C minor) leads to an hexatonic scale (C D Eb F G Bb). Basically a C minor pentatonic with the addition of a Major 9th, which could work in a dorian or an aeolian context.
Nevertheless, switching from one pentatonic to the other might help moving away from traditional sounding pentatonic phrases. Check out Frank Gambale's Technique Book if interested in learning more of this approach.
I seem to remember Jeff McErlain talking about this over a minor blues. I also seem to think he talked about guide tones. Good example of this kind of approach is Carlos Santana, especially Black Magic Woman.
Sounds amazing! Great lesson, great tone, and great backing track. Will you be throwing this stuff on Patreon/in the folder? Cheers!
Thank for the mention John! I first came across this in transcribing Scott Henderson solos.
Love your channel mate!
It also works with the 4th. Basically if you play over the 5th you are in Dorian and Phrygian over the 4th I believe.
Morning!
I heard a little George Benson sounds in the beginning
i literally would pay for the intro tabs
This is genious!!!
JOHN CORDY, The only way to make it a Hybrid pentatonic is using guide notes lines which you need to do a lesson about how to add in guide notes & guide note lines.
Hey John, if possible in the future can you please do a video specifically on truss rod adjustment? I just changed from 10 to 11 gauge power slinky strings on my Gibson SG. I have never adjusted a truss rod in my life but I sort of understand the concept that its purpose is to relive tension on the neck (1/4 turns only seem safe?) With that said, since I’ve changed the strings a few weeks ago I haven’t noticed any issues with fret buzzing or anything. Is it absolutely necessary to even touch the truss rod if no noticeable issues? I tend to just leave it alone because I don’t want to damage my guitars (being someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing) but I have read when changing to heavier gauge then it should be done. I also have no real knowledge with setting up the bridge (heights etc.) but I seemed to do a decent job with that since, again, no noticeable issues since I put in the heavier gauge. Anyways, I love watching your videos and thanks for everything. Any recommendation is greatly appreciated.
There is a tug of war going on between the strings and the neck. the truss rod balances the forces of the string pulling on the headstock. When you increase the tension by going up a gauge, you will get more bend in the neck. You probably don't NEED to adjust the truss rod, but you may have extra relief in the neck now, since the strings are pulling harder on the headstock, lifting it up (ever so slightly). The best way to adjust a truss rod is to get a set of automotive feeler gauges, a capo, and use the feeler gauges to set the relief. There is a lot of info out there on how to do this. I'm not positive on what the specs for an SG are, but (for example) you would want to see a .010 feeler gauge under the 7th fret on a Tele or Strat with a capo on the first fret and a finger on the fret where the neck meets the body. On a side note, you wont break your guitar adjusting the truss rod unless you are torquing it really hard. it should turn easily and smoothly, otherwise you've reached the end of it's adjustment. People who go past that can break stuff. Hope that makes sense.
Yo John. Thanks for your lovely content. In this one, I think you are missing a T in the thumbnail text. Sorry for being annoying :D Love your work
The chord progression is Cm - Ab - Bb. You play C minor pentatonic on the first chord then Ab major pentatonic (corresponds to F minor pentatonic) on Ab and finally you play Bb major pentatonic (corresponds to G minor pentatonic) on Bb. Is it correct?
Phrygian pentatonic?
By starting from the 5th are you playing one of the modes?
What effect did you use in this clip?
Does anyone have recommendations of artists I should listen to to develop an improv style similar to John's? His ideas are unbelievable but to my knowledge he has no music out
What is brand and model of your amazing guitar?
He's playing two guitars in this video, and if you look at the headstock, you'll see the brand: K-Line. Do a channel search on John's channel for "K-Line" and you'll find lots of videos of him reviewing various K-Line guitars (they're among his very favorites). But I don't think he's reviewed the one in the intro, which looks like a Del Mar. The Strat-like guitar is probably a K-Line Springfield. -Tom
Dmin would be another obvious one.
For a dorian flavour?
@@johnnathancordy Yeah, you get the upper structure tones; 9, 11, 13 and it’s an easy slidey back forth between the two.
Playing dmin pentatonic over C would give you a dorian flavour
You probably meant Lydian.
@@piktormusic2538 of course I meant d minor pentatonic over c minor chord.
You add d and a notes to c minor pentatonic, a being the "dorian" flavour
I edited my comment already. Thanks
@@marekgitarzysta5193 - 👍 I see. However, I do like B minor pentatonic played over a C major for a Lydian sound as well.
@@piktormusic2538 I don't understand. B minor is the Aeolian mode of D. D is the Dorian mode of C. not Lydian. Am I missing something here?
@@NedJeffery Over a C major chord you can play a C major pentatonic/A minor pentatonic (C, D,E, G, A, C), an E minor pentatonic (E,G, A, G, D, E), an Ionian (major) scale, a Lydian scale (a major scale with a sharp 4th degree…the same notes that are in a G major scale), or a B minor pentatonic. That B minor pentatonic scale contains notes that all belong to that C Lydian /G major scale. The notes B, D, E, F#, A are a subset of C,D,E,F#,G,A,B,C. If you listen to Steve Vai for example, you will hear him using Lydian a lot. B Phrygian is the third mode of G Major or the seventh mode of C Lydian.
This is all much the same as superimposing a D minor pentatonic, or G minor pentatonic over a C minor chord. Those alternate scales contain notes that are subsets of the C Dorian scale.
*PENATONICS