1:1:2:2 Blues Pentatonic Drill: 2 Fattest Strings. Mode 2, Position 1. Root, 2, Root 2.

Introduction to the Lesson

A.     1^st 1^st Position Pentatonic Soloing Drills: Mega Lesson Syllabus for 2 String Play of Single Notes

a.      1st Killing the 1^st Position Blues Pentatonic Scales in 4s on the 1^st and 2^nd Strings

2.       2^nd 20 Lessons for Mode 2 Blues Pentatonic Drills in 4/4 Time on String 1 and 2, Position 1

·         2^nd Blues Pentatonic Drill:  2 Fattest Strings.  Mode 2, Position 1.  Root, 2, Root 2.

Note1:  Please note, that I call the fattest string, the 1^st string.  Thus, the second fattest string would be the 2^nd string, and the skinniest string would be the 6^th string, and so on.

Note2: If at any time you are experiencing pain during the playing of this exercise or any other exercise I give, then stop immediately!  Please!  It doesn’t help me as a teacher to gain students with tendonitis, or other guitar injuries.

Note3: 1: Refers to the section of pentatonic drills.  In this case, 1 means that the drill is for strings 1 and 2.  For example, the second section uses 3 strings.

Note4: 1:1  The 2^nd 1 of 1:1 refers to the position of the blues pentatonic scale that is used.  As a pentatonic scale has 5 notes, there are 5 positions.  These positions are all part of a scale.  One can switch between positions and not play any wrong notes.  1:1a-1:1e in its entirety can be raised/lowered as much as 11 half steps to result in modes with root notes in different keys.  Also, note that the pattern changes between the 1^st and 2^nd strings because the intervals between open strings when using standard tuning are not always the same.

1:1a  Position 1 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 12^th fret and 15^th fret.  2^nd string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  3^rd string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  4^th string; 12^th and 14^th fret.  5^th string; 12^th and 15^th fret.  And the 2^nd string follows the same pattern as the 1^st string.

1:1b  Position 2 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 3^rd and 5^th fret.  2^nd string; 2^nd and 5^th fret.  3^rd string; 2^nd fret and 5^th fret. 4^th string; 2^nd and 4^th fret. 5^th string; 3^rd and 5^th fret. And the 6^th string 3^rd and 5^th fret.

1:1c  Position 3 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 5^th and 7^th fret.  2^nd string; 5^th and 7^th fret.  3^rd string; 5^th and 7^th fret. 4^th string; 4^th and 7^th fret.  5^th string; 5^th and 8^th fret.  6^th string 5^th and 7^th fret.

1:1d  Position 4 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 7^th and 10^th fret.  2^nd string; 7^th and 10^th fret.  3^rd string; 7^th and 9^th fret.  4^th string; 7^th and 9^th fret. 5^th string; 8^th and 10^th fret. And on the 6^th string 7^th and 10^th fret.

1:1e  Position 5 in the key of E minor is as follows.  1^st string; 10^th and 12^th fret.  2^nd string; 10^th and 12^th fret.  3^rd string; 9^th and 12^th fret.  4^th string; 9^th and 12^th fret. 5^th string; 10^th and 12^th fret. 6^th string 10^th fret and 12^th fret.

Note5: 1:1:2  The third 1 of 1:1:2 refers to the mode of the pentatonic scale that is used.  There are 5 modes.  Though there is at least one major mode and one minor mode, to my knowledge, these modes don’t commonly go by names such as Lydian, or Ionian, yet usually the exercises of 1:1:2 are considered to outline the Lydian scale, which is mode 4 of the major scale.

Note6: 1:1:2:7  The 4^th in the sequence: 1:1:2:7 is a 7 and refers to the specific lesson title.  That is that this lesson is a drill that uses the Root note, the 4^th note, and the 5^th note of the 7 note major scale in a pattern, rather than the 4^th and 5^th of the pentatonic scale, etcetera.  That way a 5^th is always going to be a 5^th, even it is the 4^th mode of the pentatonic scale, where a 5^th would be the 5^th note of a major scale with 7 notes.

Note7: A pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale.  Usually, for the blues pentatonic scale, scalar positions have 2 notes per string.  That is there are, 2 possible notes on the 1^st string, 2 possible notes on the 2^nd string, 2 possible notes on the 3^rd string, 2 possible notes on the 4^th string, 2 possible notes on the 5^th string and 2 possible notes on the 6^th string for any given position.  The notes for these exercises will all be played on the 1^st and 2^nd strings, which are the 2 fattest strings.  If your guitar is a standard 6 string with standard 6 string tuning then sometimes the 1st string is called the low E string, and the 2nd string is called the A string.

Note8:  I will call the first mode of the blues pentatonic scale to be a minor scale.  However, this is section 2, and section 2 outlines a major scale, usually considered to be Lydian, or mode 4 of the major scale.

The Lesson Itself

1:1:2:2:1   The 2^nd note will be a major note for this exercise, such that the these exercises are in major keys.  Major notes generally sound happy.  Often times the 3^rd, which is not played in this exercise is thought to be the most important note.  However, in this exercise the root and the 2^nd are used, and since the 2^nd is played a whole step from the root note, it is considered major.  The 3^rd interval is not used in this exercise though the key is major.

1:1:2:2:2  The time signature will be 4/4 time.  That means that it is to be counted in 4s.  Where the 1st note of the 4 note sequence is played slightly louder than or stressed compared the rest.

1:1:2:2:3  Time to play.  Make sure your guitar is in tune, and has standard tuning.  In another blog, I describe how this is to be accomplished through the usual methods.

1:1:2:2:4  With your pinky play the 15^th note of the 1^st string with a down stroke.  This should be a G note.  It is usually easiest to locate with respect to the 12^th fret, which often has two dots on the fret board, or it usually has a distinctive design from the other designs that may be on the fret board.  Use your right hand to mute all the strings except for the strings that are being played.  The next note to be played is a play is a major 2^nd from the G, meaning that it is a A note, and played with an upstroke.  It is at the 12^th fret but on the 2^nd string.  It is to be carefully played with either the index finger, such that pain does not occur.  If you feel unable to do this don’t force your hand to play it because that is how injuries occur.  Play the 3^rd note on the 1^st string with the pinky finger, such that the transition actually causes the 2^nd string to be muted.  This note is played with an down stroke, specifically a G note.  In this case the 4^th note is an A note in the key of G major.  The major 2^nd is the 4^th note of the sequence.  It is to be played on the 2^nd string.  It is played with an upstroke at the 12^th fret with the index finger.  Again, it is good to try to mute all the strings, except for the one that you are playing.  Thus, it is such that with this exercise, a pattern is created, with ones fingers.

1:1:2:2:5  Next repeat this pattern, always using a down stroke on the 1^st sting when playing the root note.  Play the pattern four times.

1:1:2:2:6  Next, play the same pattern a half step lower.  These steps of moving this pattern up and down the fret board cause key changes.  It will follow the pattern, 1^st string 14^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 11^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 14^th fret using the pinky finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 11^th fret using the index finger.  This is the key of E flat major.  Play this four times, counting 4s.  Then, repeat the pattern of 1:1:2:2:6 picking with all down strokes.

1:1:2:2:7 Next, play the same pattern a half step lower, the key of F major.  That is, these steps of moving this pattern up and down the fret board cause key changes.  This sequence will follow the pattern, 1^st string 13^th fret using the pinky finger, 2^nd string 10^th fret using the index finger, 1^st string 13^th  fret using the pinky finger, and finish with the 4^th note on the 2^nd string at the 12^th fret using the index finger.  Play this four times, counting 4s.  Then, repeat the pattern of 1:1:2:2:7 picking with all down strokes.

1:1:2:2:8  Repeat the above described pattern moving up and down the fret board, 1, 2, or 3 frets at a time, changing keys every time the pattern is moved, such that the amount of places this pattern is played is maximized.  If possible on your guitar, you may wish to continue this pattern above the 12^th fret.  On some guitars, it may be possible to go up to the 24^th fret, if your guitar has one, with this pattern.  It is such that I suggest, after working your way above the 12^th fret as high as is comfortably possible, that it is good to work your way back.

1:1:2:2:9 Repeat 1:1:2:2:4-8 except play the pattern only 1 time instead of 4 times working on the fluidity of your playing.