1:1:2:8 Blues Pentatonic Drill: 2 Fattest Strings. Mode 2, Position 1. Root, 6, 3, 2.

If at any time you are experiencing pain during the exercise, please stop playing.

1:1:2:8:1

With your pinky finger play an E note on the 12^th fret of the 1^st string (the thickest string) with a down stroke.  This place on the fret board is usually designated near a double dot marking.  Use your right hand to mute all the strings except for the string that is being played.

The next note to be played is a play is the 6^th interval with respect to the root.  It is at the 9^th fret on the 1^st string.  Play it with the index finger using an upstroke.  It is a C# note.

Play the 3^rd note on the 2^nd string with the ring finger at the 11^th fret, muting the other strings.  This note is played with a down stroke and is a G# note.

The 4^th note in the sequence is a 2^nd interval.  This note is a F#.  It is to be played on the 2^nd string.  It is played with an upstroke at the 9^th fret.  It is fretted 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 complete.

Repeat this pattern until you get up to speed.

It is a good idea to play with either all down strokes or alternate picking.

1:1:2:8:2

Play the same pattern a half step lower.  Moving this pattern up and down the fret board causes key changes.

1^st string 11^th fret using the pinky finger (root).  Down stroke

1^st string 8^th fret using the index finger (6^th interval).  Up stroke

2^nd string 10^th fret using the ring finger (3^rd interval).  Down stroke

2^nd string 8^th fret using the index finger (2^nd interval).  Up stroke

This is the key of E flat.

1:1:2:8:3

Next, play the same pattern a half step lower, the key of D.  This sequence will follow the pattern:

1^st string 10^th fret using the pinky finger (root).  Down stroke

1^st string 7^th fret using the index finger (6^th interval).  Up Stroke

2^nd string 9^th fret using the ring finger (3^rd interval). Down Stroke

2^nd string 7^th fret using the index finger (2^nd interval).  Up Stroke

1:1:2:8:4  Repeat the described pattern moving up and down the fret board either changing keys or holding the pattern in the same place, developing speed and fluidity.

1:1:2:8:5  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.

1:1:2:8:6  After having worked your way above the 12^th fret, now work your way back.

1:1:2:8:7  Repeat the pattern, using all down strokes.

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

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

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

8^th Blues Pentatonic Drill: 2 Fattest Strings.  Mode 2, Position 1. Root, 6, 3, 2.

1:1:2:8

Note1: The fattest string is the 1^st string.  Thus, the 2^nd string is the next fattest string.  The skinniest string would be the 6^th string, and so on.

Note2: 1:  Refers to the section of pentatonic drills.  In this case, 1 means that the drill is for 1 and 2 strings.  For example, the second section uses 3 strings.

Note3: 1:1 in the title, “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.  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.

1:1a Position 1 in the key of E minor is as follows.

1^st string; 12^th and 15^th fret, or 1^st string: open and 3^rd fret.

2^nd string; 12^th and 14^th fret, or 2^nd string: open and 2^nd fret.

3^rd string; 12^th and 14^th fret, or 3^rd string; open and 2^nd fret.

4^th string; 12^th and 14^th fret, or 4^th string; open and 2^nd fret.

5^th string; 12^th and 15^th fret, or 5^th string; open and 3^rd fret.

6^th string; 12^th and 15^th fret, or 6^th string; open and 3^rd fret.

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 and 5^th fret.

4^th string; 2^nd and 4^th fret.

5^th string; 3^rd and 5^th fret.

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.

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 and 12^th fret.

Note4: 1:1:2 The 2 of 1:1:2 refers to the mode of the pentatonic scale that is used.

Note5: 1:1:2:X The 4^th in the sequence, X, 1:1:2:X refers to the specific lesson title.

Note6: A pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale.  Usually, for the blues pentatonic scale, scalar positions of the blues pentatonic scale have 2 notes per string.

Note7:  I call the first mode of the blues pentatonic scale, “minor.”  5 notes of this pentatonic pattern follow the formula; root, flat 3, 4, 5, and flat 7, where the next note is an octave where the scale repeats itself.

The first 5 notes 1:1:1:X are:

Root (string 1),

Flat 3 (string 1),

4 (string 2),

5 (string 2),

Flat 7 (string 3)

The next five notes in this scale are:

Root ([octave] -string 3),

Flat 3 (string 4),

4 (string 4),

5 (string 5),

Flat 7 (string 5),

However, the first 5 notes of 1:1:2:X are:

Flat 6 (string 1)

Root (string 1)

2^nd (string 2)

3^rd (string 2)

Note8: Intervals are written with respect to a 7 note Ionian major scale, not a 5 note scale.