The last time we posted we discussed methods for adding the Aeolian scale to your pentatonic that were easy and how to apply your new knowledge of scales. As you may recall, the Aeolian scale a naturally occurring minor scale. It is a fact that minor scale and chords give music a darker and sadder tone.

We will now discuss the Dorian scale, which will allow you to incorporate a happier feel. This scale can be used in funk, jazz, and major based chord progressions. I truly enjoy using this over good jump blues or using it to put some new kick into some funk music.

It is important to understand that you do not have to give up what you already know, simply add these to your repertoire.

When you continue to use a pentatonic base and add these new modes, you will discover you have a lot more flexibility and spice in your playing style.

A good song to listen to the Dorian in use is Black Magic Women by Santana. You may even want to listen to Planet Caravan by Toni Lommi.

With this in mind, let’s discuss the key of A.

Below you will find an A Minor pentatonic scale:

In order to keep this post short, I am only going to discuss the D, G, B, and high E strings. You can play the other strings as octaves of these notes.

E|——————————-5-8—————————–|

B|————————-5-8———————————–|
G|——————-5-7—————————————–|
D|————-5-7———————————————–|
A|—————————————————————-|
E|—————————————————————-|

A closer look at the Dorian Scale:

Do incorporate this scale, you only need to add 3 notes to the pentatonic scale above.

E|———————————–5-(7)-8———————|
B|————————-5-(7)-8——————————-|
G|——————-5-7—————————————–|
D|———(4)-5-7———————————————-|
A|—————————————————————-|
E|—————————————————————-|

A note in brackets are the added notes.

When you add all the notes together, the scale will look like this:

E|——————————– -5-7-8———————–|

B|————————-5-7-8——————————–|
G|——————-5-7—————————————-|
D|———–4-5-7———————————————|
A|—————————————————————|
E|—————————————————————|

Now you can solo just like always, only now you have new notes to use as passing tones, which will allow you to rock with new modes that only took a short time to learn.

Commonly used in today’s modern world of contemporary music are two modes of the major scale. Sometimes these modes can seem quite difficult to grasp. Have no fear, though, because you have come to just the right place!

If you learn to include them as you play your guitar, soon you will find that playing them can be easy and enjoyable.

Of course, anyone who plays regularly understands that your greatest solos are derived from the pentatonic scale. Well, jazz and classical hard-cases may disagree … and we’ll let them be wrong! Simple fact!

It seems that as people reach and intermediate guitar playing ability, they tend to look for some cool riffs away from the pentatonic scale. This is a mistake.

Just like ripples in a pond, so it is with intertwining music. You need not look away from the pentatonic scale to play new music. It’s simply not necessary.

In this blog, I’ll explain the two most frequently played modes. I’ll go into more detail about the Aeolian here, and save the Dorian for part 2. I’ll show you that you can pick up these pentatonic scales in no time, and with minimal effort, to start incorporating them immediately into your style of play.

Branching out into a more dynamic and compelling sound is a piece of cake as long as the pentatonic remains as your true center.

We’ll begin now with the A key.

Let’s take a look at the pentatonic A Miner scale -

E|——————————-5-8—————————–|
B|————————-5-8———————————–|
G|——————-5-7—————————————–|
D|————-5-7———————————————–|
A|——-5-7—————————————————–|
E|-5-8———————————————————–|

In the interest of simplicity for this blog, I’ll go over strings G, B, and high E. All the other strings will play off these note’s octaves anyway.

E|——————————-5-8—————————–|
B|————————-5-8———————————–|
G|——————-5-7—————————————–|
D|—————————————————————-|
A|—————————————————————-|
E|—————————————————————-|

So, we begin by taking a deeper look at the modes – the first one of course being the Aeolian. Many musicians see it as the normal minor scale. We’re going to simplify things even further buy utilizing the pentatonic.

We’re just going to put in three new note to the pentatonic scale shown above.

E|——————————-5-(7)-8————————|
B|————————-5-(6)-8——————————|
G|——————(4)-5-7————————————-|
D|—————————————————————-|
A|—————————————————————-|
E|—————————————————————-|

Notice that the new notes are shown in brackets.

Now, by playing all these notes in unison, you attain this scale:

E|———————————–5-7-8———————–|
B|—————————5-6-8——————————-|
G|——————4-5-7—————————————-|
D|—————————————————————-|
A|—————————————————————-|
E|—————————————————————-|

So play your solo as you usually do, but now try the new notes mixed in as passing tones. You see … now you’re rockin’ out with modes without hardly any effort at all.

The ultimate superstar in making this scale work fantastically is David Gilmour. He displays how it applies famously to any rock music built in minor.