# Major and Minor penta question



## dolphinstreet (Sep 11, 2006)

I frequently get asked how to mix major and minor pentatonic when playing lead guitar. I'd like to help out if I can.
If this is something you would like to learn more about, I would like to ask you something first. 

Can you describe exactly where you get stuck?

Is it about knowing over what chords you can use major or minor pentatonic? Or is it about combing both of these scales over one chord?

Or is it something entirely different? Please describe with as much detail as needed.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

I have been experimenting with this a bit as the singer is requesting blues which I have neglected for at least thirty years now. Are you sure you don't have my studio bugged? 

A little theory would be nice since right now I am just using my ears. 

I am bending up into a major third and down into a minor third on I, IV & V. Sounds good or bad depending on when/where I do it in the phrase. 

Not sure if you can address something as vague as this, Robert.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

Following this. I think I know the answers but will be interested to hear what others think. The way I play it if the song is a minor blues I stick to the minor pentatonic or maybe a mix of minor pentatonic and Dorian. If it is a major blues but only uses the V dominant 7 and the I and IV as strictly major chords without the 7th I play mostly in the major pentatonic. If the I and IV are played as 7's then I mix and match major and minor with extra passing tones as the mood strikes me. It's all about the mood of the song. The dirtier the blues the more you can get away with. Then again I rarely play lead preferring to play rhythm so I could be way off base.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

@davetcan had brought up the question in a previous thread, maybe he can offer some clarification.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

For me it's knowing when it's appropriate, or possible, to move from one to the other. Are there any clues in the chord structure of the song? I'm almost completely illiterate when it comes to music theory so I don't have that to fall back on. I know my way around the Minor Pentatonic fairly well, and can make it work for most of the songs we play, but some songs just sound better in a major scale, and some in both. I tend to think of Gary Moore or Peter Green when i think of songs like that.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

I'd like to learn more about which chord(s) in the Major I-IV-V are best to mix the 2 Pentatonics. And once you go from a Major to a Minor Pentatonic (or vice versa) over said chord(s), which chord is best to get back to the Major (Minor) sound if you decide to 'hang' around the choice for a few bars? I'm assuming we're talking a 12 bar blues here, so bit on using the turnaround while mixing the 2 pentatonics would be pretty cool as well. Not sure if this is a 1 video take though.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Did BB King use minor P on the 1 then major P on the 4?
Was it the major P of the 1 or the 4 over the 4?


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

The sledgehammer approach.

Ruh-dank 'n' duh-dank 'n' ruh-dank 'n' duh-dank...


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

JustinGuitar made a great vid about this.


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