mp3: A Progression
wma: A Progression

Time/size: 4 mins 27 secs/6.2mb. 120 beats per minute/bpm

Rock backing track: This backing track is a little bit rock and a little bit punk.

Backing track instruments: electric guitar, fretless bass and drums.

Progression: The chords used for this track are A, D and E. It's another I, IV, V progression.

Suggestions: Once again you can use the standard Major pentatonic shapes this time in the key of A to play over the A Progression. Note that the shapes in the guitar tab shown below are the same patterns that are shown in the backing tracks: 'E Progression' and 'G Progression'.

What you should take away from this is that by learning one (two or a few) scale patterns, you can play solos in all 12 keys. All you need to do is move the pattern up or down the neck so that your root note from the scale you are using is the same as the key of the progression, which will almost always be the first chord of the progression. If you are playing in the key of A then you should try playing the A Major pentatonic scale over the progression.

We'll look at some blues tunes in all keys as well. With blues keys you can start by playing the 6 note blues scale over the progression. The blues scale will be explored once we've covered all 12 keys using the corresponding Major pentatonic scale over each key.

If you master the Major, minor pentatonic and the blues scales, you'll find you'll be able to use these simple scales over just about every song ever written, no matter what style of music you are playing.

A Major Pentatonic Scale in 4th Position E|-----------------------------------5--(7)------- B|-----------------------------5--7--------------- G|----------------------4--6---------------------- D|---------------4--7----------------------------- A|--------4--7------------------------------------ E|--5--7-------------------------------------------

A Major Pentatonic Scale in 9th Position E|-----------------------------------------2--5----- B|----------------------------------2--5------------ G|---------------------------2--4------------------- D|--------------------2--4-------------------------- A|-------------2--4--------------------------------- E|----(2)---5----------------------------------------