♫ Fretboard101: Lead Guitar In Any Key!
This guide will show you the fastest and most efficient way to improvise in any major or minor key, using movable pentatonic scale patterns on the low E string and A string. The following 4 scenarios give you the flexibility to quickly find and successfully play in any major or minor key:
♫ Major key on the E string
♫ Minor key on the A string
♫ Major key on the A string
When you have mastered this simple system using these 2 pentatonic scale patterns, you can apply the same logic to the blues scale, diatonic scale, and harmonic minor scale depending on the musical style or vibe you’re going for.
♫ Step 1: Find Your Note
This method relies on being able to find any note on the low E string or A string. Simply count up the string from the open note (E, or A) until you get to the note you’re looking for.
Here is a simple but important fact I suggest you memorize: E to F and B to C are each 1 fret (half step), and all other notes are 2 frets (whole step). Here is an illustration of all the notes on the low E string and A string:
Any open fret between these notes are sharps and flats. For example: the note between F and G can either be called F# (F sharp) or Gb (G flat). Whether we choose to call that note F# or Gb depends on what key we are in. Distinguishing between sharp and flat keys is not necessary for this exercise; but if you want to know how to do it, study the cycle of 5ths.
♫ Step 2: Place the Scale Pattern
Once you have successfully found your note on the low E or A string, simply slide the relevant scale pattern to that note. If you are playing a minor scale, place your index (pointer finger) on that note (shown by the yellow note on the scale diagram). If you are playing a major scale, place your pinky on that note (the orange note on the scale diagram). Here are the 2 pentatonic scale patterns we use for both major and minor scales:
A string pentatonic scale:
Practice jamming in different major and minor keys, using both the E string and A string scale patterns. If you know which major or minor key the song is in, this should become very easy with a little practice.
How do we know what key a song is in? Listen to the song and try to find the note that sounds like “home”. Then try playing both the major and minor versions of the scale starting at that note, and see if either of those sounds right. Learning to recognize which note is home can be pretty tricky. Don’t be surprised or discouraged if you can’t figure it out. You may need to do a web search to find out the key of the song or get more help learning how to do this.
♫ Case Studies: Key of Em and G
Here’s an example of how we can use one or both of these scale patterns to play in the key of E minor or G major.
This jam track is a 12 bar blues in the key of E minor.
♫ To play the E string scale pattern, count up the low E string until you get to the E on the 12th fret. Then play the scale pattern with your index finger (the yellow note on the scale chart) on the 12th fret.
♫ To play the A string scale pattern, count up the A string until you get to E on the 7th fret. Place your index finger on the 7th fret.
This jam track is the chords to Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door in the key of G major.
♫ To play the E string scale pattern, count up the low E string until you get to the G on the 15th fret. Then play the scale pattern starting with your pinky (the orange note on the scale chart) on the 15th fret.
♫ To play the A string scale pattern, count up the A string until you get to G on the 10th fret. Place your pinky on the 10th fret, and play starting on the orange note of the scale pattern.
Do you see how this enables you to play either a major or minor scale on the low E string or the A string? If you’re playing an acoustic guitar without a cutaway, it might be hard to reach up to the 12th and 15th frets. This is a great example of why it’s nice to have the option to instead play the same scale starting on the 7th or 10th fret of the A string.
♫ Downloadable PDF version of this tutorial:
Fretboard101 – Solo in Any Key
♫ Need a Little Help?
Sign up for my 5 day Lead Guitar Quick Start course! In this course I demonstrate this process using real song examples and jam tracks in a number of different keys.
♫ Day 1: E String Scale
♫ Day 2: A String Scale
♫ Day 3: Open Scales
♫ Day 4: Flavor & Style
♫ Day 5: Choose Your Scenarios
♫ Bonus: Blues & Diatonic Scale Charts
Sign up here: https://guitar.fretboard101.com/register/lead-guitar-quickstart/
