Pentatonic Scale and Extended Pentatonic > Exercises on extended pentatonic scale
Here's some exercises on the extended pentatonic.
The first five exercises are the ones that I usually perform to take
familiarity with the new fingering of a scale.
Example 1
------------
This exercise is performed on the "first" position of the E extended
pentatonic, and it has to be performed for the other 4 positions, too.
n v n n v n n v n n v n n v n n v n v n
[--------------|-------------|-------------|----------12-|-15-17-15-12-|-
[--------------|-------------|-------------|-12-15-17----|-------------|-
[--------------|-------------|----12-14-16-|-------------|-------------|-
[--------------|-------12-14-|-17----------|-------------|-------------|-
[-----------12-|-14-17-------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
[--12-15-17----|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 3 1
v n v v n v v n v v n v v n v
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------]
-|-17-15-12----|-------------|-------------|-------------|------]
-|----------16-|-14-12-------|-------------|-------------|------]
-|-------------|-------17-14-|-12----------|-------------|------]
-|-------------|-------------|----17-14-12-|-------------|------]
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-17-15-12\10-h-12~~-]
4 3 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 3 1 1 2
I know it's a boring exercise, but don't underestimete it. In fact it's easy
to play it in a wrong way above all because the last note of each string and
the first one of the next string are the same. So if you quickly performe it
the ear hears some triplets instead of quadruplets, and so you're taken to
change the time of picking that must respect 4/4.
UP
Example 2
------------
This exercise is performed on the "second" position of the B extended
pentatonic, and it has to be performed for the other 4 positions, too.
n v n v n v n n v n v n v n v n n v n v
[--------------|------------|-----------|-------------|-----------|-
[--------------|------------|-----------|-------------|-----------|-
[--------------|------------|-----------|-------------|-----------|-
[--------------|------------|-----------|-------------|-9----9-12-|-
[--------------|----------9-|----9-12-9-|-12-14-12-14-|---14------|-
[--10-12-10-12-|-14-12-14---|-14--------|-------------|-----------|-
1 2 1 2 4 2 4 1 4 1 3 1 3 4 3 4 1 4 1 3
n v n v n n v n v n v n v n n v n v n v
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------10----|-10-12-10-12-|-
-|------------|----9----9-|-11-9-11-14-|-11-14----14-|-------------|-
-|-9-12-14-12-|-14---14---|------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------------|-------------|-
1 3 4 3 4 1 4 1 2 1 2 4 2 4 1 4 1 2 1 2
n v n n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n
-|----------10-|----10-12-10-|-12-14-12-10-|-12-10----10-|-------------|-
-|-15-12-15----|-15----------|-------------|-------15----|-15-12-15-12-|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
4 2 4 1 4 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 1 4 1 4 2 4 2
v n v v n v n v n v n v v n v n v n v n
-|-------------|-------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
-|-10-12-10----|-10----------|-----------|------------|------------|-
-|----------14-|----14-11-14-|-11-9-11-9-|----9-------|------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-----------|-14---14-12-|-14-12-9-12-|-
-|-------------|-------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
1 2 1 4 1 4 2 4 2 1 2 1 4 1 4 3 4 3 1 3
v v n v n v n v n v v n v n v n v n v
-|-----------|------------|-----------|-------------|--------------]
-|-----------|------------|-----------|-------------|--------------]
-|-----------|------------|-----------|-------------|--------------]
-|-9----9----|------------|-----------|-------------|--------------]
-|---14---14-|-12-14-12-9-|-12-9----9-|-------------|--------------]
-|-----------|------------|------14---|-14-12-14-12-|-10-12-10\7~~-]
1 4 1 4 3 4 3 1 3 1 4 1 4 2 4 2 1 2 1 1
Try to repeat it completly in legato: pick just in the passage between string
and string instead, for the performance on a single string use pull offs and
hammer ons.
UP
Esempio 3
------------
This exercise is performed on the "fourth" position of the G extended
pentatonic, and it has to be performed for the other 4 positions, too.
n v n n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n
[--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
[--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
[--------------|-------------|-------------|----------10-|----12-10-15-|-
[--------------|-------------|----10----12-|-10-15-12----|-15----------|-
[-----------10-|----13-10-15-|-13----15----|-------------|-------------|-
[--10-15-13----|-15----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4
v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n
-|-------------|----------10-|----13-10-15-|-10-13----10-|-------------|-
-|----11----13-|-11-15-13----|-15----------|-------15----|-13-15-11-13-|-
-|-12----15----|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
2 1 4 2 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 1 1 4 1 3 4 1 2
v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n v n
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|----11-------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-15----12-15-|-10-12----10-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------15----|-12-15-10-12-|----10-------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-15----13-15-|-10-13----10-|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------15----|-
4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1
v n v n
-|-------------|------]
-|-------------|------]
-|-------------|------]
-|-------------|------]
-|-------------|------]
-|-13-15-10-13-/-15~~-]
3 4 1 3 3
Pay attention to the rhythm in this exrecise too.
UP
Esempio 4
------------
This exercise is performed on the "fifth" position of the D extended
pentatonic, and it has to be performed for the other 4 positions, too.
n v n n v n n v v n v n v n v n v n n v v n v n
[------------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
[------------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
[------------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
[------------|------------|------------|---------7-|-------7-10-|----7-10-12-|-
[----------8-|-------8-10-|----8-10-12-|-8-10-12---|-10-12------|-12---------|-
[--8-10-13---|-10-13------|-13---------|-----------|------------|------------|-
1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 4
v n v n v n n v v n v n v n v n v n n v v n v n
-|-----------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
-|-----------|------------|------------|---------8-|-------8-10-|----8-10-13-|-
-|---------7-|-------7-10-|----7-10-12-|-7-10-12---|-10-12------|-12---------|-
-|-7-10-12---|-10-12------|-12---------|-----------|------------|------------|-
-|-----------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
-|-----------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-
1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
v n v n v n n v v n v n v n v n v v n n v n v n
-|---------8-|-------8-10-|----8-10-13-|-10-8----10-|-8-------8-|------------|-
-|-8-10-13---|-10-13------|-13---------|------13----|---13-10---|-13-10-8-13-|-
-|-----------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
-|-----------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
-|-----------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
-|-----------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4
v n v n v v n n v n v n v n v n v v n n v n v n
-|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
-|-10-8----10-|-8-------8-|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
-|------12----|---12-10---|-12-10-7-12-|-10-7----10-|-7-------7-|------------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|------12----|---12-10---|-12-10-7-12-|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|------------|-----------|------------|-
2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4
v n v n v v n n v n v n v n v n v v n n v n v
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|-
-|-10-7----10-|-7-------7-|------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|-
-|------12----|---12-10---|-12-10-8-12-|-10-8-----10-|-8-------8-|-----------|-
-|------------|-----------|------------|-------13----|---13-10---|-13-10-8\5-h-
3 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 1
-|------------]
-|------------]
-|------------]
-|------------]
-|------------]
-h-8h-10~~----]
3 4
Pay attention to the rhythmical division again. Moreover I want to underline
how the "alternate picking" tecnuque can be interpretated. It's the usual
pattern "... n v n v n v ..." but with the shrewdness to keep, when it's
possible the picking direction in the passage between one string to the other
one. This is clear, for example, in the first two bars in the passage between
the 3rd and 4th note, between the 6th and 7th, and between the 8th and 9th.
Really it's hard to find the "excellent" pick for a solo even if it doesn't
seem so at first sight, and it generally needs to be stadied apart.
UP
Esempio 5
------------
This exercise is performed on the "third" position of the A extended
pentatonic, and it has to be performed for the other 4 positions, too.
n n n n
[--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------------|-
[--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------------|-
[--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------14p9-h-
[--------------|-------------|-------------|-14p10h12h14-p-12p10------|-
[--------------|-------15p10-h-12h15p12p10-|-------------|------------|-
[--15p10h12h15-p-12p10-------|-------------|-------------|------------|-
4 1 2 4 2 1 4 1 2 4 2 1 4 1 2 4 2 1 4 1
n n v
-|------------|-------------|-------15p10-h-12h15p12p10-|-------------|-
-|------------|-15p10h13h15-p-13p10-------|-------------|-15p10h13h15-p-
-h-12h14p12p9-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
3 4 3 1 4 1 3 4 3 1 4 1 2 4 2 1 4 1 3 4
v v v
-|------------|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-p-13p10------|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------14p9-h-12h14p12p9-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|------------|------------|-14p10h12h14-p-12p10-------|-------------|-
-|------------|------------|-------------|-------15p10-h-12h15p12p10-|-
-|------------|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
3 1 4 1 3 4 3 1 4 1 2 4 2 1 4 1 2 4 2 1
v
-|-------------|------------|-----]
-|-------------|------------|-----]
-|-------------|------------|-----]
-|-------------|------------|-----]
-|-------------|------------|-----]
-|-15p10h12h15-p-12p10\8h10-p-8~~-]
4 1 2 4 2 1 1 3 1
The legato, from one side halps you to make a fast performance, but from the
other one it takes you to play the exercise with sextuplets instead of
quadruplets. Try both the way.
UP
Example 6
-
--------
This exercise is performed on th "fourth" position of the E extended
pentatonic.
The rhythm falls on th first note of the second bar, because the first three
notes are in rake (enough quick sweep). Note the slide that, from the 10th to
7th fret, needs a change from the 3rd to 2nd finger to respect the finger
pattern of the extended pentatonic, mooveing from the 4th string to 3rd one.
n n n v v v v v
[---------|----------|----------|----------|-----------]
[---rake--|-10-------|----------|----------|-----------]
[-------7-|----9p7h9-h-12p9p7---|----------|-----------]
[-----9---|----------|--------9-h-7--------|-----------]
[--10-----|----------|----------|---10\7b9-r-7-p-5-----]
[---------|----------|----------|----------|-------7~~-]
4 3 1 4 3 1 2 4 2 1 2 1 3 2 1 2
UP
Example 7
------------
This exercise is performed on the "fourth" and "fifth" position of the E
extended pentatonic.
Palm muting
n n n n n n v n n
[------------|------------|------------|-----------|-------15-15~~-]
[------------|------------|------------|-----------|-12p10---------]
[------------|------------|------------|---7-12/14-|---------------]
[------------|------------|------------|-9---------|---------------]
[----------7-h-12p7h10h12-p-10p7----10-|-----------|---------------]
[--7h10h12---|------------|------12----|-----------|---------------]
1 3 4 1 4 1 3 4 3 1 4 3 2 1 4 4 2 1 4
Pay attention to the sweep picking in palm muting performed by all the four
fingers of the left hand.
UP
Example 8
---------
This exercise is performed on the B extended pentatonic and involves the
positions : "second", "first" and "fifth".
The feature of this exercise is the one to repropose a little lick, in this
case made up by the first two bars, over the two lower octaves keeping the
same finger pattern.
v v v v v v n
[--14p10-------|-------------|----------|----------|---------|----------|----]
[--------12p10-h-12h15p12p10-|----------|----------|---------|----------|----]
[--------------|-------------|-11p7-----|----------|---------|----------|----]
[--------------|-------------|------9p7-h-9h12p9p7-|---------|----------/-9~-]
[--------------|-------------|----------|----------|-9p5-----|----------|----]
[--------------|-------------|----------|----------|-----7p5-h-7h10p7p5-|----]
4 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 4 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 4 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 2
UP
Example 9
---------
This exercise is performed on the E extended pentatonic and involves the
positions : "fourth", "fifth" and "first".
This exercise repropose a little lick on consecutive octaves, too.
n v n n v n v n v n n v n v n v n n v n
[------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-
[------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-
[------------|------------|------------|------------|----9-12-14-|-
[------------|------------|-------9-12-|-14----9-12-|-14---------|-
[----------7-|-10-12----7-|-10-12------|----10------|------------|-
[--7-10-12---|-------10---|------------|------------|------------|-
1 3 4 1 3 4 3 1 3 4 1 3 4 2 1 3 4 1 3 4
*(8va)
v n v n n v n v n v n n v n v n v n t n
-|------------|-------------|----------12-|-15-17----12-|-15-17-19p15-|-12~~-]
-|------------|-12-15-17----|-12-15-17----|-------15----|-------------|------]
-|----9-12-14-|----------12-|-------------|-------------|-------------|------]
-|-12---------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------]
-|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------]
-|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------]
3 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 1 3 4 1 3 4 3 1 3 4 M 3 1
UP
Example 10
----------
This exercise is performed on the "first" position of the D extended
pentatonic.
n n n n n n v n v v
[-------------------10-14p10-|-13h15p13p10-|-------------|-------------|-
[----------------10----------|-------------|-13h15p13p10-h-13p10-------|-
[-------------11-------------|-------------|-------------|-------14p10-h-
[----------12----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
[-----9h12-------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
[-/10------------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
2 1 3 3 2 1 1 4 1 3 4 3 1 3 4 3 1 3 1 4 1
v v v
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-h-12h14p12p10-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-12h15p12p10-h-12p10-------|-------------|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------15p10-h-12h15p12p10-|-------------|-
-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-13h15p13p10-h-
2 4 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 1 4 1 2 4 2 1 3 4 3 1
-|------------|------]
-|------------|------]
-|------------|------]
-|------------|------]
-|------------|------]
-h-13p10\8h10-h-10~~-]
3 1 1 3 3
A sweep introduce a fast dessending sequence, rich of pull offs and hammer
ons. This is one of my favorite lick.
UP
Example 11
-------------
This exercise is performed on the G extended pentatonic and involves the
positions : "fourth", "third" and "second".
Anche questo esercizio ripropone una piccola frase su ottave in sequenza.
v v v v v v
[--15p10-------|------------|------------|-----------|---------|-----]
[--------13h15-p-13p11------|------------|-----------|---------|-----]
[--------------|-------12p7-|------------|-----------|---------|-----]
[--------------|------------|-10h12p10p8-|-----------|---------|-----]
[--------------|------------|------------|-10p5------|---------|-----]
[--------------|------------|------------|------8h10-p-8p6\3h6-p-3~~-]
4 1 2 4 4 1 4 1 2 4 2 1 4 1 2 4 2 1 1 4 1
The performance isn't immediate because of an extension of three frets between
the 1st and 2nd finger of the left hand passing from the two notes in pull off
to the next four.
UP
Example 12
-------------
This exercise is performed on the "fifth" position of the E extended
pentatonic.
n n v n v v v v v v n n n v v n
[--------------|-15p10-------|------------|-------------|----------15~~-]
[--------------|-------12----|------------|-------------|-15------------]
[-----12-------|----------12-|------------|----------12-|----15/16------]
[-----------12-|-------------|-14p9-------|-------14----|---------------]
[-/14----14----|-------------|------10----|----14-------|---------------]
[--------------|-------------|---------12-/-15----------|---------------]
3 1 3 1 4 1 2 2 4 1 2 4 4 3 3 1 3 3 3 2
In th 2nd and 3rd bars there's a sweep picking arpeggio on the extended
pentatonic.
UP
Example 13
-------------
This exercise is useful to take familiarity with the arpeggio just proposed on
the "fifth" position of the E extended pentatonic.
n n n n n n v v v v v v
[-------------------10-h-15p10---------------| |------]
[----------------12----|-------12------------| ripeti |------]
[-------------12-------|----------12---------| poi |------]
[--------9h14----------|-------------14p9----| vai |------]
[-----10---------------|------------------10-| ---> |------]
[--12------------------|---------------------| |-12~~-]
4 2 1 4 2 2 1 4 1 2 2 4 1 2 4
The sextuplets division isn't obligatory.
UP
Example 14
----------
This exercise propose a very qquick sequence of sweep on the D extended
pentatonic involving the 5th, 1st, 2nd and 3rd position. More precisely it's a
progression in which every bar, of 1/4 duration, is made up by three notes in
rake that together are max 1/8 and by a 4th note that fills the left time of
the bar.
rake--- rake--- rake--- rake--- rake---
n n n v n n n v n n n v n n n v n n n v
[-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------17-20b(22)~--]
[--------8-13-|-------10-15-|-------13-18-|-------15-20-|----18--------------]
[-----10------|----12-------|----14-------|----17-------|-19-----------------]
[--12---------|-15----------|-17----------|-19----------|--------------------]
[-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------------]
[-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------------]
4 2 1 4 4 2 1 4 4 2 1 4 4 2 1 4 3 2 1 4
UP
Example 15
-------------
The exercise involvs the 1st, 2nd and 3rd position of the B extended
pentatonic and it would be considered as an example of string skipping and
tapping.
t t t t t t
[--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-
[--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-
[--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-
[--------------------------|-16p9h12h14h16p14p12p9-|-----------------------|-
[--------------------------|-----------------------|-17p9h12h14h17p14p12p9-|-
[--17p10h12h14h17p14p12p10-|-----------------------|-----------------------|-
M 1 2 4 M 4 2 1 M 1 3 4 M 4 3 1 M 1 3 4 M 4 3 1
t t t t t t
-|-----------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|-
-|-----------------------|-----------------------|-17p10h12h15h17p15p12p10-|-
-|-16p9h11h14h16p14p11p9-|-----------------------|-------------------------|-
-|-----------------------|-16p9h12h14h16p14p12p9-|-------------------------|-
-|-----------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|-
-|-----------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|-
M 1 2 4 M 4 2 1 M 1 3 4 M 4 3 1 M 1 2 4 M 4 2 1
t t t t t v v n
-|-----------------------|-17p10h12h14h17p14p12p10-|-19p16p13---------------]
-|-----------------------|-------------------------|----------15-------12~~-]
-|-16p9h11h14h16p14p11p9-|-------------------------|-------------16p11------]
-|-----------------------|-------------------------|------------------------]
-|-----------------------|-------------------------|------------------------]
-|-----------------------|-------------------------|------------------------]
M 1 2 4 M 4 2 1 M 1 2 4 M 4 2 1 M 4 1 3 4 1 2
UP
It's allowed to take
free all files but
for personal study only!!!
It's not allowed to sell, to publish or to post to archives the tabulatures, without authorization
because them represents part of my job and of my personal experiences!!!
