Play Minor Thirds in Solos – You Need this!
Learning the Pentatonic patterns is the first step to learning to solo and we focused on the root note to resolve our solo licks. The minor third or 3rd is another place where we can venture to to resolve our licks with a slightly different color.
I would highly recombed taking a look at the diagram below which contains the 5th, 1st and second Am Pentatonic patterns together with the minor thirds highlighted in green for you.
We need to find different and exciting variations to our soloing or we can become quite stale after a time and minor 3rds are another avenue to start and finish your licks.
In scales all notes are given numbers as we have seen previously with the Key and chords.
In Am the third or minor third is a sad note because it is a minor. I will explain more to make it clear.
The Am Key has A – B – C – D – E – F – G in the full scale (Ionian Mode/Scale). The pentatonic scale only uses 5 notes instead of the full seven in the full scale.
A Minor Scale
The A minor scale as you can see has additional notes or really all the notes in the A minor scale. You can also use these in your solos but you may find the pentatonic the one to guide you. With time and experience as well as we must say, PRACTICE your use of the scales will grow.
With the additional notes you can count through he notes in the Am scale which is also the C Major scale. Yes they are the same but they start and finish on different notes. The C Major concentrates on the C note as its root where the
Full Am Pentatonic with 3rd’s
This is a good point to start with the Am Pentatonic one position and get a feel for the Am 3rds. Play a little and try and land here for your lick final note.
Am Pentatonic 5ths
The root, 3rd and the 5th are all great notes to end licks on. The 5ths are not always as easy as the pentatonic thirds but worth targeting for something a little different.
Its all about mixing it up and when the note feels the right one which will fit the situation. In learning the fifths it is simply practice and yes there is a theory component but for now I believe you pick up the guitar and play along with the Am backing track and see how adding the thirds and fifths to the licks works and if there are places where its not as successful.
The best way again to experience these is to grab your guitar over an Am backing track. Testing when your root note third or fifth is really personal taste.
Starting in pattern 1 before moving on is a great start. Don’t try to learn it all in one session. Progressive bites is what you need to learn guitar or anything. Try a part and then expand. Good luck!
Am Scale with 5ths
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