How to Break Out of the Pentatonic RutMay 9, 2019December 25, 2019F. W. Lineberry

Here are some things you can try with Pentatonics:

* Spend more time playing up and down the strings rather than across the strings.
* Pick every note instead of typical hammer pull licks.
* Avoid bends. Use slides instead.
* Avoid triplet patterns. Instead think in groups of 4, 5 and 6
* Think of pentatonics as arpeggios rather than scales. Minor pentatonic is a min7 arpeggio with an added 11. Major pentatonic is a maj6 arpeggio with an added 9.
* Superimpose pentatonics over 7th chords – Cmaj7 play E minor pentatonic and B minor pentatonic – Cmin7 play D minor pentatonic and A minor pentatonic – C7 play Eb minor pentatonic and Bb minor pentatonic.
* Play over more sophisticated chord progressions, especially progressions that force you to switch keys/scales.