The Natural Minor Scale is widely used in all styles of western music, and today we're going to focus on its use in the style of Rock guitar playing. Knowing this scale is key to each lead rock guitarist's knowledge base, as it is one of the most widely used and effective soloing tools in rock music. Every Minor Scale follows the same pattern in its construction. Beginning with the root note, we will move through this pattern in an ascending order: W-H-W-W-H-W-W W = Whole Step (2 frets on the guitar) H = Half Step (1 fret on the guitar) In th...

Introduction: Today we're going to examine three different rhythm guitar approaches to the same chord progression--each approach in the style of a famous heavy rock/metal guitarist. The chord progression is not too complicated--just three chords: A5, B5 and E5. We'll start with two measures of A5, followed by one measure of B5 and one measure of E5. Let's begin with checking out this chord progression in the style of a certain Bay Area Rhythm Guitar Master..

You may have noticed that the minor scale covered in our previous lessons does contain some notes that should be treated with care, depending on the underlying harmony. That's where the minor pentatonic scale comes in. This five note scale is created by omitting the second and sixth degrees of our natural minor scale. For example, if we took our A natural minor scale and left out the B and F notes, we would be left with A-C-D-E and G, which is an A minor Pentatonic scale. This scale is typically the first scale most guitarists are introduced to, and is perhaps the sca...

The first style we'll check out is in the Heavy Metal stylings of James Hetfield of Metallica. The chord progression here is embellished with some "outside" ornamental notes and chords, along with some percussive, drum-like rhythms.

In this section, we're going to look at playing the minor scale up the high E string. In this way of examining the scale, we can see the W-H-W-W-H-W-W pattern very clearly. We'll start on the 5th fret, and move up the scale in the key of A minor. The notes in A minor are: A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A Let's take a look at a "real world" example of this scale concept in the style of Yngwie Malmsteen using this A minor scale.

As covered in the minor scale lessons, we are going to begin with taking a horizontal approach to the minor pentatonic scale going up the E String. This first example is in the style of Zakk Wylde in the key of G minor. The notes in the G minor Pentatonic Scale are: G - Bb - C - D - F - G

Another way to use your minor scale is in first position, using open strings combined with fretted notes. This style of scale use is found in many genres of guitar playing. For this next example, we will use the E minor scale--here are the notes: E-F#-G-A-B-C-D-E Now let's hear an example of this scale concept in the style of John 5.

This concept of looking at the minor scale gives us the same number of notes per string, which allows for easier scale sequences. Let's take a look at an example in the style of Michael Schenker in the key of E minor.

After looking at these three examples, try moving these example to different keys. Let's play the Tony Iommi example in the key of D. The chords in this key will now be: D5, E5, and A5. To move the example we played, fretted notes will take the place of open strings, so instead of playing open strings in this new key, we will fret notes in the 5th fret instead. For example, instead of playing the open low E string for the E5 chord, we will now play a fretted A note on the low E string on the 5th fret for the A5 chord that replaces the E5 chord. Next, try to come up wit...

Now, let's take a look at the style of one of Heavy Metal's pioneers, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell. Tony's music is known for it's often slow, dirge-like tempos giving that signature feeling of doom that only his music can deliver. The chord progression is embellished with some chord substitutions that create an interval movement called a tritone, or a flatted 5th/# 4th.

Now, let's use an open position concept, using a combination of open strings and fretted notes. Here is an example in the style of Angus Young in the key of E minor. The notes in the E minor Pentatonic Scale are: E - G - A - B - D - E

Finally let's examine this chord progression in the style of another of Metal's pioneers, Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple/Rainbow/Blackmore's Night. Ritchie's rhythm guitar style often uses the interval of a fourth, and you can see that interval used in this example quite a bit.

This is another common shape of the minor scale that is also widely used in Rock guitar playing. Let's look at an example in the style of Ritchie Blackmore, using the key of G minor. The notes in this key are G-A-Bb-C-D-Eb-F-G.

This scale shape is most likely the first scale each guitarist learns--the minor Pentatonic Scale based on the low E string. Here is an example in the style of Billy Gibbons in the key of C minor. The notes in the C minor Pentatonic Scale are: C - Eb - F - G - Bb - C.

This is typically the first pattern that most guitarists learn for the minor scale, and is one of the most commonly used shapes, allowing us to use all six strings. Here is an example in the style of Jeff Beck, using the key of C minor. The notes in this particular key are: C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb.

Here is the same scale we just went over, starting on the 5th string. Knowing the 5th and 6th string scale shapes is a great place to start, as it offers several position options for each key. Here is an example in the style of Carlos Santana in the key of B minor. The notes in the B minor Pentatonic Scale are: B - D - E - F# - A - B.

Today, we are exploring the use of intervals within the Natural Minor Scale. Intervals are what we use in music to measure the distances between any two notes. In these lessons, we're going to look at the distances between the notes in the natural minor scale. We can play intervals two different ways in music: both notes at the same time (harmonically) or one note at a time (melodically). In these lessons, we're going to focus on playing these intervals melodically. We are going to cover all of the standard rock intervals, which include thirds, fourths, fi...

Now that we have several different concepts of playing the minor scale, let's put them to use: Let's take the 6th String rooted version of the scale and play it in the key of D minor. Let's now take the 5th string rooted version of the minor scale and play it in the key of B minor Continue to review the information covered in these lessons and apply these scale concepts by creating your own rock guitar leads, as well as leads in the styles of your favorite guitarists. Continue to look for these scale concepts in music you have already learned, are learning, or will...

In this section, we're going to look at how we explore two adjoining scale shapes at once. Here are the two scale shapes we're going to combine. Notice, we're still playing the same five notes, just finding them in different positions on the fretboard. Here is an example in the style of Randy Rhoads in the key of F# minor. The notes in the F# minor Pentatonic Scale are: F# - A - B - C# - E - F#

Let's put some of these new concepts to use. First, start with finding our 6th string shape from lesson 4 in the key of D minor The notes in the D minor Pentatonic scale are: D - F - G - A - C - D Next, find the 5th string shape used in lesson 5 in the key of E minor. The notes in the E minor Pentatonic Scale are: E - G - A - B - D - E Practice composing your own ideas based on each concept and also practice improvising, or making things up on the spot with each scale idea and see what you can come up with. Have fun making musical ideas of your own and in th...

To play an interval of a third with the minor scale, all you need to to is to skip one note in the scale either above or below the first note you play. For instance, if you play the first note of a D minor scale (D) and then skip the next note of the scale (E) and play an F, you have successfully played a minor third interval. Let's explore the entire D minor Scale in thirds. Ascending the scale in thirds will go as follows: D-F E-G F-A G-Bb A-C Bb-D C-E D Now, let's check out a musical example in this key, played i...

With this next interval (fourths), we're going to skip twice as many notes in the scale, as we did in the previous lesson. After starting on the first note of the key of A minor (A), we will skip the next two notes of the scale to play a D note, which would give us a fourth interval, A-D. Let's explore this A minor Scale in fourth intervals. Here are the notes in their order Am A-D B-E C-F D-G E-A F-B (#4th) G-C Now let's put these intervals to use in a musical example in the style of Dream Theater's John Petrucci...

Moving right along, now we're going to play some fifth intervals. To play a fifth interval with the minor scale, we need to skip three notes in between our starting note and our target note. Let's say we start on F# in an F# minor Scale, and we skip the next three notes in the scale (G#, A, B) and arrive upon a C# note. If we play an F# to a C#, we have successfully played an interval of a fifth. Let's move this concept through our minor scale in the key of F# minor. Here are the notes: F#m F#-C# G#-D (b5) A-E B-F# C#-G# D-A...

In these lessons, we covered the basic rock intervals using the natural minor scale. Now, let's put some of these concepts to work First, ascend a C minor scale in thirds C-Eb D-F Eb-G F-Ab G-Bb Ab-C Bb-D C-Eb Descend an E minor scale in fourths E-B D-A C-G B-F# A-E G-D F#-C (#4) E-B Review these intervals as part of your regular practice routine. Try to identify intervals in pieces of music yo...

Now, let's expand to the next interval, called a sixth. To play a sixth interval using the natural minor scale, you need to skip 4 notes ahead of your starting note. So, if we start on an E note in the key of E minor, we would skip F#, G, A, and B, until we arrive upon C, which is a (minor) sixth interval up from E. Let's take this idea through the E minor Scale. Here are the notes: Em E-C F#-D G-E A-F# B-G C-A D-B E-C Now, let's take a look at an example in the style of former Scorpions and Electric Sun ...

Examples of different natural minor scales and the intervals that occur within them, with backing tracks.

By way of examples and techniques, this tutorial gives students both traditional and new approaches to the minor pentatonic scale.

An in-depth look at the natural minor diatonic scale.

A look at the rhythm stylings of three metal masters.