How to Switch Between Major and Minor – Podcast 72

February 12, 2020 ·

How to Switch Between Major and Minor – Podcast 72

February 12, 2020 ·

In this lesson, I’ll show you one way you can switch back and forth between major and minor scales. For the I chord I’ll use the A Major Pentatonic Scale, for the IV chord the A Minor Pentatonic Scale, and for the V chord the A Minor Pentatonic scale. By using this simple pattern you’ll see how easy it can be to do something like this. The possibilities are endless!

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7 responses to “How to Switch Between Major and Minor – Podcast 72”

  1. sidk47 Avatar
    sidk47

    Great tone in this song. Please tell us your signal chain.

    1. JohnWT Avatar
      JohnWT

      Thanks! Straight into the 66 Vibrolux and that’s it. Cranked up to about 6.

  2. mikec3211 Avatar
    mikec3211

    Dumb question. At around 12:00, during the IV chord, you bend a half step into the major pentatonic (high E string, fret 8 to 9). Are you actually consciously thinking about the chord that is coming and are thinking that far ahead? “I’m in the IV, but I want the major over the I, so start now and time it for when the chord changes back to the I”? Something like that thought process, or is it more intuitive and “it comes with a lot of practice” sort of thing? At this stage of your playing, do the thoughts still come into your head or are you just playing it?

    1. JohnWT Avatar
      JohnWT

      Hi @mikec3211,

      I am thinking about that but after so many years of doing it, it doesn’t feel like something that takes a lot of effort. I just can intuitively think that sound and understand in my head what interval it is. That’s why I teach to sing your Intervals in Blues Guitar Method 1 as you need to get them ingrained into your head of what they sound like. Hope that helps!

  3. guitarhero619 Avatar
    guitarhero619

    So I’ve taken a lot of these licks and licks from your other blues courses and tried them over a minor blues progression (i.e., Am7|Dm7|Em7) – and it sounds ok, but not quite right. Do you have a course that explains the differences between the two chord progressions (Minor/Major blues chord progressions) and the licks to play over them? I know your Blues Guitar Method 2 discusses the Major blues chord progression, but is there a course for the Minor blues chord progression?

    1. JohnWT Avatar
      JohnWT

      You can check out this course that talks about what scales to use over a minor blues progression.

      https://www.learningguitarnow.com/lesson/minor-blues-solo-intro/

      As far as chord tones go instead of targeting the 1 3 5 b7 on a Dominant 7th style blues, you just change the 3rd to a b3rd. The Play Like Gilmour Course arriving this week will talk about this as well.

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7 thoughts on “How to Switch Between Major and Minor – Podcast 72”

  1. Dumb question. At around 12:00, during the IV chord, you bend a half step into the major pentatonic (high E string, fret 8 to 9). Are you actually consciously thinking about the chord that is coming and are thinking that far ahead? “I’m in the IV, but I want the major over the I, so start now and time it for when the chord changes back to the I”? Something like that thought process, or is it more intuitive and “it comes with a lot of practice” sort of thing? At this stage of your playing, do the thoughts still come into your head or are you just playing it?

    • Hi @mikec3211,

      I am thinking about that but after so many years of doing it, it doesn’t feel like something that takes a lot of effort. I just can intuitively think that sound and understand in my head what interval it is. That’s why I teach to sing your Intervals in Blues Guitar Method 1 as you need to get them ingrained into your head of what they sound like. Hope that helps!

  2. So I’ve taken a lot of these licks and licks from your other blues courses and tried them over a minor blues progression (i.e., Am7|Dm7|Em7) – and it sounds ok, but not quite right. Do you have a course that explains the differences between the two chord progressions (Minor/Major blues chord progressions) and the licks to play over them? I know your Blues Guitar Method 2 discusses the Major blues chord progression, but is there a course for the Minor blues chord progression?

Leave a Comment