Enhance Your Guitar Solos with Pentatonic Scale Pattern 4
In this lesson, we are going to learn how to enhance your guitar solos with pentatonic scale pattern 4. When it comes to playing guitar solos the number one objective is to stay in key. Continuing to play notes that all sound good no matter where they are played on the fretboard.
Minor pentatonic scales
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, “the minor pentatonic scales are the best way to get started playing guitar solos”. Especially if you want to play them in the context of rock guitar music. There are 5 box patterns to learn. You start off with pattern one, (minor) then pattern two (major) then three, etc.
The reason for learning all 5 pentatonic scales is to extend your guitar soloing ability along the fretboard. These scales build a road map. This allows you to learn note intervals (the distance between two notes) that keep you in key when you play a guitar solo.
Road map solution
This is the solution to the problem. By learning these scales in-depth and creating this road map that I speak of, you not only extend your fretboard knowledge but also your musical creativity. Why this is important, is because each scale pattern has its own flavor to it. That allows for more diversity and flexibility in your playing.
By creating a pentatonic scale road map you not only learn more about the fretboard but you also build a foundation for future guitar scales such as the modes. Learn to create a road map along the fretboard that will tell you exactly where to play. This way you’ll be confident where to play when you solo.
Pentatonic scale pattern 4
Pentatonic scale pattern 4 is located exactly where pattern 3 leaves off. Remember I mentioned they can be connected like puzzle pieces? Well, when you get done with pattern 3 you can move on to pattern 4.
Connecting these together is very important because it allows you to know exactly where to play them in any given key. For instance, if you were going to play pentatonic scale pattern 4 in the key of A minor, this scale would be located at the 12th fret. As you see in the picture above.
Once again, this shape is like a box. Because the notes line up in such a way that you can learn them fairly easily. Then it’s just a matter of knowing where to play them in any given key you choose to create a guitar solo.
Watch the video lesson below
Learn to stay in key
Like I stated before, you stay in the key by learning where these pentatonic scale box patterns are located on the fretboard. This will be in-direct relation to the key that you choose to solo in. This can be learned best by following a system. A great system I recommend would be my guitar method book I published called Lead Guitar Wizardry volume 1. Beginners guide to playing guitar solos.
Not only is this book a great beginner guide, but also a great refresher course for anyone who knows a little bit about soloing but needs to know more. Possibly get a better understanding of what they’re playing. No matter the case, this book can be a valuable asset to your guitar playing.
Lead Guitar Wizardry
Lead Guitar Wizardry volume 1 is written in simple step-by-step lesson plans designed to make learning how to play guitar solo fun and easy. Packed with diagrams and taught in a modern format, you will see results in your playing very, very quickly! If you follow the system that has been laid out before you in this method book.
Lead Guitar Wizardry will teach you:
Lead guitar basics
The 5 pentatonic scale box patterns
How to use them to create guitar solos
Chord progressions to solo over
Key modulation
12 bar blues and the blues scale
Harmony notes, octaves, and hybrid picking
As well as a number of other spells and incantations that’ll teach you how to become a lead guitar wizard! And, have fun in the process. If you go through this book lesson per lesson and practice with dedication and commitment, I guarantee that you’ll come out the other side a much better guitar player.
You will also develop not only motor skills and eye-hand coordination, but you will also increase your fretboard knowledge and concepts about music theory. You will learn things that many guitar players never learn because they play by ear and don’t always have a full understanding of the theoretical aspect of what they are playing,
Lesson conclusion
So there you have it. Learn the pentatonic scale box patterns. All five of them. In this lesson, we learned pattern 4. Go through it and connect it to the third pentatonic scale. If you don’t know the third pentatonic scale box pattern, you can learn it below. Once you have these down, move on to pattern 5 and you will be back to pattern 1 in the next octave.
If more help is needed in this area, be sure to check out my book Lead Guitar Wizardry available on Amazon in print and Kindle format. Also available in my eBay store where Dwayne’s Guitar World where if you purchase it from here, I will send you a personally signed copy from me.
Make sure that no matter what path you choose to take, you get started and keep moving forward. Playing guitar solos is not always easy but with the right training, anyone can do it. Even you. And if you haven’t already, be sure to grab my FREE action-guide “Guitar Solo Secrets” to help you get a head-start on creating awesome guitar solos.
Best of luck and if you have additional questions, be sure to shoot me an email.
Until next time, take care.
Dwayne