All Tutorials
Tutorial

Pentatonic Finder

Richard Lundmark

Welcome guitar slingers! The goal of the ”Pentatonic Finder” tutorial is for you to be able to improvise freely across any key changes, anywhere on the neck, and learn how to conceptually visualize scales and keys, and using scale superimposition. Before launching head on into this tutorial, I must advice you to first backtrack and review my other improvisational tutorials in the right order (for the best results). The order in which they are supposed to be followed are: Unlocking the Fretboard Pentatonic Finder Note Targeting Timing and Note Value Alteration With that said and done, you also need to know your boxes and sometimes think “inside the box”. Sounds contradictory? Read on, and all shall be revealed young Jedi! What the Pentatonic Finder in essence is about, is to learn how to not only see one scale all over the neck, and how the boxes in that key is interlinked and “all over”, but to learn to see and have immediate access to ALL keys at the same time, regardless of where on the neck you might be. Sounds pretty useful right? Imagine now that you are in the key of A, improvising in the Amin pentatonic, and say you are currently in the 1st position. Then the progression changes key to E. What would most inexperienced players do then? They would jump up to the 12th fret, Emin pentatonic 1st position right? Well, as useful as this might be, this tutorial will enable you to switch keys without leaving your current position of the neck, thereby further expanding your improvisational freedom and flexibility. Before turning the page to the actual tutorial however, I would like you to find a deck of cards that you are comfortable writing on with a marker (or cut some squares of paper, approx. 2x2”). Another neat thing about the Pentatonic Finder exercises is that you can do this together with a fellow guitarist and really put each other through the paces and push each other to new heights! So get a friend, sign him up to Infinite Guitar as well, and start pushing your boundaries! Ready? Let’s go!

Unlock all 6 lessons Premium includes every lesson, tab and backing track on the site.
See Premium Plans

6 Lessons

  1. 1 Lesson Pentatonic Finder - Introduction Welcome guitar slingers! The goal of the ”Pentatonic Finder” tutorial is for you to be able to improvise freely across any key changes, anywhere on the neck, and learn how to conceptually visualize scales...
  2. 2 Lesson Pentatonic Finder - Part 1, A to D So, to start off with, we need a chord progression to play over that changes keys. For arguments sake let’s say the progression is A7, D9, C9, G7. Remember, we want to treat this chord change as 4 separate...
  3. 3 Lesson Pentatonic Finder - Part 2, D to C Next, we will look at the next change in the progression, which will be from D9 to C9. We were in the 4th box of the Dmin Blues Scale, so which box must we utilize to keep ourselves within the 4-9 fret area?...
  4. 4 Lesson Pentatonic Finder - Part 3, C to G Well, you know the drill by now. Time for the change between C and G. Here’s the correct box in G, which will be the 2nd. And here’s C superimposed by G. Turn the page for the final change!
  5. 5 Lesson Pentatonic Finder - Part 4, G to A And finally, here’s the change between G7 and A7. You already know that the 1st box of A is what goes, so without further ado, here’s G superimposed by A Now turn that page!
  6. 6 Lesson Pentatonic Finder - Part 5, Then what? Now that you have that down, it’s time to take it to the next level. You should now start practicing this method, choosing new areas of the neck to cover. Say you choose to cover the area of 10-15th fret. If...

More like this

Playing Over Changes Tom Quayle
Intermediate-AdvancedFusionImprovising 16 lessons41m
Hi there guys! Welcome to this tutorial on 'Playing Over Changes'. This is the idea of playing or improvising over a series of chords that change key every bar or other bar. We aren't going to be dealing with...
Playing Outside Tom Quayle
AdvancedFusionImprovising 12 lessons24m
Hi Guys and Gals! Welcome to this months tutorial which is all based on 'outside' playing. Now I'm not suggesting that you all find a nice field somewhere and play in the fresh air. Rather the way in which...
Playing Over Changes Pt 2 Tom Quayle
AdvancedFusionImprovising 14 lessons35m
Hi there and welcome to part 2 of 'Playing over Changes'. This time we'll be dealing with melodic minor chords and their associated scale choices and also with motivic development over changes. For the purpose...
Using Melodic Minor Scales Tom Quayle
AdvancedFusionImprovising 11 lessons44m
Hi Guys! Welcome to this tutorial on using Melodic Minor Scales. In this tutorial we'll be learning how to use melodic minor scales in conjunction with the major scales we already know in a harmonic context...
"Play in the style of" Guthrie Govan Rick Graham
Crazy!RockImprovising 10 lessons15m
Yo! and welcome to my latest tutorial this time focusing on the style and techniques of the amazing UK guitarist Guthrie Govan. This lesson was created with inspiration from the following: Blues Jam Tracks...
Funky Fusion Song - Chasing a Beat Tom Quayle
AdvancedFusionImprovisingCool Riffs 8 lessons22m
Hi guys! It's nearly Easter and winter is pretty much gone, so it's time for some funky sounds to prepare for the warmer weather! This tutorial is a song of mine from my upcoming album due to be released this...