• RT6c1 • Exploring major/minor sounds

Demonstration

Procedure

This is an exercise, not a proficiency test. There is no “passing”.

Refer to the minor and major single octave frying pan shape (one shape, two ways of thinking about it).

Find or record two backing tracks: one with an Am drone, and another with a C major drone (just simple slow strumming of open chords suffices).

Since the frying pan shape we’re using is at the fifth fret, first identify the C major and Am triad shapes on the top four strings. For C major, use the CAGED G shape. For Am, use the top four notes of the Fm arpeggio shape but at the fifth fret.

First put on the the minor backing track and create some minor lines with the frying pan as we’ve been doing. Emphasize the root note (A) to get the minor sound in your ear. Find a simple three or four note lick that you like (one that ends on the root note).

Now put on the C major backing track and repeat the exercise. First try playing the exact same lick you just performed. It probably doesn’t sound as good. Not wrong exactly, but … a little off somehow.

Next, create some new major licks that emphasize and end on the major triad notes of C, E, and G (root, M3, and P5). That is the sound of the major pentatonic. Same collection of notes, but a completely different sound just by emphasizing different notes!

Spend some time switching back and forth between minor and major licks over both backing tracks. Both can work over either chord, but you should start hearing the different chord tones in the backing track, and automatically start emphasizing those sounds for a more consonant solo.

Note that sometimes you want