Improvising and Scales
When a lead guitarist is required to play a solo they can either play a pre-learned arrangement of notes or improvise a solo. Improvisation requires a combination of knowing: 1. what scales to play, i.e., what scales to use and when to use them as discussed in Lessons 4 and 10, and 2. how to play them, i.e., what combination of timing (discussed in Lessons 1, 2 and 3) and techniques (discussed in Lessons 6 to 9) to use.
Improvising Pattern 1
The following fretboard diagram illustrates the most important pattern of notes used when playing lead guitar. All Pop, Rock and Blues guitarists need to know this pattern. The following pattern begins on the fifth fret of the 6th string. The left hand fingering number is written in white inside the dot.
The following example shows the notes in pattern 1 played as eighth notes. The name of this pattern of notes is the Minor Pentatonic Scale. It is the most common scale used in lead guitar improvising.
Position
The notes in pattern 1 can be used to improvise against a chord progression using any order or timing. The important thing to know is what position to play the pattern. Position is the distance of four frets on the fretboard.
The name of the position is determined by which fret the first finger of the left hand is on. Pattern 1 was introduced with the first note on the 5th fret (and the other notes in the pattern either on the 5th, 7th or 8th fret). This is called fifth position and the first note of the pattern is A.
If the pattern was starting on the 3rd fret it would be in third position and the first note would be G.
If the pattern was starting on the 8th fret it would be in eighth position and the first note would be C.
If the pattern was starting on the open 6th string (an E note), it would be in open position.
If the pattern was starting on the 12th fret of the 6th string it would be in twelfth position and would be one octave higher than pattern 1 at the open position.
Practice playing pattern 1 in these new positions as shown on the previous fretboard diagram.
