MASTERCLAS MASTERC LASSS BO BOOKLET OKLET
Luca Mantovanelli
PENTATONICS MASTERCLASS INTERMEDIATE INTRODUCTION Hi everybody, thanks for checking out my pentatonics masterclass intermediate intermediate volume. In this volume I’ll show you my pentatonics approach with different techniques. I’ll show you all the exercises first, and then we’ll see how to use all this stuff. If you need to revise the five basic pentatonic pen tatonic fretboard shapes, return to Volume 1 (Beginner). VARIA VARIATION TION 3
If you’ve worked through the Beginner volume, you will have seen Variations 1 and 2, where I showed you some patterns for practising the five basic pentatonic shapes. These patterns help you to move around within the shapes, getting them under your fingers. It’s It ’s good to do this as soon as possible, instead of just playing up and down the shapes in a single line. In Variation 3, we have a more demanding pattern. We’ll We’ll be working with pairs of strings… E/A, A/D, D/G, G/B and B/E. For each string pair, pair, we have a little four-note phrase. Using just Shape 1, here’s what those phrases will look like. We’ll We’ll play the notes as numbered, 1-2-3-4.
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PENTATONICS MASTERCLASS INTERMEDIATE LUCA MANTOVANELLI
. When we descend back through the strings, we’ll use a different pattern. Here’s the first part of the main Variation 3 tab file, to show you how it works.
V V V V V V V V V V VVVVVVVVVVVV V V V I V V V V V V V V V V VV
1
T A B
5
5
8
7
5
5
7
7
5
5
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7
5
5
7
8
5
8
8
5
5
8
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5
5
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7
5
5
7
7
5
5
7
7 8
5
Got that? Now check out the main Variation 3 tab file, and you’ll also see that there’s a version in triplet rhythm. Good luck! RHYTHMIC SHIFTING
To really push your playing to a new level, you need to do more than just learning scale patterns. You need to be able to apply a concept at any time, from any point. A good way to sharpen your ability is to move patterns to different parts of the beat. Playing everything exactly on the downbeat (1-2-3-4) can become too easy and predictable. The patterns in Variation 3 are all based on 16th notes, which means we have four notes in each beat. That gives us four places to start each pattern. If we then change the patterns to work in triplet rhythm, we have another three ways to play them, as you can see from this diagram…
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PENTATONICS MASTERCLASS INTERMEDIATE LUCA MANTOVANELLI
So your next task is to apply these concepts to the patterns from Variation 3 - check out the separate Rhythm Shift tab files (“shift1-3” are regular 16th notes; “shift4-5” are triplets). This is a lot of work, but it really increases your awareness of rhy thm, phrasing and fretboard layout. You can use this approach to work on any technique, scale or arpeggio.
ARPEGGIOS
This is a different approach to the standard pentatonics, and will really expand your musical horizons. Basically, I’m using arpeggio shapes that exist in each of the five pentatonic shapes. Each time I use the same basic pattern, which gives us some interesting arpeggios… Shape 5: Am – Dsus2 – Gsus2 – Csus2 Shape 1: Csus2 – C/E – Am – Dsus2 Shape 2: Dsus2 – Gsus2 – Csus2 – C/E Shape 3: C/E – Am – Dsus2 – Gsus2 Shape 4: Gsus2 – Csus2 – C/E – Am You’ll see that I started with Shape 5, so we can make use of the lower frets. As shown in the “Arpeggio 1” Tabs and audio/video files, I play all the triads for each shape like a loop. To get a fluid sound, I’m using hybrid picking, playing the first two notes with my pick (downstroke) and the third note with my 2nd finger.
To create more of a melodic sound, I added a note for each triad as you can see in the “Arpeggio 2’’ files. The extra note is simply the next pentatonic scale note after the original triad. For example, the first triad in Shape 1 is A minor (A C E) and I simply added a G note after the E note. The resulting arpeggios are now as follows… Shape 5: Am7 – D7sus2 – G6sus2 – C6sus2 Shape 1: C6sus2 – Cadd9/E – Am7 – D7sus2 Shape 2: D7sus2 – G6sus2 – C6sus2 – Cadd9/E Shape 3: Cadd9/E – Am7 – D7sus2 – G6sus2 Shape 4: G6sus2 – C6sus2 – Cadd9/E – Am7 For both versions of the arpeggio loop, I also recorded triplet versions, so you can hear how much difference you get just from changing the accents and phrasing.
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PENTATONICS MASTERCLASS INTERMEDIATE LUCA MANTOVANELLI
WALKING ARPEGGIO
A cool idea to mix all the triads over the fretboard is an exercise I named ‘’walking arpeggio’’. This is related to the “linking shapes” concept we covered in Vol 1 (Beginner). For each group of strings, we’re taking the first arpeggio shape and then walking up and down the fretboard, sliding between the triads. All four sequences are shown on the separate Tab file.
HYBRID PENTATONIC
The final topic in this volume is the ‘’Hybrid Pentatonic’’. For 5 years I have used only legato and hybrid picking. Everyone has a favourite technique, and I’ve definitely found mine! Try to find your ‘’relax’’ technique; when you find it your playing will be better and better. Remember, you should play all the exercises in this volume with your favourite technique. The hybrid pentatonic concept uses my two favourite techniques… legato and hybrid picking. For these exercises, you pick the first note, hammer-on to the second note, then pluck the third note with your finger (hybrid picking). It’s very important to use this pattern in different rhythms (8ths, triplets, 16ths) and to start from different parts of the beat, as we did with the Rhythmic Shifting exercises. Sounds like Greg Howe! In the “Hybrid” tab files, you’ll see five basic patterns (moving across the string groups), all with rhythmic shifting.
LICKS
Finally, it’s time to play properly! As you will see, I’ve played 10 licks, using the concepts we’ve covered in this package. The backing is in C minor, using a Cm7-F9 chord progression to create a Dorian sound (this works perfectly with the minor pentatonic). Obviously that means you have to switch to C minor pentatonic (C Eb F G Bb). As you play through the licks, try to spot the concepts. For example, you’ll see the Walking Arpeggio shapes in Lick 1, the Variation 3 pattern in Lick 3, the triad shapes in Lick 4… And when you’ve worked through the licks, there’s a full-length sample solo (also see separate Tab files) to give you the opportunity to stretch out. There are also backing tracks for you to jam over. Try experimenting with the concepts we covered in this package, and find your own ideas. Good luck and look forward to seeing you in the advanced masterclass!
Luca
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