CREATIVE ROCK
This month Shaun Baxter creates another melodic solo that exploits some of the five-note scales that exist within the Mixolydian mode.
Shaun Baxter continues his series creating midpaced blues-rock solos built on the Pentatonic scales found within Mixolydian mode.
In this lesson, we’re looking at another solo study that utilises various Pentatonic scales that reside within the Mixolydian mode. We’re going to focus on those that stem from the 6th note of each Mixolydian scale.
Remember, the purpose of trying to extract Pentatonic (five-note) scales from a sevennote scale, is to provide us with fresh musical perspectives. These not only sound different, but make us play in a different way too.
When extracting any Pentatonic scale one
could simply choose to systematically omit two notes from that parental scale.
For example, by leaving out the 2nd and
4th degrees of Mixolydian we get a m7b9 arpeggio when viewed from the perspective of the 6th note.
A) (B (C#) D E F# G A Mixolydian – (1) 2 (3) 4 5 6 b7
# AF C# E G b F#m7 9 arpeggio – 1 b3 5 b 7 b9
But, by putting all five notes in a row, we can establish a useful Pentatonic scale.
F# G A C# E b F#m7 9 Pentatonic scale – 1 b2 b3 5 b7 Of course it could also be said that playing a m7b9- type Pentatonic scale from the 6th note of Mixolydian results in the 2nd and 4th degrees being omitted.
Using a similar method, if we omit the 4th and b7th degrees of our Mixoydian mode, we effectively produce a Minor Pentatonic scale from the 6th note:
BA(C#) D E (F#) G A Mixolydian – 1 2 (3) 4 5 (6) b7
# A FB C# E F# Minor Pentatonic – 1 45 b3 b7 Again, conversely, one could say that playing a Minor Pentatonic scale from the 6th note of Mixolydian results in the 4th and b7th notes of the parental scale being omitted.
It’s important to note here that a Minor Pentatonic played from the 6th note of Mixolydian has the same notes as a Major Pentatonic scale played from the root.
A B C# E F# A Major Pentatonic scale – 1 2356
However, as we have already looked in depth at the Major Pentatonic scale in this way, here we are going to devote most of this lesson’s solo study to the undoubtedly less
m7b9 familiar Pentatonic.
As with all the lessons in this current series the chord progression for our backing track is: A7 (eight bars), C7 (eight bars), D7 (eight bars), F7 (eight bars), G7 (eight bars), with a different Mixolydian scale being played from the root of each chord.
Diagram 1 shows the notes of each of these chosen Mixolydian scales and also the notes of
m7b9- the Minor (Major) and type Pentatonic scales that stem from the 6th note of each of our Mixolydian scales. As usual, your initial aim is to map out both Pentatonic scales within each of the five CAGED scale shapes of its parental Mixolydian. Then, once you have done that, you should also explore and experiment with all types of alternative fingering configurations for each one.
As with our previous solo studies, look out for the various methods that have been used to disguise the potential rigidity that’s inevitable in a progression that’s used as a learning exercise. So, to avoid monotony by always changing key on the first beat of each eight-bar section, a phrase demarking the key change will sometimes: change early (anticipation); start late (say, on the second beat rather than the first); or use a note common to both keys to straddle the bar.
Finally, note how expression is also added through the usual forms of articulation such as string bends, slides and vibrato.
NEXT MONTH Shaun brings us another Mixolydian solo to learn in Creative Rock
THE PURPOSE OF TRYING TO EXTRACT PENTATONIC (FIVE-NOTE) SCALES FROM A SEVEN-NOTE SCALE, IS TO PROVIDE US WITH FRESH MUSICAL PERSPECTIVES