Hello, Mr.Nichols. Quick question or 2. First off I purchased your book on Pentatonic Fluency. Thank you for writing it. I’m happy to have it as a reference and guide. The first question, (possibly dumb) Take the A minor Pentatonic. Why would the root not be A minor instead of A? I’m trying to get a clear understanding of what separates the minor from the major.
As I take breaks I’m working to memorize and understand the fretboard. Im picking up some repeating shapes such as e-strings first fret F note repeats in a triangle D string 5th fret and so on down the neck. In your opinion should I work to have a better understanding of the fretboard before going back to your book, and I see you have a book on theory perhaps I should read it first.
To give you an idea about my journey, I’m approaching 62 years in the fast lane. I have messed with the guitar for years but I’ve been a 3-chord wonder who’s timing sucked. I’d put it down for years then pick it up. Since I’m retired now I’ve committed myself to start over and learn the correct way and improve myself. Thank you for your time sir.
Lonnie Lewis, Ohio USA.
Hi.
The root is a single note, consider it the main note that defines the scale or chord. Example, A minor, A major, A7, A dorian, A Mixolydian etc … the single note ‘A’ is the root for all of them.
Learning the fretboard inside out is a lot of work and takes a lot of time. I think it’s best to, at least to start with, just learn what you need to that helps with your goal.
It’s always worth learning where the notes are on each string, but again, takes time so it’s best to just make it part of your practice and build slowly. You may not have a real need to learn all of the intervals etc, great if you can, but can be hard work.
For example, let’s say you are mostly into blues and mostly only ever play in the key of E, C and A? Start by just learning those notes and how to find the I-IV-V chords quickly in those keys – and just practice the minor pentatonic in those keys.
Breaking it down like this into smaller chunks will make it more a realistic goal that you could become quite fluent within a few months. This will build confidence and open up a whole new visualisation of the fretboard. This then makes the rest come easier.
When I first started learning the fretboard I started with A only. I learned every A note and practised the minor pentatonic daily in that key only. Within a few weeks everything pieced together and this made learning the rest a lot easier, using the same technique. I still practice this stuff even years later and still fumble at times when I don’t.
