Guitar Lead Patterns

Pentatonic Lead Patterns

In my book Fretboard Theory and its related video program, I teach the pentatonic scale as five separate patterns. These patterns cover every position on the neck and connect together to make one giant fretboard pattern. This method is how many guitar players initially learn pentatonic scales. But when it comes to actually using the scale to play melodies, riffs, lead guitar solos, and bass lines, it’s not necessary to utilize every position or every part of every pattern. Most guitar players, including some of the most famous ones, favor only a few particular sections of these different patterns that work well together. When viewed together, these sections are sometimes called lead patterns.

Lead patterns make it easier for you to keep track of the root note of a chord, shift from position to position, duplicate licks in different registers, and use the first three, and strongest fingers of your fretting hand. You will also be able to find your way around the neck better, becoming more proficient at what you play as you narrow your focus to a few essential patterns. In Fretboard Theory Volume II Chapter 6 I am going to teach you two lead patterns, each one having a major and a minor form. In the following chapters you will see how these lead patterns are filled in with major scales, harmonic minor scales, modes and arpeggio patterns.

In This Chapter:

1. Major and minor lead patterns
2. Riff boxes
3. Reference barre chords
4. Blues scale patterns

Fretboard Theory Volume II

Fretboard Theory Volume II picks up where the first book leaves off and takes your guitar playing and musical knowledge to a whole new level. You learn new musical concepts and explore advanced applications. There is information for rhythm guitarists, lead guitarists, improvisers and composers. Each chapter focuses on applications found in popular music and includes familiar song references.

Take Your Guitar Playing to the Next Level!

• Gain new perspective on keys and tonalities
• Apply new number systems
• Bring dominant function and voice leading into play
• Change keys, borrow chords and mix modes
• Employ chromatic passing, diminished and augmented chords
• Use the lead patterns preferred by the pros
• Target chord tones and outline chord progressions
• Discover the harmonic minor scale
• Play pedal point and pedal tones

Discover the Secrets to Guitar Songs By:

Led Zeppelin
Eric Clapton
The Beatles
Santana
The Eagles
Grateful Dead
The Rolling Stones
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Guns N” Roses
Fleetwood Mac
Tom Petty
Jimi Hendrix
Van Morrison
Allman Brothers Band
U2 and many more!

To get all the details about this guitar theory program, visit the Fretboard Theory page.