Switching Between Minor and Major Pentatonics while Improvising

Let's quickly talk about improvising over A Blues backing track using not only the major pentatonic scale but also the minor pentatonic.

We as guitarists use both scales to simply add more color to your solos and make the whole thing more interesting.

The backing track and how to improvise over it

Here's the backing track on YouTube we'll be using (thanks to Marc Guitar for creating it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3AbKYn0gwY&list=LL&index=1

Ok.

How to solo/ improvise over this A Blues track?

Well, the chords are these:

| A7 | A7 | A7 | A7 |

| D7 | D7 | A7 | A7 |

| E7 | D7 | A7 | E7 |

Does it look difficult?

Maybe, but it actually isn't. Every guitarist can solo over these changes. But you need to know some stuff beforehand.

You've got two scales/ pentatonics to use over the backing track.

First, A major pentatonic 1st pattern and, second, A minor pentatonic 1st pattern. I'm sure you know both already even as a beginner guitar player.

For the first 4 bars we simply use A major pentatonic.

For the 5-6 bars we use A minor pentatonic and 7-8 bars, again, A major pentatonic.

And at the end for | E7 | D7 | A7 | E7 | we use either A major or A minor pentatonic.

See above the two fretboard diagrams - A major and A minor pentatonics.

I suggest you try playing over the backing track yourself using whatever theory you know. Then use my suggestions above over each bar. How does it sound?

Are you able to outline nicely the chord changes using the right notes?

It can be often difficult... even though this is a simple blues track!

What's the best way to solo over this backing track?

The trick for use is to use chord tones to play through the chord changes, to outline every chord.

If you are stuck for ideas, simply create some licks of your own if you can or borrow from other great players.

Here's my take you can listen to.

I used the major/ minor pentatonics over the track.

In summary

You can use many musical devices to solo over a simple blues track, but why not start using something most guitar players know already?

Yes, a major/ minor pentatonic is all you need here.

Wish you luck!