Part 9: Pentatonics become musical choices · Lesson 087 / 117
Your explained minor-pentatonic rock solo
Today’s one thing
Follow minor-key chords using five notes and clear phrases.
“Small Box, Big Idea” uses Am | Dm | Am | Em twice. Its lead notes are only A, C, D, E and G. The basic version uses picked notes so expressive techniques are optional rather than prerequisites.
Over Am, A, C and E are available triad tones. Over Dm, D and A are available, while its third F is absent. Over Em, E and G are available, while B is absent. The study makes deliberate choices from that shared palette.
Learn the destination-note skeleton first. Then add one two-bar phrase at a time. A repeated opening provides continuity, and the final phrase changes the answer. Rests count as part of the score.
After you understand the picked version, one suitable D-to-E movement may be played as the bend from the previous lesson. The target note and time must remain clear. Adding technique should preserve the explanation rather than hide an uncertain pitch.
A concrete example
Complete eight-bar study with guitar addresses, beat durations, key-reference degrees, chord roles and a reason for each sounded note.
Fretboard view
High E (string 1) is the top line, matching guitar tablature. Select a note to hear it.
The pitch locations here come directly from the written score, not a generic scale box.
These are the places used across the study, not notes to play simultaneously. A note’s role changes with the current backing chord.Play notes from a larger button list
One small map at a time. Hear the notes, then play the example without looking.
Small Box, Big Idea
A picked-note rock study over minor harmony. The final Em bar leads naturally into a repeated Am bar; it does not claim a tonic-A ending on the last note.
8 bars · 4/4 · 80 BPM · A minor pentatonic · Standard tuning
One four-beat count-in at the beginning. The backing continues through lead rests. The slow version keeps the same pitches. Picked-note demonstrations; technique targets are taught separately.
Bar 1 · Am
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
A4Beat 1 · 1 beatString 1, fret 5
C5Beat 2 · 1 beatString 1, fret 8
D4Beat 3 · 1 beatString 3, fret 7
E4Beat 4 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Am’s root. These are two different relationships.
A4, beat 1. Degree 1 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
C5, beat 2. Degree b3 from A; minor third above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the minor third of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
D4, beat 3. Degree 4 from A; perfect fourth above this chord’s root. Outside the written chord. Use the fourth above A to approach the fifth E.
E4, beat 4. Degree 5 from A; perfect fifth above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the perfect fifth of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone arrival.
Bar 2 · Dm
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
D4Beat 1 · 1 beatString 3, fret 7
A4Beat 2 · 1 beatString 1, fret 5
C5Beat 3 · 1 beatString 1, fret 8
A4Beat 4 · 1 beatString 1, fret 5
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Dm’s root. These are two different relationships.
D4, beat 1. Degree 4 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Dm; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
A4, beat 2. Degree 1 from A; perfect fifth above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the perfect fifth of Dm; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
C5, beat 3. Degree b3 from A; minor seventh above this chord’s root. Outside the written chord. Add Dm’s minor-seventh colour melodically; the backing is a triad, not relabelled Dm7.
A4, beat 4. Degree 1 from A; perfect fifth above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the perfect fifth of Dm; this is a deliberate chord-tone arrival.
Bar 3 · Am
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
E4Beat 1 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
G4Beat 2 · 1 beatString 2, fret 8
E4Beat 3 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
C4Beat 4 · 1 beatString 3, fret 5
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Am’s root. These are two different relationships.
E4, beat 1. Degree 5 from A; perfect fifth above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the perfect fifth of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
G4, beat 2. Degree b7 from A; minor seventh above this chord’s root. Outside the written chord. Use a b7 colour above A, then return to E.
E4, beat 3. Degree 5 from A; perfect fifth above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the perfect fifth of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
C4, beat 4. Degree b3 from A; minor third above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the minor third of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone arrival.
Bar 4 · Em
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
E4Beat 1 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
G4Beat 2 · 1 beatString 2, fret 8
E4Beat 3 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
RestBeat 4 · 1 beatKeep counting
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Em’s root. These are two different relationships.
E4, beat 1. Degree 5 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Em; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
G4, beat 2. Degree b7 from A; minor third above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the minor third of Em; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
E4, beat 3. Degree 5 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Em; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
Rest, beat 4. Leave measured space in the lead while continuing to count; the backing carries the pulse.
Bar 5 · Am
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
A4Beat 1 · 1 beatString 1, fret 5
C5Beat 2 · 1 beatString 1, fret 8
D4Beat 3 · 1 beatString 3, fret 7
E4Beat 4 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Am’s root. These are two different relationships.
A4, beat 1. Degree 1 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
C5, beat 2. Degree b3 from A; minor third above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the minor third of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
D4, beat 3. Degree 4 from A; perfect fourth above this chord’s root. Outside the written chord. Repeat the fourth-to-fifth approach; a timed D-to-E bend is an optional later variation.
E4, beat 4. Degree 5 from A; perfect fifth above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the perfect fifth of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone arrival.
Bar 6 · Dm
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
D4Beat 1 · 2 beatsString 3, fret 7
E4Beat 3 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
D4Beat 4 · 1 beatString 3, fret 7
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Dm’s root. These are two different relationships.
D4, beat 1. Degree 4 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Dm; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
E4, beat 3. Degree 5 from A; major second above this chord’s root. Outside the written chord. Use the second above D as a melodic departure, then return to D.
D4, beat 4. Degree 4 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Dm; this is a deliberate chord-tone arrival.
Bar 7 · Am
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
C5Beat 1 · 1 beatString 1, fret 8
A4Beat 2 · 1 beatString 1, fret 5
E4Beat 3 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
RestBeat 4 · 1 beatKeep counting
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Am’s root. These are two different relationships.
C5, beat 1. Degree b3 from A; minor third above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the minor third of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
A4, beat 2. Degree 1 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
E4, beat 3. Degree 5 from A; perfect fifth above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the perfect fifth of Am; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
Rest, beat 4. Leave measured space in the lead while continuing to count; the backing carries the pulse.
Bar 8 · Em
Tab numbers are frets. High E is on top. Timing is in quarter-note beats.
G4Beat 1 · 1 beatString 2, fret 8
E4Beat 2 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
E4Beat 3 · 1 beatString 2, fret 5
RestBeat 4 · 1 beatKeep counting
Understand the notes in this bar
The degree is measured from the overall tonic A using the parallel-major reference. The chord role is measured from Em’s root. These are two different relationships.
G4, beat 1. Degree b7 from A; minor third above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the minor third of Em; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
E4, beat 2. Degree 5 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Em; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
E4, beat 3. Degree 5 from A; root above this chord’s root. Included in the written chord. State the root of Em; this is a deliberate chord-tone outline.
Rest, beat 4. Leave measured space in the lead while continuing to count; the backing carries the pulse.
Try it, slowly
Play one chord-tone destination per bar.
Learn the first and second halves separately.
Explain a D over Am and a D over Dm: the pitch name matches but the chord role changes.
Check one idea
Why can D be a different kind of choice over Am and Dm?
Show the explanation
Over Am it is a fourth above A, outside A–C–E. Over Dm it is the chord root. The same scale member has a different relationship to the current harmony.
A good place to stop
You can explain the complete picked version before adding speed or expressive techniques.
Return to the example after a short break. A clear explanation matters more than speed.
