STUDY =) GUIDE = WAGNER PENTATONIC PHRASING Michael Wagner ear cre ty) PULA TeYITC Michael Wagner PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERCLASS INTRODUCTION Hey folks! Thank you for purchasing my *Pentatonic Phrasing” Masterclass from JTC! In this package I'm going to chow you my approach for squeezing groat music out of that familiar old cele that we all love, Its always challenging to come up with a new package, but this one was cefritely the hardest so fat. For the first time | had to spesk in front of the camera, which doesn't come quite as naturally to me as playing guitar. I's not only that Im nota Enalish native speaker, but | also suffer from moderate stuttering and couldn't quite hide it in the teaching videos. However, | dicr't feel that the topic “good phrasing” could be explained in a PDF only; | really wanted to have the connection of me telking and playing to illustrate the topics. So please don't mind the awkwarcness casually showing In the videos! I had to do some rather strange cuts to keep it understandable, but | hope you get the points | want to make. (By the way, it was pretty darn hot in the room we recorded in, so please excuse the sweat and messy hair from time to timel) | also hope you enjay the three brand new tracks | wrate for it! A big shoutout goes to my friends playing on the backing tracks: Jacob Stock on bess, Bastian Vélkel on keys and, for the first time, Johannes Zei on drums, Without these these awesome musicians and my producer Max Hesselbarth, the tracks would never sound as cool as they do.WTC PETATOMICPHRASINGMASTERCLASS A special thank you goes out to my friend and bandmate Jakob Betke who helped me to record the guitars. I really hope you have a good time with the videos, and also end up with a bottor understanding of pentatonic scales. If you have any feedback, please let me know. You'll find me anywhere on Social Media as “Michael Wagner Guitar” or you can contact me directly at michaelwagnerguitarcom. And if you come up with your own solos, please load them on. ‘YouTube and let the world know! In this PDF, you will find some material to help you to understand and memorise the stuff | talk about in the videos. i's in the exact same order, so | recommend that you work with the videos and this PDF side by side. THE BASICS 4, MINOR PENTATONICS ‘This chart shows the first pasition of the minor pentatonic scale, with the roct under your first finger on the E strings. The functions of the notes are highlighted. FIGURE 1 © *0r nore e@e TENSION —» eee omWITC ExTHTWe ASHE MASTEAS 2. MAJOR PENTATONICS We can use the same patterns for beth minor and major pentatonies, but the nates (and therefore the functions of the notes) are in different positions. Here's the first position of the A mejor pentatonic (left) compared with the A minor pentatonic (ight), Again, the functions of the ae oe ° FIGURE 2 A MAJOR PENTATONIC A MINOR PENTATONIC @ & = 2007 Note @© & = roor note © & = MAR secono © c = minor THIRD © ca ~ Masor THIRD © > ~ rourti O © = Firth © © = FFT @ F# = MAJOR SIXTH @ G = MINOR SEVENTH In both scales, the root (A) Is on the Sth fret of both E strings, but notice how the shape is positioned below the root for the major scale, and above the roct for the minor scale. It's the seme shape, but this gives us different notes. Next, this is the frst position of the A minor pentatonic scale but with notes added (in yellow) from A major pentatonic.FIGURE 3 ADDED NOTES FROM MAJOR PENTATONIC @ #007 wore ‘This mixed minar/major pentatonic scale consists of the notes A BC C# DE Fi G. My style of playing relies heavily on mixing up minor and major, so this scale is hugely important to me. 3. BLUE NOTES Here you see the same mixed scale pattem as above, but this time with the added bS (Eb) and all the blue note spots marked. This is the version of the scale | use the most. I's very important thet you don’t just play up and down this scale like the simple pentatonic or a mode. Watch the video to learn now | use these blue notes. pve FIGURE 4 @ BWE NTE sPors © #001 noreWc FETATONIGPERASNG WASTIREASS 4. BUILDING A BASIC LICK VOCABULARY This is what | like to call “the mother of all licks” as played in the video at [01:38], VOCABULARY: LICK 1 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From the 2017 Album MICHAEL WABNER PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERCLASS) and its variation, with all of the three notes played separately [03:02] VOCABULARY: LICK 2 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com. | Flom tho 2017 Album MGHAEL WABNER PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERCLASS| My second basic minor pentatonic lick can be found at [0418] on the video. VOCABULARY: LICK 3 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com [Fon ne 2017 Albun MIGHAEL WAGNER PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERCLASS|WTC FEATATONG PHRASING MASTERELASS ‘And this is the basic major pentatonic lick | learned from Zakk Wylde [05:44]... VOCABULARY: LICK 4 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From he 20°7 Abu MICHAEL WABNER PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERCLASS) When we take this ides one octave higher up, we end up with licks like this [06:38]... VOCABULARY: LICK 5 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From he 207 Albu MICHAEL WABIER PENTATONIC PHRASING NASTERCLASS) 5, FRETBOARD ORIENTATION Here's how the basic exercise should be done with E as your note, just as played in the video at (03:13), FRETBOARD ORIENTATION: LICK 1 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From the 2017 Altum MIGHAEL WABNER PENTATONIG PHRASING NASTERCLASS)THE RULES OF PHRASING 1. CALL AND RESPONSE “Hideaway” by Freddie King is the perfect example for Call and Response. Due to copyright restrictions, we can't print the Tab here, but you can find that in plenty of places, online and offine. In the meantime, just watch the vide« 2. SPACE This is my example solo played at[00:40}.. RULES OF PHRASING: SPACE As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (Fonte 217 Aun MCHAEL WAGNER PENTATONIOSHFASNS MASTERCLASS nk 3. CHORD NOTES Here's the classic blues intro lick | play at [02:1 RULES OF PHRASING: CHORD NOTES As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From ho 2017 Atum MECHEL WAGNER PENTATONIG PHRASING MASTERCLASS) wih ‘The rest of this video is based on two of the full-length solos in this package, so please check out the Tabs for “Sweaty Shuffle” and “Electric Mud” to see what I'm playing here,4, AVOID THE OBVIOUS Here's how | originally played the lick from my “Pleasure Operator” solo, as shown at [0:46] in the teaching video. RULES OF PHRASING: AVOID THE OBVIOUS, LICK 1 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From the 2017 Abum MICHAEL WAGNER PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERCLASS) And here's the final version with the pontatonic run as played at [01:47] in the video... RULES OF PHRASING: AVOID THE OBVIOUS, LICK 2 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From the 2017 Album MICHAEL WAGNER PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERC_ASBy the way, if you want to check out the whole song and solo, please look for “Volt Age — Pleasure Operator" on YouTube. it's fun! The second part of the video is about adding litte tists to standard licks, and here's the Tab for the standard B.B, King style lick | play at (03:00). RULES OF PHRASING: AVOID THE OBVIOUS, LICK 3 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (rem to 2917 Abum MICHAEL WAGNER PENTATONIC PHRASING MASTERCLASS) Combined with slides, you end up with this version as played at (03:20). RULES OF PHRASING: AVOID THE OBVIOUS, LICK 4 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From ne 2017 Abum MICHAEL WAGNER PENTATONIG PHRASING MASTERCLASS)The standard slide version of this lick as played at [04:23}.. RULES OF PHRASING: AVOID THE OBVIOUS, LICK 5 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From the 2017 Abur MICHAEL WAGNER PENTATONIG PHRASING MASTERCLASS) ‘And here's the variation with hammer-on at [04:52]. RULES OF PHRASING: AVOID THE OBVIOUS, LICK 6 As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com (From tne 2017 Abum MIGHAEL WAGNER PENTATON(G PHRASING NASTERCLASS) 05. TELL A STORY Again, this lesson is based on tracks in the package; in this case, “Electric Mud” and “Smells Funky”. Please check the Tabs to get the most aut of the teaching video. FULL SOLOS AND LICKS. 01. ELECTRIC MUD This track is perfect for exploring the “gray area" between major and minor tonalite. The main rhythm figure (see the rhythm Tab) is basically in a G major tonality, but the Bb, F and C chords push more towards a Dorian sound. Our ears accept this ambiguous mix of Mixolycian (S A BC D EF) and Dorian (6 A Bb CD EF) notes because we've heard it in blues and blues-rock for so long.The G minor pentatonic (G Bb CD F) will work perfectly well over this backing track, but the added notes from the G major pentatonic (GA BD E) will give you so many more melodic possibilities, especially over the G chord. ‘The second part of the progression has that Eb-F change, and this belongs to a straight 6 minor (G A Bb CD Eb F) tonality, so it’s safer to stick to minor pentatonic here. 02. SMELLS FUNKY Most of this track is based around static dominant 7th tonalties, another perfect environment for mixing major and minor pentatonic notes. To give you a tougher workout, the key changes every 8 bers, working through A7, B7 anc C#7. That gives you quite @ few scales to work with. AT: Minor pentatonic (A C D EG), major pentatonic (A B Cé E F#), bSth (Eb) 7: Minor pentatonic (B D E F# A), major pentatonic (B C# D# Ff Ga), bSth (F) C#7: Minor pentatonic (C# E Fé G# B), major pentatonic (C# D# E# G# A#), bBth (G) 03. SWEATY SHUFFLE Most of this track is based around a straight 12-bar blues in C, so you can work on your mixed mejoriminor pentetonic licks in @ blues context. Use C minor pentatonic (C Eb F G Bb) as your “home” scale, but experiment with adding the extra notes from the major pentatonic (D, E and ‘A) and the flat Sth (Gb) Pay particular attention to how I vary my note choices according to the chord I'm playing over. When playing over the C7 (the I chord) I'm more likely to push the Eb of the minor pentatonic upto the E ofthe major pentatonic. Alternstively, might bend D to E. But then when the chord changes to F7, the E note will clash, so | bend the D only a serritone to Eb or use more of aC Dorian (C D Eb F G ABb) sound. The 2nd and 4th verses have a different turnaround, with that Am-Bb7 change. The 3rd verse has that extended C chord section with just a C5 chord, This means you can spend more time experimenting with the pentatonic scales and added notes, without worrying about chord changes. And That's A Wrap! Massive thanks for checking out the masterclass! | hope you had a lot of fun, learned a lot along the way and I'l see you in the next one!CREDITS Bass: Jacob Stock Keys: Bastian Vélkel Drums: Johannes Zei8, Guitar Recording: Jakob Betke Mix, Mastering and Video Recording: Maximilian Hesselbarth GEAR Guitars: ‘Suhr Classic Pro HSS (‘Smells Funky") Gibson Les Paul ‘58 Reissue with Staufer “Tozz" Pickups ("Electric Mud") 1956 Gibson Les Paul Special ("Sweaty Shutfie") Pedals: Ibanez Tubescreamer TSO Fulltone DejaVibe ("Electric Mud") Xotic SP Compressor ("Smells Funky") Amp: Two-Rock Sensor 35 Cab Simulation Two Notes Torpedo Reload Strings: D’Addario EXL1O Cables: Kiotz Titanium Picks: Dunlop Jazz Ill Ultex WHERE TO FIND MICHAEL ONLINE Homepage: www.michaewagnerguitarcom Facebook: facebook.comimichaelwagnerguitar Instagram: michael_wegner_guitar