FIRST STEPS IN GUITAR...MAJOR PENTATONIC ROCK

Paul gets 80s with some big powerchords and melodic bends

- Jenna Scaramanga, Paul Elliott Guitars and backing Jenna Scaramanga

This month, Jenna and Paul have been looking at some 80s-influenced ideas for feelgood licks. And back in the day, nobody did it better than CC DeVille, guitarist for glam rock stars Poison, one of the biggest bands from the LA scene alongside Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses.

Every major key has a relative minor (and vice versa). The relative major is three frets up from the relative minor, so G major and E minor have the same notes. This month’s examples use G major pentatonic, because the shape is familiar from the E minor pentatonic ideas we’ve already tried.

TEACHER

JENNA SCARAMANGA Jenna has taught guitar for 15 years at music colleges, schools, and IGF summer camps. She studied with Guthrie Govan at BIMM, and was classic rock columnist for TG’s sister magazine Guitar Techniques.

STUDENT