Learn to open up your soloing/lead playing, see the fretboard for what's really available, and start to play the guitar like a musical instrument. Many guitarists (even at the advanced level) never really learn to do this, relying only on the patterns and riffs they know rather than taking the time to truly understand the instrument.
I learned this system from Jack Pezenalli, a professor in the guitar department at Berklee School of Music in Boston. It breaks the fretboard into 7 scale forms... and once you learn them, you can instantly start soloing against changes using every modal color in every position.
Many method/theory books teach guitar as though it were piano or a wind instrument... Guitar is a very visual instrument. This fretboard "geography" system puts the whole major/minor scale/modal concept in guitarist terms (fingerings, shapes, riffs).... rather than explaining it in piano/theoretical terms then trying to bring it back to guitar.
Once you learn these 7 fingerings, it's all application from there on.. playing against progressions... rock, jazz, country, blues, latin, funk, jam band... you name it.
So put down your pentatonic and see what else is out there. Not that we'll ignore the pentatonic. This is just the other side of the coin. The pentatonic is for edgy/rock/blues playing. This diatonic system is the heart of all melodic playing... everything from bright and upbeat to dark and dissonant.
Full time teacher. Degree in music. Gig a few times a week. Downtown Berkeley studio. All ages, styles, and levels ok. Student and senior discounts. 3 blocks from BART. Parking never a problem. Some of my favorite players include Hendrix, Charlie Hunter, Grant Green, SRV, Garcia...
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope to hear from you soon.
(510) 883 1994
Leave a message if you miss me. I'm probably in a lesson and will call you back w/in 24hrs.
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