The foundation of rock riffs and soloing is the pentatonic scale. "penta" meaning 5, "tonic" meaning notes so "pentatonic" meaning 5 notes. the 5 notes in a "major" pentatonic scale consist of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th notes in the scale. In the case of G major, these notes would be G, A, B, D, and E.
The major pentatonic scale can also be shifted to the aeolian mode or "natural minor". The minor pentatonic scale consists of the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th notes in the minor scale. In the case of E minor, the relative minor to G major, the notes in the minor pentatonic scale would be E, G, A, B, and D. Some of the best and most famous rock rifts and solos are played using the minor pentatonic scale including, perhaps most famously, Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog".
However, what many guitarists realize is you can shift your anchor to different frets, play the same scale pattern and have a consonant sound. This is something I utilized for my solo on Famous and Fallen's "Ocean Song". Which scale pattern to use, major or minor, depends on whether the scale is in a major or minor mode.
We will begin with major modes. Major modes are the the Ionian, Lydian, and Mixolydian modes and begin on the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes in the major scale. In the case of G major, these modes begin on G, C, and D. We've already gone over the G ionian scale: G, A, B, D and E. If we were to use the same fret board pattern beginning on C, the C major pentatonic scale would consist of C, D, E, G, and A. Finally, if we began on D, the D major pentatonic scale would consist of D, E, F#, A, and B. Notice the notes of all three of these scales all fall within the key of G major. Therefore, you can use any one of these scales while improvising in the key of G major and not have any harmonic clash.
The same goes for the relative minor, E natural minor. The minor modes in this key are the Aeolian, Dorian, and Phrygian modes and begin on the 1st, 4th, and 5th scale degrees of the natural minor scale. In the case of E minor, these modes would begin on E, A, and B. The E minor pentatonic scale consists of E, G, A, B, and D. The A minor pentatonic scale consists of A, C, D, E, and G. Finally, the B minor pentatonic scale consists of B, D, E, F#, and A. Again, all of these notes fall within the key of E natural minor, and thus can be utilized without risk of harmonic clash.
Keep in mind, however, that if you wish to retain a consonant sound, you must limit your note usage to the pentatonic scales and not the full-blown major or minor scales. you can use these of course, but at your own discretion to reduce risk of harmonic clash.
Finally, you're probably wondering "what about starting on F#"? The mode beginning on the 7th degree of a major scale is called the "Locrian" mode and is rarely used if at all in rock. It is sometimes played in jazz when played over a diminished triad or half-diminished 7th chord, but this usually quickly results in resolution to the ionian mode. If you want to use the locrian mode, play a G major scale starting on F#.
Try using each of these scale patterns when improvising next. Happy shredding!
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