1.We’re looking at both A minor pentatonic (A C D E G) and E minor pentatonic (E G A B D) scales here. This is a great thing to try... in addition to the regular minor pentatonic on the root, also use the one from the 5th (E). Take note of the different sound. This lick also features A Dorian (A B C D E F# G). 2.Once again we're using A minor pentatonic (A C D E G), but this time with an added major third (C#) at the end of the line. Using the major third as a passing tone to the minor third (C) is a common practice among elite blues players for capturing that authentic blues sound. 3.This lick emphasizes the actual tonality of the backing track: A Lydian dominant (A B C# D# E F# G). It’s basically a combination of the sound of two scales, Lydian (with the #4th, D#) and Mixolydian (with the minor 7th, G). In this lick I visualize three triads, G major, A major and B major. To finish we then run down an A7#11 arpeggio (A-C#-D#-G). 4.Think of this lick as a blues lick. In this sequence we have one note (D# or Eb) that doesn’t fit the key, but we use it as in passing to spice up the sound; in other words, a passing tone. This is the “blue” note, another common practice among blue and rock players. The other notes are all from A minor pentatonic (A C D E G). 5.Now for my favorite kinds of licks: Mixolydian. We're using A Mixolydian here (A B C# D E F# G) and starting with an A7 arpeggio (A C# E G). We’re also sliding down to a Gmaj7 arpeggio (G B D F#) with an added #11 (C#) This combination of arpeggios built on the I and VII gives a classic Mixolydian sound 6.Once again we are starting with a scalar run in A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G) then descending down an A7 (dominant) shape, landing on the root (A). 7.For this lick we emphasize the b7 chord of the key (Gmaj7) descending the arpeggio, then going back up using A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G) starting on the 5th scale degree (E). Then we end on a bend up to the 3rd (C#). In this mode, utilizing the b7 major7 arpeggio is great for getting an “outside” or open sound in the your lines. 8.This lick starts again with the b7 arpeggio (Gmaj7) for that open outside sound. We then resolve that sound back to the A7. Using a climax and a resolve in tonality and rhythm is key in making your lines sound interesting and mature. 9.Here we start from B the 2nd note of A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G). When you get to the top of the phrase try and visualize the A triad (A C# E) in the 16th-note triplet pattern. If you aren’t familiar with visualizing in this way I would highly recommend it as it will allow you to easily utilize this same lick in another position on the guitar, even in other keys! 10.I love this lick. I call it the Petrucci lick because he’s always using string skipping to play arpeggios. Here we start on the 3rd scale degree (C#), building the A triad (A C# E). Now, because I want to emphasize an A Lydian Dominant sound (A B C# D# E F# G) I play a B major triad (B D# F#). This is the 2nd chord in A Lydian Dominant. At the end of the phrase we bend up to the b7 (G). 11.This lick starts precisely how Lick 9 ends. Remember to visualize the A major triad (A C# E). The rest of this lick is simply a scalar line using A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G). 12.This lick is fun. First, it helps you visualize your modal shapes in sequence. This is a vital skill, because it allows you to move other complicated lines freely across the fretboard. Also you utilize some great patterns for extreme alternate picking technique. Enjoy! 13.Now we more to the key of E Phrygian Dominant (E F G# A B C D). Why do we call it this? It resembles the regular Phrygian mode in that it has a minor 2nd (F). But regular Phrygian is a minor scale, with a minor 3rd (G) while the Phrygian Dominant has a major 3rd. The combination of major 3rd (G#) and minor 7th (D) is what creates our dominant sound. 15.This lick is all E Phrygian Dominant (E F G# A B C D). After descending the scale we travel back up tapping an E7 arpeggio (E G# B D), then back down again ending on the flat 7 (D). 16.This is a simple 12-note sequence starting from G# (major 3rd). 17.This lick utilizes A Lydian Dominant (A B C# D# E F# G) and its tonic arpeggio A7#11 (A C# E G D#). 18.This is based around an A7 arpeggio (A C# E G) but using notes from A Lydian Dominant (A B C# D# E F# G) to fill in the gaps. 19.This lick utilizes both the A minor pentatonic (A C D E G) and A major pentatonic (A B C# E F#) scales. We start with a funky vamp lead to a searing minor pentatonic sequence (much like Lick 2). However, when getting to the top of the lick we move to using notes from the parallel major pentatonic, particularly the major 3rd and major 6th (C# and F#). Once again a great way to capture that bluesy sound in your licks as we pass by these notes which don’t belong in the parent key. 20.Once again, like Lick 12, we can visualize this lick by travelling through the shapes of the A Mixolydian scale (A B C# D E F# G). Don’t forget that big bend up to the major third (C#) at the end!
frajer98