scale practice - sequencing pentatonics like bonamassa and johnson - book/dvd

nickp

as part of my practicing routine I'm practicing pentatonic sequences trying to get my picking speed and accuracy up - generally across the fretboard in the 5 pentatonic boxes.  

I was thinking about making the practice more interesting and varied by doing some longer sequences similar to the soloing approach of bonamassa/eric johnson

do you guys have know of a book/dvd that you can recommend as a style guide/guitar method of either of these two guys as they do a lot of sequencing and it would be interesting to include some of their specific stuff  into my (sort of) daily routine

ta muchly

Elx

It sounds like you're doing the right thing. Who cares about what Bonamassa and Eric are doing, just do your thing

Deijavoo

What Elx says. Good to learn from the 'big name' players but the best challenge is what you set yourself.

MatthewShreddery

I'm not sure of any books apart from Guthrie Govan's creative guitar book 1 which does have a few pentatonic sequences.

What I'd recommend you do is transcribe some Joe B and Eric J licks/ideas and then develop your own ideas from them.

Check out Sam Coulson too - he's got some pretty sick pentatonic chops.

Catthan

I've been looking for smth like this for years without much luck..

Best option is to transcribe some solos. 

I'd say start from JoBo as it sounds a bit clearer and like he's throwing his EJ chops in every now and then; less permutation, like hearing one's same licks again and again.

EJ is like the "master" and there's more variety and it is harder to work out the underlying pattern or fundamental lick, if there is one..

One thing about these sequences is that they throw the time off intentionally, (5s the 4s etc). EJ's use of delay doesn't help at all in figuring out the time...

Once you move from JoBo to EJ, transcribe as many solos as you can.

There are some video resources, eg Shawn Lane's. He explains how to achieve that catchy time-throwing effect whilst incorporating longer runs and combining penta positions across the board. There's a lot of technique involved and economy picking plays a big part imho in sounding fluid AND articulate. The problem with Shawn Lane is that his examples to me sound a bit weird.. But he gives good tips on the technical side. 

If you listen to SL's version of trademark you might notice the diff. between JoBo and Shawn Lane

Iirc Rick Graham did a lick library thing demoing Cliffs of Dover. There should be a breakdown of the licks there.

Good technique, knowing your pentas across the board and record some ideas of your own leaving the click audible so you can hear how the phrase sits with time and if the produce the desired effect.

3-note/ string pentas while throwing in the 9th and/ or 6th adds spice and facilitates economy picking too. 

Barney

Fluid pentatonics by Tim Quinn is a good book ...but have you tried going up and down in groups of 3 ..4..and 5 ..thers a lof of work in just that alone..

ChrisMusic

This may help give you some insight into Eric Johnson's approach

Eric Johnson - Hot Licks (Complete video)

Duration 1 hour 26 mins

nickp

thanks y'all.  @Barney - i'm doing the grouping thing across the neck in each individual boxes - groups of 2, 3 and 4 and am just moving onto 5's and 6.

agreed that takes some time.  but it is improving my picking speed and fluidity, but I wanted to also do some scale practice diagonally and in sequences moving along the neck as well as across to get longer runs and to practice shifting between positions whilst still sequencing.

I'll have a look at the various vids and stuff that you and @Catthan have suggested.  My speed isn't great (probably 100 - 120 bpm) whilst doing sequencing but that will improve

nickp

good old amazon - fluid pentatonics (about £6) plus book 1 in the tom quinn series ordered.

musteatbrain

This will help with the pick technique required for fast 2 note per string playing.

nickp

the books arrived in the post today:

fluid pentatonics and fluid soloing by Tom Quinn.  The fluid soloing one is aimed at arps whereas the fluid pentatonics seems to be exactly the sort of thing I was after.

something for this year along with developing some funk skills 

Catthan

Check out Troy Grady's S02E03, I think he may be up to smth