Warm Up Exercise
Adding pentatonic fills over D-Cadd9-G
Lesson #348
Video lesson
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Editorβs notes
Hey friends! Hereβs a new warm-up exercise video, where Iβll show you how to add pentatonic licks & fills over the common progression D-Cadd9-G. Specifically, Iβll focus on 4 phrases from the D-minor pentatonic scale β and demonstrate how to play these between the chords youβre strumming. If adding licks and fills from a scale is new to you, donβt worry β honestly itβs pretty new stuff to me, and in this video Iβll explain the chords + fretboard + general advice on how to approach adding the most basic of fills.
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Preview & lesson summary
- 2:01 Chord shapes needed
- 5:00 Pentatonic scale basics
- 7:41 Riff: learning the notes (w/ tab)
- 13:56 Riff: learning the timing (w/ tab)
- 16:54 Bonus: same riff in Drop-D (w/ tab)
- 19:10 Bonus: 6 other riffs from this scale
The song this is inspired from
This lesson is inspired by the song βDown Lowβ by Town Mountain ft. Tyler Childers, which was sent in by request. A lesson for that song may be coming one day, but in the meantime I wanted to share this one explaining the basics of the lead riffs & fills you hear in that song.
Summary of the main riff
Hereβs the 4-measure sequence I play at the start of my video lesson. The idea is to move into each full chord by playing a 6-note lick. Once you get the chord, you can strum it as much (or little) as you want before continuing to the next lick.
E βββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββ3β β3β1βββββββββββββββ3β βββββββββββββββββββ3β βββββββββββββββββββ3β
G βββββββββββββββββββ2β ββββββ2β0ββββββββββ0β βββββββββββββββββββ0β βββββββββββββββββββ2β
D ββββββ0β3ββ0βββββ0β0β βββββββββββ3β0βββββxβ ββββββ0ββββββββββββ0β β0β3ββ0β5ββ0β3βββ0β0β
A β0β3βββββββββ3βββββββ βββββββββββββββββ3β3β β0β3ββββ3ββ0βββββββxβ βββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββ1βββ3β3β βββββββββββββββββββββ
D Cadd9 G D
Chord shapes
Hereβs two options for the 3 chords used in this exercise. To keep things basic, you can use the standard D-Cadd9-G voicings (shown on the left). However, I prefer using the slightly modified versions (on the right)β¦ where youβre never playing the high-E string, and likewise muting the 4th and 5th strings on the Cadd9 and G, respectively. Muting these strings helps keep the chords from feeling too βmajorβ, which would clash with the vibe of the minor pentatonic scale weβll be using.
[ See PDF for chord diagram ]
Learning the D-minor pentatonic scale
For context, hereβs the scale weβll be using β all the licks and riffs and fills we play will come out of these notes. While I do think itβs good to practice playing this up-and-down a few times, donβt feel pressured to memorize this entire thing just yet. Rather, refer back to this when learning any individual lick β seeing the βshapeβ of the notes youβre playing in any given phrase will likely be very helpful in cementing this in your mind.
[ See PDF for the scale diagram ]
Full tab, with counting (standard tuning)
Hereβs the same tab shown earlier in the page, but written with approximate timing. Note that Iβm showing very basic strumming on the 1-2-3-4 counts, and the βxxxxxβ on the second 1 count means you should silence all the strings by gently resting your right hand on them, just before playing the licks. See my video lesson for reference.
[ See PDF for tab ]
Full tab, with counting (Drop-D tuning)
Hereβs another fun way to play this same sequence, if you tune your lowest string down to a D. Notice how much more full this makes the D chord.
[ See PDF for tab ]
Additional licks and fills to try using
The great part about this minor pentatonic scale, is thereβs no limit to the phrases we can use as the licks & riffs we play. Hereβs a grab bag of different phrases, from which you can pick and choose. Try using these as the connecting phrases between the chords within the D-Cadd9-G progression. You can also repeat any single lick shown here before each chord in the D-Cadd9-G progression, which is a fun way to practice.
[ See PDF for tab ]
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