This might not be the right question...

[St_Genesius]

But are there any particularly COUNTRY-sounding scales? I've been noticing that my soloing (such as it is) tends to sound distinctly rock and while throwing in a couple of unison bends or double-stop licks helps, I still kinda feel as though I'm painting with the wrong colors sometimes.

 

[seafoamer]

Re: This might not be the right question...

When I think country, I sometimes think Major Pentatonic:

Do Re Me So La

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: This might not be the right question...

major pentatonic or mixliodian (spellings off on that one). are common.

 

[Jeff Seal]

Re: This might not be the right question...

Major scale (full) is pretty much used extensively.......

try the following....

Hopefully this won't confuse you too much...... If you're used to doing predominately minor scales, you'll usually find most of the same riffs will work (esp. the bends on the g string in conjuction with a "fixed note" on the b string) if you simply move them back three frets......

Example: play any AC/DC solo like "shook me all night long" in A (5th fret usually) then play the exact some solo three frets down (2nd fret) over a country tune in A and it usually works out quite well.... only catch is to remember where the root notes are.......

....hopefully it helped....if not sorry...

Jeff Seal

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: This might not be the right question...

What Jeff describes is kind what I've been doing. Well, the first part anyway: using the enire major scale plus bends on the G-string with held B-string notes. I tend to think first in terms of whole scale, rather than Pentatonics, so perhaps I need to spend a little time makeing those patterns feel more natural as well.

I really like the second part of your suggestion, Jeff. I get what you're saying entirely.

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: This might not be the right question...

Your remark about painting with the wrong color rings true...If you think of phrasing as color. Using the same 5 note major Pentatonic scale (or based on it) you can play rock,blues ,country or even jazz licks. It depends mostly on how you set the mood and your note selection (i.e.)Phasing. Hope this helps.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: This might not be the right question...

I've never been a pentatonic guy, period. Tends to bring up too many images of sh*tty 80s metal and fscking geetar wankers like Yngwie... Plus, while I suppose many people see the whole 'it works over anything' thing useful, I find it kinda boring. Pentatonic -- especially minor pentatonic -- is too often like painting with no color at all.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: This might not be the right question...

Major Pentatonic: Do Re Me So La

Thank god, somebody finally explains it in a way that makes sense