The Steel Guitar Forum

Here is 10 different small pentatonic licks.
All in the key of E.
I used the same position for all the licks.
Maybe something familiar or something new.
Keep B-pedal pressed for all licks.
L on 2nd string is Eb-D, also hold for all licks.
R on 4th string is E-F

<font face="monospace" size="2"><pre>
F#-----5-----5--------------------------------------
Eb-----------------5L----5L----5L-------------------
G#--5B----------------------------------------------
E --------5-----5-----5-----------------------------
B --------------------------5-----5-----5~~~~~~~~~~-
G#-----------------------------------5B-------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#-----5--------5-----------------------------------
Eb-----------5L-------5L-------5L-------------------
G#--5B----------------------------------------------
E --------5--------5--------5-----------------------
B -----------------------5--------------------------
G#--------------------------------5B----5B~~~~~~~~~-
F#-----------------------------------5--------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------



F#--------5-----------------------------------------
Eb-----------5L-------5L----------------------------
G#--5B----------------------------------------------
E -----5--------5-----------------------------------
B -----------------5--------5--------4--5~~~~~~~~~~-
G#-----------------------5B-------5B----------------
F#-----------------------------5--------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#-----5--------------5-----------------------------
Eb-----------5L----------------5L-------------------
G#--5B----------------------------------------------
E --------5-----5~~5R----5R~5-----------------------
B --------------------------------5-----5~~~~~~~~~~-
G#-----------------------------------5B-------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#-----------------------------5--------------------
Eb--------5L-------5L----5L----------5L-------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------5-----------5-----5-----------------
B --5--5-----5--------5-----------------5~~~~~~~~~~-
G#--------------------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------5L----------5L----5L----------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------5R~5--------------------------------
B --5--5-----5-----------5-----5--------5~~~~~~~~~~-
G#--------------------------------5B----------------
F#-----------------------------------5--------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------5-----------------------------------
Eb-----5--------------5L----------5L----------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------5--5R----5--------5-----------------------
B --5--------------------5-----5--------5~~~~~~~~~~-
G#-----------------------------------5B-------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--5-----------------5-----------------------------
Eb-----------5L----------------5L-------------------
G#-----------------5B-------------------------------
E -----5R~5--------------5R~5-----------------------
B --------------5-----------------5------5~~~~~~~~~~
G#-----------------------------------5B-------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
Also try the same lick without lower on 2nd string.


F#--5--------5--------------------------------------
Eb-----------------5L-------5L-------5L-------------
G#--------5B----------------------------------------
E -----5--------5-----------------5-----------------
B --------------------5--------5--------5~~~~~~~~~~-
G#-----------------------5B-------------------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--5-----------------------------------5-----------
Eb-----------5L----------------------------------5L-
G#-----------------------------------------5B-------
E --------------------5--------5R-------------5-----
B -----5--5-----5--5-----5--5-----5--5--------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
Repeat or end with 5th string 5th fret.
Play double notes on 5th string as either Thumb-index or thumb-thumb
</pre></font>

Bengt<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bengt Erlandsen on 30 July 2001 at 03:28 PM.]</p></FONT>

<font face="monospace" size="2"><pre>
Eminor pentatonic
'b' on 2nd string = lower D# to D
Standard E9 Tuning
</pre></font>
<font face="monospace" size="2"><pre>
1-10-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2---------7b---7b~~5b---5b-------------------------------------------------------
3--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4---10~~7----7---------------------------------------------------3---------------
5---------------------5----5~~3-----3----------------3------3~3A---3A~3----------
6--------------------------------3-----3~~1-----1~~3-----3--------------3--------
7--------------------------------------------1-----------------------------3-----
8----------------------------------------------------------------------------3---
9--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10-----------------------------------------------------------------------------3A
</pre></font>
<font face="monospace" size="2"><pre>
Other pockets of notes as follows:
10th fret (A+B or B+C)
8th fret (E to Eb lever)
5th fret (B pedal + lower 2nd to D and use 9th string)
3rd fret (A pedal)
1st fret (E to Eb lever w/ or w/o A pedal)
</pre></font>

------------------
<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 30 July 2001 at 05:09 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 31 July 2001 at 02:29 AM.]</p></FONT>

Nice way of connecting different parts of the neck there, Larry.

Here is 10 more, still in the key of E.
LL on 2nd string = Eb-C#

<font face="monospace" size="2"><pre>
F#---------------------------------3--4~~3----------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E ------------------------3-----3-----------3-------
B ---3--------3--3A----3-----3A----------------3A~~-
G#---------3--------3-------------------------------
F#------3-------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
B ---3A----3-----------------3----------------------
G#------3--------3----------------------------------
F#------------3-----4~~3--------4~~3----------------
E ------------------------3-----------3-------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B ---------------------------------------3A~~~~~~~~-


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb------------3LL---------------3LL------3LL--------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E ---------------------------------3C~3R------------
B ---3A~3--------3-----3A~3--------------------3~~~~
G#---------3--------3--------3--------------3-------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
Keep knee-lever E-F in for the whole lick.

F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E ------3-------------------------------------------
B ---3A----3-----3A----3----------------------------
G#------------3-----3-----3-----3-------------------
F#---------------------------3-----3----------------
E ------------------------------------3-------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B ---------------------------------------3~~~~~~3A--


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb------------3LL------3LL--------------------------
G#---3----------------------------------------------
E ------3--------3----------------------------------
B ---------3--------3-----3--------3-----3A~~~~~~~~-
G#---------------------------2--3-----3-------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb-----3LL-3LL--3LL-3LL--3LL-3LL---3LL-3LL----------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E ---3-----------------3----------------------------
B ------------3A-----------------3A-----------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
Can be repeated or linked with next lick

F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb------3LL---3LL---------3LL---3LL-----------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E ---3-----------------3-----------------3----------
B ---------3--------3--------3--------3-------------
G#---------------3-----------------3----------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
Can be linked with previous lick,
or ended at 5th string 3A instead of 4th string 3rd fret

F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
B ---3A----------3-----3A----------3-----3A~~~~~~---
G#------3--2~~3-----3-----3--2~~3-----3-------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#---------------------3----------------------------
Eb------------------------3-------\1-----1~~~~~~~~--
G#---------------3----------------------------------
E ------------------3--------3----------------------
B ---3A----3~~3A----------------3A----1A------------
G#------3-------------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E ---------------3----------------------------------
B ---3-----3A-3-----3A~3-----2----------------------
G#------3-----------------3-----2--3----------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E ------------------------------------3-------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B ---------------------------------------3~~~~~~~3A-
</pre></font>

Bengt

Gentlemen: Thank you for these timely licks! Bengt, I'm still working on the pentatonic ideas you posted a couple of weeks ago.

Yet another position in the key of E.

<font face="monospace" size="2"><pre>
F#--------------------8-------8---------------------
Eb--------------8L------------------8L--------------
G#-------------------------8------------------------
E -----------------8L---8L-------8L-----------------
B --8-----8--8A-----------------------8A-8----------
G#-----8------------------------------------8~~~~~~-
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------8-------8-------------8-------------------
Eb--8L--------------------8L-------------8L---------
G#-------------8-----8----------------8-------------
E -----8L---8L---------8L----8L----8L---------------
B ------------------------------------------8A-8~~~-
G#--------------------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------8L----------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E -----------------------------8L-------------------
B -----------8--8A----8--8A-------8A----8~~~~~~~~~9-
G#--8-----8--------8-----------------8--------------
F#-----8--------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
B --------8-----------------------------------------
G#--------------8-----------------------8~~~~~~~~---
F#--8--------8L----8L----------------8--------------
E -----8L-------------8--------7--8-----------------
D -----------------------8--7-----------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
G#-----8--8--------------8--8--------------8--8~~~~-
F#--8--------------8--8--------------8--8-----------
E -----------8L-8L-------------8L-8L----------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
G#-----------------8--------------------8~~~~~~~~~~-
F#--------8--------------------8--------------------
E -----8L-------8L----------8L-------8L-------------
D --8--------8-----------8--------8-----------------
B --------------------8A----------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb-----8L-------------------8L----------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------8L-------------------8L-------------------
B --8A-------8--8A----8--8A-------8A-8--------------
G#-----------------8--------------------8~~~~~~~~~~-
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------------------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
E --------8L----------------------------------------
B -----------------8A-------8-----8A-8--------------
G#-----8--------8--------8-----8--------8~~~~~~~~~~-
F#--8--------8--------8-----------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------


F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------8--------------8--------------8-----------
G#--------------8--------------8--------------8~~~~-
E -----------8C-------------8C-------------8C-------
B -----8C-------------8C-------------8C-------------
G#--8--------------8--------------8-----------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
Hold C-pedal down for whole lick

F#--------------------------------------------------
Eb--------8-----------------8-----------------------
G#-----------------8--8--------------8--8~~~~~~~~~~-
E --8C-------8C-8C-------------8C-8C----------------
B -----8C----------------8C-------------------------
G#--------------------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------
</pre></font>

This should be enough to bring out some new ideas for even better licks.

Bengt

Wow Bengt, as usual you've gone above and beyond! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with the forum.

I am not sure about "above & beyond" but thanks.
I hope the examples can trigger some new ideas.

FYI if I limited the notes to play down to 4 different notes.
There is 20 different ways those 4 notes can be played without repeating the previous note.
If I choose 2 of the 20 "four note runs" to make a 8note lick, the total is 400 different runs.
Choose 4 of the 20 to make a 16 note lick and you have an amazing 16000 different runs.
And that is only with 4 different notes.
With 1 & 1/2 octave of the pentatonic scale the number is just astronomical.

Bengt

...is this a great place, or what? Thanks, Bengt...