In this 21 part video course, you will learn how to use the pentatonic (Blues) scale in a variety of positions, a range of techniques and musicianship skills to improvise your own guitar solos. Everything you need to start your journey to being the next Eric Clapton is here! By the end of the course you will be a confident improviser with the skills to play Blues lead guitar with musicial empathy, attitude and fluency. Remember, all lead guitar begins with the Blues! You may want to venture in Pop, Rock, Metal, Jazz later, but the foundations are all right here!

The lessons cover 7 different positions of the A pentatonic scale, which you can download below as a pdf document. Advice on changing to other keys is given in Part 19 of the lessons. 

In this first lesson, we will learn the basic pentatonic scale in A on the 5th fret. Focus on playing each note smoothly without a gap between notes. Imagine a choir singing the scale!

As we venture into using the scale, the 12 Bar Blues chord sequence is assumed as our backdrop and I mention and play it quite a lot in these videos as I demonstrate improvising. You don't need it yet but it would be useful for you to know what it is. Here's the 12 Bar Blues chord sequence:

A  / / /  | A  / / /  | A  / / /  | A7 / / / |

D  / / /  | D  / / / | A  / / / | A  /  /  / |

E7 / / / | D  / / / | A  / / / / | E7 / / / ||

Have a strum through before starting part 2. It will give you an idea of a typical chord sequence that you will play over when you improvise a solo.