Hey guys when would i use the major pentatonic in the 12 bar blues

There's no rules brother, throw it in where it sounds nice and smooth.

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10-4 good buddy, over and out!

You would use it starting on the same bass note as the chords you are playing. If it's blues in A, you'd use it at the fifth fret. Chances are you've been using the minor pentatonic at the fifth fret over A (or A7, as it usually is in a blues number), but this is completely fine and is part of the reason that blues progressions are fun to solo over.

One thing to be aware of when playing over a 7 chord: the most important notes are the 3rd and the 7th. Those two notes are all you need. They are often called "guide tones" because you can suggest a whole progression just playing those two notes for each chord.

The minor pentatonic contains the 7th, but it has a minor 3rd rather than a major 3rd. However... if you play a minor 3rd over a 7 chord, it will be heard as a #9. And a 7#9 chord is about as bluesy as they come. That minor 3rd (or #9) can also be bent up a fret to give you a major third. That little half step is one of the "blue notes" that often gets played when you're improvising with a minor pentatonic, and it's why that scale sits so well with a 7 chord.

The major pentatonic contains notes that will all sound fine over that 7 chord... but it doesn't have that 7th! It has a major 6th instead, which will be heard as a 13th if you play it over a 7 chord. Fortunately 13th chords are also pretty damn blues-correct, but you do need to slip that 7th in there if you want it to sound bluesy rather than country. Bend the fifth note of the scale up a fret to take the 6th (or 13th) up to a 7th.

Another approach would just be to combine the minor and major pentatonic shapes, starting both on the same fret. That collection of notes will work just fine over a 7 chord. I hope this makes some kind of sense; it's a bit hard to write this stuff down, I find.

Learn the solo on "Sunshine of Your Love". It mixes the major and minor pentatonic scales. Up until I played that song I didn't even know you could do that, and it sounds awesome.

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Minor on the 1 chord, major on the 4 and minor on the 5. Try it. It's an easy beginning..... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

I think you will get the most understanding of how things fit if you go with what Cherokee Mike said. If you are in A when you switch to the 4 chord just take these four notes in this order E on the B string at the 5th fret and F# on the B at the 7th fret A on the E String at the 5th fret and B on the E string on the 7th fret E string and then bend the B on the 7th a half step and that will show you haw the A major scale fits and sounds over the 4 chord.

I know I printed this out really primitive lol but just trying to show you how it works in a very basic way. If you know your scales you can play A minor in 5th position over the one chord and then slide down the B string to land on the A at the 10th fret to play in A major in the 9th position. I know it sounds confusing.

To really get a grip and master this listen to a lot of BB King and learn the BB scale which uses the prime notes of both scales and has them arranged in a very finger friendly way as he can stay in this position all day and come up with more licks than guys using the whole neck.

But you are in the right direction as this will take your blues playing to another level. Clapton and Hendrix to make a short list were masters of doing this and once you really know how to mix these two scales the sky is the limit.

+1

Man, I'm lost!
It's fun to learn though!

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its funny because that solo is simply the song "blue moon"

well, blue moon with alot of Wah Wah, but arent most songs better with more wah?

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So if i am in A i uses A minor pent on I.

And if i am In A do i use A major pent on IV. Right?

Yes....Then back to Aminor pent on the fifth. This is just a starting point to play with. There are many variations and paths you can explore..... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.