I have been practicing, and listening, and playing along with the initial songs we have jammed on from the attached set list. This list was what they have played out at some cafe type gigs, and with some changes, what I might play out with them if it works out.

A very fun exercise. As a number of the songs are not typical blues sounding pieces, I have been forced to explore more major tonalities. Also, some of the original tunes do not have simple chord structures such as regular blues and rock songs, so again I can't just camp out in the minor pentatonic of whatever key the song is in.

One technique I have been trying is using the pentatonic shapes, which I have learned up and down the fretboard, but shifting so that I can use the major pentatonic shape. I learned this from some tutorials I found in iTunes. You just shift the standard shape we all think about so that the normal root note is on the right, and not the left. So then it is the note that extends 4 frets above the lowest note in the pattern on the low E string. Then I can expand the pentatonic shapes from there. Obviously you have to remember that the roots are in different places than when you are playing this shape as a minor pattern.

This is easier for me at this point than knowing the full major scales, though I am trying to learn those too. Also, I think it is more flexible for me as it is simple shape based so it gives me a map, but doesn't lock me in as much, and I can experiment and find other tones I can use, such as chord tones that are not in the basic shape.

Ideally, I could just have the fretboard be my canvas and find notes by ear, but being a mid life newbie, having a road map to get started helps. Anyone else use this approach or try this?