PRESENCE - Volume 36
Inspiration For Guitarists
I know I’ve been in your inbox a lot this week with the course launch — so today, I just want to give you something useful you can apply right away.
Let’s talk about one of the most overlooked sounds in guitar playing.
It’s not strumming chords.
It’s not ripping solos.
It’s rhythm guitar built straight out of the pentatonic scale.
You’ve heard it in songs like:
Peg – Steely Dan
I Keep Forgettin’ – Michael McDonald
Human Nature – Michael Jackson
Waitin’ On The Bus - ZZ Top
Here’s a short clip of session legend Steve Lukather breaking down his part in Human Nature:
👉 [Watch Here]
What he’s doing — and what you hear in all those songs — isn’t complicated. He’s not shredding through the full scale. He’s pulling a few pentatonic notes and turning them into a tight rhythm hook. The guitar becomes almost percussive — sitting right in the groove instead of floating on top of it.
Why does this work so well?
Because when a mix gets dense — keys, layers, another guitar — you don’t need to fill every space. You need to find your pocket. That’s where this stripped-down pentatonic approach shines.
Here’s a quick video lesson I made to show you how to start doing this yourself:
Pentatonic Rhythm Guitar Lesson
The big takeaway: you don’t need more complexity to sound better — you need clarity and intention.
The pentatonic scale is simple, but when you use it musically, it’s one of the most versatile tools on the guitar.
So next time you pick up your guitar, skip the full chords or long scale runs.
Try crafting a rhythm part from just two or three pentatonic notes — and see how it locks in with the groove.
That’s how the pros make simple parts sound unforgettable.
In case you missed it, my newest video is a deep dive on how to make scales sound musical-
See you next week,
Dustin