Minor Pentatonics

All Five Patterns of the Minor Pentatonic Scale
As I am sure you now know, the minor pentatonic scale is a very important scale in the history of blues and rock guitar. This lesson will help you to build a knowledge of the scale across the entire fretboard. First we will learn all five of the pentatonic scale patterns.

Pattern 1

Pattern 2 Pattern 3 Pattern 4 Pattern 5

All 5 Patterns

 

Sequences

Once you have memorized at least one of the above patterns, it is time to begin learning ideas to play in the scale patterns. The following are exercises are geared to helping you to better utilize the pentatonic scale. It is important for you to realize that this is just the beginning of the adventure. You should begin learning as many songs, solos, melodies, etc. As much as exercises are useful, they aren't necessarily music. All of the following ideas are present in music in one form or another but are not in and of themselves music. You must learn how to apply these ideas to your own music.

The exercises below are all created in the most used scale pattern, pattern 2. Once you get a handle on the exercise, learn the same idea in each of the other patterns. This will help you to develop a well-rounded view of all five patterns.

Sequence in A Sequence in C Sequence in G Sequence in D Sequence in E

 

Moving Horizontally

Now that you have learned the five patterns, it is time to begin connecting the patterns in many ways in order to begin to see the patterns across the entire fretboard. The first example will be a simple idea on the first two strings.

Two-String 1
This example is like a four-note sequence that moves across the neck.		 Two-String 2
This example reverses the order of each four-note pattern.		 Two-String 3
This is an interesting idea. It only uses the first and fourth notes of the four-note pattern.

Now, try playing the above examples in different keys. This is more difficult than examples above because you will need to change the patterns that you use.
Two-String 1 in Em Two-String 2 in C Two-String 3 in D

 

Minor Pentatonics

All Five Patterns of the Minor Pentatonic Scale
As I am sure you now know, the minor pentatonic scale is a very important scale in the history of blues and rock guitar. This lesson will help you to build a knowledge of the scale across the entire fretboard. First we will learn all five of the pentatonic scale patterns.

Pattern 1

Pattern 2 Pattern 3 Pattern 4 Pattern 5

All 5 Patterns

 

Sequences

Once you have memorized at least one of the above patterns, it is time to begin learning ideas to play in the scale patterns. The following are exercises are geared to helping you to better utilize the pentatonic scale. It is important for you to realize that this is just the beginning of the adventure. You should begin learning as many songs, solos, melodies, etc. As much as exercises are useful, they aren't necessarily music. All of the following ideas are present in music in one form or another but are not in and of themselves music. You must learn how to apply these ideas to your own music.

The exercises below are all created in the most used scale pattern, pattern 2. Once you get a handle on the exercise, learn the same idea in each of the other patterns. This will help you to develop a well-rounded view of all five patterns.

Sequence in A Sequence in C Sequence in G Sequence in D Sequence in E

 

Moving Horizontally

Now that you have learned the five patterns, it is time to begin connecting the patterns in many ways in order to begin to see the patterns across the entire fretboard. The first example will be a simple idea on the first two strings.

Two-String 1
This example is like a four-note sequence that moves across the neck.		 Two-String 2
This example reverses the order of each four-note pattern.		 Two-String 3
This is an interesting idea. It only uses the first and fourth notes of the four-note pattern.

Now, try playing the above examples in different keys. This is more difficult than examples above because you will need to change the patterns that you use.
Two-String 1 in Em Two-String 2 in C Two-String 3 in D

 

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