Pentatonic scales are one of the cornerstones of music, offering easy learning and application across genres of music.
Pentatonic scales have the advantage of being easily understood by our brains; Bobby McFerrin conducted various experiments where he asked audiences to sing simple pentatonic sequences, and each audience member picked them up immediately.
Position 1
Position One of the Minor Pentatonic Scale contains root notes on strings 4th and 2nd string to create an octave shape, as indicated in the diagram. As can be seen from its placement on strings 4-6 (and hence requires multiple position shifts to play all notes); however this could be reduced by using middle fingers on these three strings instead of index fingers on strings 4, 5, and 6.
Once you are comfortable with the first pattern, it’s time to advance to position 2. Although this position appears different than its predecessors, its interval locations mirror those directly above and below, making it simple to count up two frets to find another root note.
Learning these shapes individually before combining them to play an entire scale on any string will provide some flexibility when improvising, while helping you understand how these positions connect across the fretboard.
As seen from the chart, both of these scale positions possess their own distinct sound and will suit different chord progressions best. To deepen your knowledge of these positions, try playing them over either major or minor chord progressions and seeing how each fits in.
Once you’ve mastered the five positions of the minor pentatonic scale, it’s time to add in its major counterpart! Although initially more challenging, this version will eventually become just as familiar – its root notes being comparable with its minor version while boasting more country notes than before.
Position 2
Once you are comfortable with the first pentatonic scale shape, move onto Position 2. This pattern is identical to its predecessor but played higher up the fretboard. Keep in mind that each scale consists of five small patterns or shapes which connect from left to right across the fretboard; they overlap as they move upward and downward the scale, each one representing its tonic (root note) note.
This next pattern may take more time and practice to master, as it requires you to switch fretboard positions. Once mastered, however, this scale can be used on any string at any octave. Focusing on remembering where root notes are located while playing this pattern will help make them stick in your memory – try mentally or verbally saying them out loud to cement their location into your brain!
Position 2 is also an ideal starting point for adding string bends into your playing. The B string root is easy to access here and can help create some very cool blues phrases. B.B. King himself used this box when performing his signature “B.B. King box” tunes in minor keys, giving his songs more of a bluesy sound.
Spend some time each day practicing the Pentatonic Scale against a backing track, this will allow you to become familiar with using it and improve your improvisational abilities. A great place to begin would be with a basic blues backing track available on YouTube – though many other options exist as well!
Position 3
Assuming you’ve spent time exploring the first two positions of the minor pentatonic scale, its third position should become increasingly familiar as you gain experience with them. Like its counterparts, this one sits an octave above open strings and can be played using fingers in different combinations. As you move through each position it is essential to monitor root note positions and how fingerings change with each new pattern; this will enable you to play dyads and create melodies using these scale patterns.
Minor pentatonic scale’s final form may be more difficult to learn, yet still immensely useful for creating licks. This scale is an octave above its root note and can be played using fingers in various combinations. After mastering this shape, it’s essential that you practice moving back and forth among all five pentatonic positions so you become familiar with all notes on fretboard as well as key changes when improvising solos or solo improvisations.
As you progress up the fretboard, this position will become very similar to a major pentatonic scale due to their similar interval pattern; however, they differ in a few key ways, including beginning on either the sixth chord tone of major scales (minor pentatonic) or seventh chord tone (major pentatonic).
If you’re having difficulty grasping this scale, try practicing over a minor chord progression. This will help your ears adjust to its sound while providing opportunities to combine it with different chords. In addition, try playing both minor and major keys so you can understand how different sounds impact how you use this scale.
Position 4
At this position, the initial note in a minor pentatonic scale can be found at the fifth fret of the low E string – known as its “first-position” shape – as part of its minor pentatonic scale. This shape remains consistent when switching back and forth between major and minor pentatonic scales as you play along to an MP3 of 12-bar blues in A. This practice session allows you to become comfortable with both fingering techniques as well as their distinctive tonality of each scale.
As is true of all patterns, it’s essential to keep in mind that these shapes overlap and share note positions between themselves. For instance, patterns 1 and 2 share six note positions between themselves (though their root notes differ), making memorizing these five CAGED box patterns and practicing them together on your fretboard easier than ever. Once memorized and practiced regularly on your fretboard you should easily switch back and forth between them with ease.
Once you are comfortable with this pattern, use it to improvise over the backing track above. Also take time to practice moving between this position and position 2.
This pattern, the last of five CAGED pentatonic scale patterns you should become acquainted with, resembles pattern 2 but starts on the A string instead of D string and uses four out of the five notes in its scale. It’s an excellent place to practice string bending since its final note (an A at ninth fret of B string) can be bent with your fourth finger.
Position 5
This position contains three root notes and serves as the final pentatonic scale pattern. As with the previous positions, starting and ending on each root note helps strengthen its tonal center while connecting intervals with one another. Furthermore, this pattern can be played either minor or major by starting on different roots notes.
To create this pattern, simply move your index and middle fingers across the fretboard to locate root notes before using ring and pinky fingers to form remaining intervals. As with the previous positions, this shape can also be played using index/pinky fingers if that feels more natural to you.
Once you have mastered this pattern, practice switching among all the pentatonic scale shapes until they become part of your playing – this will help your solos sound smoother while adding variety and flavor. Don’t forget to experiment playing these scales both sharp (#) and flat (b).
Once you are comfortable playing pentatonic scale shapes, try combining them into bigger chords as an exercise and fun pastime. Also try playing them over a backing track – any musical context will do, although blues tracks might provide the most direct benefit.