Learning the pentatonic scale is an important part of learning the guitar. Most popular songs that you hear are played using the pentatonic scale. This is because they sound great over many musical styles and are relatively easy to start improvising with.
They are also easy to learn. Each scale consists of five patterns of five notes that can be played in any key up and down the fretboard.
You are basically learning the patterns and applying them to different positions on the neck of the guitar. By doing this, you are learning the notes within the scales. This helps in playing licks in different keys.
The pentatonic scale is a five-tone scale which consists of five notes. A major scale will have seven notes in the scale, but the major pentatonic scale removes the 4th and the 7th intervals to make it a five-note scale.
It helps to know the pentatonic scales before working with the major scales. After you work with the pentatonic scales and are comfortable with them, you can add the 4th and the 7th intervals to make a major scale.
I recommend learning these early in your guitar learning process. By practicing these scales, your fingers become accustomed to picking individual notes, and you develop the coordination between your fret hand and your picking hand.
Best Way to Learn Pentatonic Scales
The best way to learn the pentatonic scales is by memorizing the five patterns of the scale. These patterns are used to play up and down the neck of the guitar. However, many guitarists stay within one or two patterns when they are playing their “licks” on a song
Let’s take a look at the five patterns of the pentatonic scale. We will look at the key of G major. It uses all of the open strings on the guitar and is one of the most commonly used in songs
G Major Pentatonic – First Pattern
The notes of the G major pentatonic first position are G-A-B-D-E. The G major scales start with open strings. When you start to play this scale, you will start with an open string and finish on a fretted note.
Since this is G major pentatonic, we are starting on the G note. To play this scale, start with the bottom E string, place your third finger on the third fret of the bottom E string and pick the string.
Next, pick the open A string (fifth string.) Then place your second finger on the second fret of the A string and pick the string.
Pick the open D string (fourth string) and then place your second finger on the D string’s second fret and pick the string.
Follow this pattern all the way to the top E string (thinnest string). After you pick to the top E string G Note, work your way back down to the bottom E string.
When you first try this, don’t worry about your picking style with your right hand (or left hand if you are left-handed). Unless you want to work on your fingerpicking style, you should use a pick to pick the strings.
After you are comfortable with the pattern, try using alternate picking styles. Pick down on one note, and then pick up on the next. This will build your picking style (and speed.)
Using the Pentatonic Scale as both Minor and Major
What is the difference between a major pentatonic and a minor pentatonic? In terms of the patterns – there is no difference. The pentatonic scales can function both as a minor and major. The difference in which scale you play is dependent on the piece of music. If the song centers on a major chord (G), you play the G major pentatonic. If the song is in a minor key (Em), then you play the Em pentatonic.
We are working with our notes in the G major pentatonic scale, but the same scale can be translated as the E Minor pentatonic scale.
The diagram below is the E minor pentatonic with the root of E. You can play the E minor chord (Black B and Red E) over the E minor pentatonic.
With the same pattern, we can play the G major chord (Red G, Black B) over the G major pentatonic.
The only difference between the two scales is which note functions as the root or tonal center of the scale.
When you use E minor pentatonic, the E note serves as the tonal center of the scale. It is the note that you start with. When you use the G major pentatonic, the G note serves as the tonal center.
When you look at the Em pattern 1, the first note in the pattern defines the tonal center.
Both scales use the same five patterns (even though we are just looking at pattern 1.) The difference is the key that you are playing in.
The relative minor of the major scale is drawn from the sixth degree of the major scale. The major and minor pentatonic scales are matched as follows:
- A Maj/F# Min
- B Maj/G# Min
- C Maj/A Min
- D Maj/B Min
- D#Maj/C Min
- E Maj/C# Min
- F Maj/D Min
- G Maj/E Min
G Major Pentatonic – Second Pattern
This is the 2nd Position of the Pentatonic scale. It continues where the 1st Position left off. The notes are played between frets 2 and 5. The key to learning this is to visualize this pattern first and then learn the notes.
The root note of the second pattern is G. Play the note with your second finger on the third fret of the E string and then play the next note (A) with your fourth finger on the fifth fret of the E string. Continue through the rest of the pattern with the finger patterns, as shown above.
If you learn the first pattern and second pattern of this scale, you cover six frets. That’s half of the fretboard! When you study solos from lead guitarists, many of them only cover three or four frets!
The fingerings shown on these patterns are the technical way of playing the scale – one finger per fret. This is the best technique if you are looking to build your skills long term for playing guitar.
However, it is not the only way. You will see many rock guitarists use their first three fingers to play all the fretboard notes. Many guitarists claim that they have more control and strength playing the notes this way. It is a matter of preference.
Practice this scale by playing it up and then back down.
When you feel comfortable, try starting with the first pattern and ending with the second pattern.
G Major Pentatonic – Third Pattern
The third pattern connects with the second pattern on frets 4 and 5.
The third pattern of the pentatonic scale is different in that it spans 5 frets instead of four. Most guitar players use their first finger to hit the notes on frets four and five. Again, the key is to visualize and memorize the pattern as you play through the notes.
I recommend attaining a level of comfort with the first two patterns before working with the third pattern. This pattern can be more difficult for the beginner.
G Major Pentatonic – Fourth and Fifth Patterns
The fifth position of the G major pentatonic ends as it begins, with the notes G-A-B-D-E and thus, it begins all over again. This pattern is completely symmetrical and is easy to memorize and play.
When putting this all together to practice and learn, start with the first two patterns. Play through both patterns and play them ascending and descending. Start in different sections of the patterns and work your way up and then down.
Movable scale patterns
Each of the patterns can be played in any key! These are movable patterns. The diagrams below show the F minor pentatonic.
All you have to do to play F minor pentatonic is move your pattern up one fret, and now you are playing the F minor pentatonic or the G# pentatonic. The pattern shape stays the same!
As you practice these scales, move the patterns up and down the neck. For example, take the first and second patterns and start with G major/E minor. Work up and down through the notes of the scale. After you do this, move to G# major/F minor and repeat the process.
If this is the first time you are working through the scales, you will be frustrated at first. But if you practice consistently every day and are persistent at this, you will have it down in no time.
I have watched new guitar players practice these patterns 30 minutes a day (or more) for 60 days. At the end of 60 days (and before 60 days), these people were flying through the scales. Anyone can learn these, but you do have to practice at least 30 minutes a day.
There is no reason why you can’t!