Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale

How do you play the minor pentatonic scale on guitar?

Have you started to play scales yet? The minor pentatonic scale may be one of the first scales that you learn. If not, maybe you already know the major scale. If you do that’s a plus because the minor pentatonic scale can also be looked at as a major pentatonic scale starting on a different starting point of the scale.

A popular pattern that everyone usually starts with (pattern one) is located at the fifth fret and includes notes on frets seven and eight. This is the pattern.

Use finger one for all the fifth fret notes. So start with finger one on the sixth string then onto your fourth finger for the eighth fret note “C”. For strings five to three, use the first finger and third finger for the fifth fret and seventh fret notes. Fifth string notes are “D” and “E”. Fourth string notes include “G” and “A”. That is the five notes A to G. After that, the notes just repeat starting again with “A”.

The first string notes are the same note names as the sixth string notes, so remember that as a little trick to apply to what you learn in the future when learning scales, arpeggios, chords, note names, and so on.

How to practice the minor pentatonic scale

Learn the note names of what you play. It will be easier now to do this compared to later. Memorize this pattern and play up and down the scale. After this play different patterns through the scale like A, C, D, back to C, D, E, back to D, E, G, and so on. This is groups of three. Practice alternate picking, first note down, second note up, and so on. Break the scale up or limit yourself and play short ideas for licks and phrases. To begin soloing, record an A minor chord or backing track and play your ideas over this chord for now. You can add more chord changes later.

Patterns two through five

This is pattern one. We have four more patterns to learn in the next blog. If you learn all five patterns, you will be able to see the minor pentatonic scale all up and down the guitar neck.

Have fun practicing and learning!