Major And Minor Pentatonic Scales

This lesson is to help you learn the major pentatonic, and minor pentatonic scales. They are used in many genres, but you will find them in rock, or classic rock the most. A wide range of players from Kirk Hammet to Jimmy Page use these scales, and are a staple in every beginners bag of tricks. These are also the first scales that many people use when beginning to improvise. In this lesson I will teach you how to make these scales, then I'll give you some box patterns that you can move around to suit your pentatonic needs. Understanding of the major scale and intervals is required here (will insert theory lesson when posted), but learning those don’t take long if you've never heard of them.

Minor Pentatonic.
I'm doing this one first because it appears more commonly in mainstream music than its major counterpart, from what I've seen. It’s also more popular with the beginners and experienced players alike.

Your Minor Pentatonic scale formula is: 1 b3 4 5 b7 1. In A, that’s A C D E G A. You can find all the scales for what ever key you want, but you might prefer boxes. There are 5 box patterns for the pentatonic scale. I'll give you one for minor, one for major, and then the other 3. The most common one for minor being:

e|-|-O-|---|---|-o-|---|
B|-|-o-|---|---|-o-|---|
G|-|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|
D|-|-o-|---|-O-|---|---|
A|-|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|
E|-|-O-|---|---|-o-|---|

The O's represent the root notes, and the lower case o's represent the other notes. This is the most common box and is used in rock, blues and any other genre with distortion, really. Although you can turn the distortion off and play some jazz with this scale, it also sounds good with heavy metal alike. Try experimenting with it to see how it fits your style. A common choice for using the minor pentatonic is over power chords (_5), or in blues songs with dominant chords (_7).

Major Pentatonic.
The major pentatonic is like the minor pentatonic, in the way that the relative minor/majors share the same notes. Ex. C major pentatonic has the same notes as Am pentatonic. The formula for major pentatonic is 1 2 3 5 6 1. In C, you have C D E G A C. You can find those notes on the neck and here is your major pentatonic box pattern.

e|-|---|-O-|---|-o-|---|
B|-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
G|-|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|
D|-|-o-|---|---|-O-|---|
A|-|-o-|---|---|-o-|---|
E|-|---|-O-|---|-o-|---|

The major pentatonic is used where ever you might find the minor pentatonic. The major pentatonic sounds happier, and more upbeat than the minor pentatonic, but can still be used in a rock context. This sounds good over major chords, and power chords a like. You can use this in a jazzy song even.

The other 3 Box Patterns, of the minor pentatonic. If you want to make them minor, all you have to do is change the root note to the reletive major. (See link in introduction)

e|-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
B|-|---|-O-|---|---|-o-|
G|-|-o-|---|---|-o-|---|
D|-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
A|-|---|-o-|---|-O-|---|
E|-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|

e|-|---|-o-|---|-O-|---|
B|-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
G|-|-O-|---|---|-o-|---|
D|-|-o-|---|---|-o-|---|
A|-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
E|-|---|-o-|---|-O-|---|

e|-|-o-|---|---|-o-|---|
B|-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
G|-|-o-|---|-O-|---|---|
D|-|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|
A|-|-O-|---|-o-|---|---|
E|-|-o-|---|---|-o-|---|

So practice those 5 boxes until you feel comfortable with them, and expand them, by knowing what notes are in the scales, and finding them on the fret board. By being able to use these scales in your playing, you'll be on your way to be the next ACDC/Led Zeppelin/Any classic rock act in no time, as the pentatonic scale is one of the fundamentals in rock.

Using the pentatonic scales in riffs and solos.
Here are some classic riffs that use the pentatonic scale, and then I'll give you some homemade pentatonic licks to impress your friends with First, heres the minor pentatonic extended:

e|-|---|---|---|---|---|-o-|---|-o-|
B|-|---|---|---|---|---|-o-|---|-O-|
G|-|---|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
D|-|---|---|-o-|---|-O-|---|---|---|
A|-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|---|
E|-|-o-|---|-O-|---|---|---|---|---|

This box is slightly harder to remember, but it adds more notes to the box, so that you can extend your playing in general with the pentatonic.

Black Dog - Led Zeppelin.
Chances are if you've heard this song, you think it’s hard. It really isn’t, and is built from the minor pentatonic scale, with some added notes, for flow. Here it is:

2/4 4/4 5/4
|-3-|
E E E E E E Q Q E E E E E E E Q Q E E E E E E E E +Q
|---------|-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------||
|---------|-----------------5-|---------------------|-----------------------||
|---------|-----5b5.5-----7---|-5h7p5-----5b5.5-----|-----------------------||
|-----5-6-|-7----------7------|-------7-7--------7--|-5-7-7---------2-(2)---||
|---7-----|---7---------------|---------------------|-------5-7S3-5-0-(0)---||
|---------|-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------||

Try that out and see how you like it.

Try looking at some solos by ACDC, for some good pentatonic licks, as Angus Young likes to use the minor pentatonic. Here’s part of the solo of "Back in Black"

Back In Black - AC/DC
|--3--| |--3--|
S S S S a +S a +E a +S +E S S S S S S a
|------12-12---------------------------------------12----------------------|
|---12-------15b17-(15)-15b17-(15)-15b17-(15)-(15)----15p12----12----------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------14----12-14b16-|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---3---|
+E S a +E S a S +S S S S S E. +E S S
|---------------------15-------------------------------------------------|
|------15----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-(14)----14b16==(14)----(14)pb16-14r(14)p12-14----12-14--(14)\----------|
|-----------------------------------------------14---------------/14-14--|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Now here's some licks to impress your friends!

|----------------5~--5h8p5------||
|-----5------5h8----------8p5~--||
|-7b9----7b9--------------------||
|-------------------------------||
|-------------------------------||
|-------------------------------||

|-----------------------------||
|-----------------------------||
|---------5h7p5-----------7~--||
|-----5h7-------7p5-----7-----||
|-5h7---------------7p5-------||
|-----------------------------||

|---------------------------------------------15-12-12-12----12-12-12----12-15-17-15~-||
|-------15------------------------15----------------------15----------15--------------||
|-14b16----14-12---12h14-14-14b16---14~-12h14-----------------------------------------||
|----------------14-------------------------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------||

Also, just by playing in those boxes, you can make some nice solos, and riffs, but you've got to be creative and experiment with adding notes, or even changing notes. It’s all up to you, but uses the pentatonic with discretion, as it is used a lot in rock music today, and years ago.

Comments

[xtremepunk0024]

First, seems pretty long
should be good

[Flametop001]

who cares if your first. good article.

[DaddyTwoFoot]

Good article. I like how you posted all the modes instead of just the minor. 4 stars.

[DaddyTwoFoot]

Shit, they changed it to a 10-star scale. 8 then.

[fenderplaya015]

Good article. its gonna help a bunch of beginners

[thesmartguy50]

yeah, this woulda fit better in the newbies section... but it serves its purpose.

[metal_man696]

what scales does zakk wylde use anyway?

[WILL334]

good article.8 stars

[me_myself_and_i]

i read in a zach wild guitar bootcamp in guitar world that zach mainly uses minor pentatonic, and minor scales

[apampinella]

the last of your box patterns for the minor pentatonic has a typo. on the A string, you're showing the 'o' on the second instead of the minor third.

[Giznad]

wow, nice article, i like it

[clifford13]

nice one!!!!! 10 stars

[Peterjs]

I now know the black dog, the most played song at my school.

[Educated_Rokker]

me_myself_and_i:
i
read in a zach wild guitar bootcamp in guitar world that zach mainly uses minor pentatonic, and minor scales

Minor Scales are used more in Hard Rock and Metal while major are in softer rock to blues.

[cazthegr8]

i've been playing guitar 4 2 years & have never come across these b4! :s thanks!!

[guitarboy2828]

Zach Wild does indeed use minor pentatonic and minor scales on a whole.. U can hear it in his playing!! Nice article man...

[mercedesisbenz]

lets learn to spell his name shall we.

[charlie26]

does zakk wylde even use any scales?

[charlie26]

whats the definition of penetonic?

[muscman4life]

A pentatonic scale is a 5 tone per octave scale

[battleaxe]

Couldn't grab much out of this article.
Those Patterns, I didn't understand them...

[Greenday4Life]

well its not a complete newb lesson seeing it assumes u know theory...

[flipfox_redoubt]

well, its a nice article but can you give an example of the pentatonic scale of A minor?

im still an intermediate guitar player but still confused in pentatonic scales..
btw, does anyone here have a book of frank gambale's Speed Picking?

[deadbyforty]

cool

[rockergurl09]

nice! finally someone puts out stuff that is neither super complex gibberish, or a total noob lesson.

Perfect for me b/c I'm intermediate, but still need to work on theory and scales and what not (I taught myself, so I didn't get a single practice of scales until I found this website. Now I teach myself with the help of this website.)

[rockergurl09]

yes, I know, I'm a pitiful self teacher.

[stringmagician]

ha, i've been playing for 3 years and i've always made up scales using what sounded good in a jam, this really helped with starting my newfound scale research

[DimeZakk]

Heh the most common minor scale (the first one he tells about) i dident realise i was allways using that, i also made up random scales for my self what i think sounds awesome for metal, then i just put in some pinch harmonic and shit and get a ultimate nice solo :P do the first one! \,,/ Rock on

[Liam]

thanks buddy

[ihatethischord]

rockergurl09 wrote:

nice! finally someone puts out stuff that is neither super complex gibberish, or a total noob lesson.

Perfect for me b/c I'm intermediate, but still need to work on theory and scales and what not (I taught myself, so I didn't get a single practice of scales until I found this website. Now I teach myself with the help of this website.)

same here

im a fast picker and i found if you can play scales like the A minor pentatonic and mix the notes and go up and down its sounds like a great solo

[Schecter Gnome]

Thank you!

[Dime_1966-2004]

Oh great, I find this artical about 10 mins after working out the pentatonic minor and major scale on my flaming own off a flaming scale generater. I've been playing a year learning songs and what ever, but never really took notic of the theory untill songs got boring and I just wanted to jam, good lesson. v good for beginers, I would say look at a scale generater while reading this so it is easy to relate to the fretboard.

[alguitbox]

helpd tanx

[GCM]

wait, thatd means that a minor ppentatonic box moved dwon 3 frets is a major pent.box, right?

[fingersofflame]

yet another awesome lesson from you!keep it up man...9 stars from me...

[KoRRuPT]

Nice MAN!!!! 10 ***** And Slash OWNZ!!And dime same here I've learnd all Metallica solo's then i started to jam out and noticed i was playing a pattern haha which was pentonic scale..a very nice scale

[Octtwe88]

Ok, I've been playing 5 months and i really didnt follow too well. is there something i should learn first?

[VolucrisExNox]

Nice article. Especially good when it comes to composition.

[Zebrahead_SICK]

iv been playin for a long time but only properly for a yr(2hrs a day)and u have no idea how useful ur scales are,coz im crap at soloin. TY 4.5 stars

[frazer666]

Yay. thank god, all the other articles i was finding where just stupidly complex :P lol been playing a year, and i knew 4 of those 5 things so im going to learn the last one.....
9/10

[xacks_03]

uumm what is scale??

[Warlord_Rip]

xacks_03 :
uumm what is scale??

Maybe you should read the article?

[BasketCaseGVD]

great, taught me another box

[sing4am]

metal_man696 wrote:

what scales does zakk wylde use anyway?

What scale doesn't he use?

[JGuill]

These are great to begin with, but you need to always KNOW what you're playing! Learn the fingerboard! It's not hard if you'll just commit to it. If you learn it up to the 12th fret, you'll know it all because it repeats after that.

[masterofnothing]

metal_man696 wrote:

what scales does zakk wylde use anyway?

On a vidoe lesson he said all he uses is minor pentatonic boxes

[feijoada]

well....i continue not understanding.....when do i use them?????the sound i play in these scales doenst mean nothing.....just a crap
im really lost in soloing...i can play almost any music with chords but i dont understand a ***** when it comes to scales... X( sad

[Bleeding_me]

ó feijoada és de onde?

[feijoada]

brasil.....

que esta fora da copa do mundo X(
****!

[feijoada]

brasil...
que esta fora da copa do mundo X(

merda!

[feasel]

i prolly sound like a dumbass, but i don't understand what the O's and o's mean, i know they mean root notes and other notes, but i don't understand how to play them or whatever you're supposed to do with them, could someone please help me?

[feasel]

anyone can e-mail me at [e-mail] if they wanna help me

[metallica100]

could someone tell me wot scale is used for the fast solo in One by metallica

[RS-GUITARIST]

OOOOMMMMMGGGG , dude you rock - nice lesson!

[alex-t]

i didnt understand anything.

[recliner33]

metallica100 wrote:

could someone tell me wot scale is used for the fast solo in One by metallica

probably some type of minor penatonic scale cause hammet uses them in pretty much every solo, but I'm not quite sure which scale.

[notoriousnumber]

Right, I think I have found a mistake. In the part where you have the "3 other box patterns" the third one down is wrong. The fourth note should be a semi-tone higher, or a fret up, or the first interval would not be a minor 3rd which it should be.

[notoriousnumber]

Oh yeah, other than that mate its awesome, great job.

[bandgeek10]

wow, uhh, not all of us are freaking life long guitar/piano players who understand EVERY detail about music theory... How about you freaking tab out a minor scale, any one you want, using freaking numbers, instead of your stupid little O's and o's because I'm sorry I havent' played the stupid fu*king guitar for my whole life and i'm self-taught

[bandgeek10]

Where the heck did the O's and o's come from ... hello tab a scale. It's hard to do it without messing it up though

[Jackal8]

Short and sweet. The way guitaring should be.

[bandgeek10]

hey, why do you have to make it so complicated. can't you just tab out how to play each minor scale, instead of your o's and O's?

[bandgeek10]

Oh, and I'm not being a faggot, I just don't understand everything about theory yet. And I'm used to sheet music rather than tab...

[simmons100]

yeah i agree with bandgeek10 but its good

[simmons100]

then again guitardime is right

[brh3434]

Good lesson. For those who cannot express themselves in a fashion that illustrates respect...might I recommend looking up a lesson concerning socially acceptable communication skills.

[steveo57]

this has got to take awhile to learn/memorize in all keys and to incorporate major/minor leanings

[omniwrath540]

Great lesson, i had forgotten my fourth and fifth minor scale and this brought them back, just like riding a bike.

steveo57 wrote:

this has got to take awhile to learn/memorize in all keys and to incorporate major/minor leanings

It actually doesn't really, once you get the hang of it, it gets pretty easy.

[pmarchetype]

cool

[dryh2o_podz11]

Your Minor Pentatonic scale formula is: "1 b3 4 5 b7 1. In A, that’s A C D E G A"

[dryh2o_podz11]

could some one teach me how 2 read that FORMULA itz kinna cunfusing T_T i play very well i read tabs i know some scale but i dont really know how 2 read that fuking FORMULA grrrrr.....
email me plz [e-mail]

[dryh2o_podz11]

reading tabs is all i've got T_T huuhuuhuu

[krigen]

Nice lesson

[krigen]

thx

[RetardedPunk101]

Dude... Nice lesson

[Sk8trpunk977]

This lesson is much better than others I have seen. You at least label the roots.

[3nemy]

omg what? yea thanks for explaing what pentatonic scales are but how the hell can i look at capital o and lower case o and then say oh yea so thats how it works you just look at which ones have a circle in them? actually i know nothing about them after reading all that, not to dishearten you because for people who know what it means its bloody well detailed and stuff but you did not state how to play pentatonic you just gave diagrams of them

[Tony 1]

Good lesson. I understand most everything.just not exactly clear on the whole root note thing. Could someone please give me a quick rundown.

[TomRennardson]

cool dude

[achtung baby]

a couple of your major pentatonic patterns differ from what a professional guitarist with a musical degree showed me, how come

[Colton165]

i cant read those diagrams! please someone PM me with an explanation

[guitardude2012]

i use both major and minor penatonic scales to create my solos along with other scales. those were the first scales i learned when i was try to play lead. they are good scales for any begginer or someone who is wishing to create thier own sols.

[_vampire]

Big "O" means that this note is a root note. If u play minor scale from 3rd fret on lowest (fattest) string (that's E string) then you will play G minor scale. Root note is one that "makes" the name of scale. So you can tell your friend what scale you play, ok?;] With those damn "o's" you can relate to every scale 'cause the shape is always the same. If you'll read this diagram with guitar in hand then after reading one line you can play it all up.

[_vampire]

Your Minor Pentatonic scale formula is: 1 b3 4 5 b7 1. In A, that’s A C D E G A

Ok so that "b3" means flat third, right? Third Is like half step + whole step, right? RIGHT?

[ChazBcWarlock]

this is very handy, i can play them all just my memory is shat so thanks alot cos now i can just print em off etc gotta be 10/10 this can help anyone in whatever skill category

[si!]

Ok so that "b3" means flat third, right? Third Is like half step + whole step, right? RIGHT?

yup

[alexa_4912]

great lesson, thanks. explains it really well rather than just giving the patterns

[Infatuation]

awesome!

[stargazer10454]

metal_man696 wrote:

what scales does zakk wylde use anyway?

Who thel hell is this Zakk Wylde guy. lmao

[nathhan]

Great article for beginners i think it would be really great if you could have listed all the notes in the different keys of each scale. That would have helped me even more, thanks anyway! its a 9 for me

[rbvzers]

are the positions the same even in alternate tuning?good article btw

[sjguitargiant]

easy to understand for the average player, thanks i had no idea the minor could be explained so easily.

[rbvzers]

if you guys really want to learn this stuff go here: http://www.theorylessons.com/index.html

Checked.

[encore-black]

I bet you think im inexperienced and really dumb. But I just cant understand all this stuff about scales.

[ChinMusic]

Pretty good lesson, it helped me out a lot... But am I the only one who found the typo when you were talking about the 3 other box patterns?

"The other 3 Box Patterns, of the minor pentatonic. If you want to make them minor, all you have to do is change the root note to the reletive major. (See link in introduction)"

I think you meant to say "If you want to make them major..." because it doesn't make sense otherwise .

[burrrandon]

"1 b3 4 5 b7 1. In A, that’s A C D E G A" what is b3 and b7 etc..

[degete_mici]

rbvzers :
if you guys really want to learn this stuff go here: http://www.theorylessons.com/index.html
POSTED: 08/25/2007 - 069 am / quote |

learning music on the internet is not so good. go to a teacher. it worked for me

[Bailean]

sweet article degete my cuzin learned on the internet and he is awesome

[Bailean]

altho he had some help from other ppl as well lol but mostly internet

[super_fudge]

Who thel hell is this Zakk Wylde guy. lmao

bursts into flames and slaps stargazer10454

great lesson, i worked out the first minor on my own and knew about scales just couldnt be assed to find and learn em, this is a serious gem when ur messing round just jamming.

[super_fudge]

next thing ya know he wont know who black label society is

[bass_is_best]

great lesson on the maj. and min. pent. scales. I don't understand your formula for finding the notes though... could you explain how it works?

[trombonista1234]

im sorry but i cant understand cause im a begginer i really dont understand..... can somebody help me out of this?

[randall720]

Thats some great instruction for a solid grounding to learn with. Those, who take the time to understand what thier playing will always come across in a much more positive way.

[ethics gradient]

yeah, i got that speed picking book at hastings for around $15. it comes with a cd to practice along with. really helped. brought me from a complete ****tard to mildly lame in a couple of weeks. highly recommended for begginers

[super SGman]

i'm not sure i understandd major1's but i'll try 2

[lumpy890]

hey bandgeek10, shut the hell up. its a picture, how much simpler do u want, take your guitar turn it so the fretboard is facing up, and look at the screen. WHOA, OMG, WOW, SHUCKS, IT MAKES SENSE NOW, THAT BOGGLED MY MIND... dumbass

[JosiahL.H.E.]

Thanks Alot dude, you explained the really well.

[sideperu]

i am like spring rain, warm and totally unaware..

[NewbyDooby]

Great article.
I followed along with no prob.
I did however learn it from watching this video before hand so for all those who need a visual here is a great link http://youtube.com/watch?v=k1hGsU7iG74
I hope thats not wrong to post but it is just as helpful as this article. They work well together.
Whatever.
Play on, folks.
Peace

[madshatter]

definately helped me. i already knew the minor pentatonic but i didn't know the other ones.

[Noodles TSG]

hi
1 b3 4 5 b7 1. In A, that’s A C D E G A. i know its right but i always think that i A Minor pentatonic it should be Cb or B and no C
can you explain it to me ??
in G MINOR i understand it but in A i cant

[Noodles TSG]

is that because u build your minor pentatonic scale with this formula out off a major scale???

[Noodles TSG]

or u have to build your pentatonic scale with this formula out off a major scale??

[CoheedAdict]

Wow been playing for years and I've never known that there was a minor AND major pentatonic scale. thanks.

[anupkr]

ekdumm PHODUU hai baap...zakaaasss

[tom1thomas1]

metal_man696 wrote:

what scales does zakk wylde use anyway?

i dont think he cares as long as theres pinch harmonics

[Itsmeagainkvo]

i know this as my major scale... whys it different.

e|-|-o-|-O-|---|---|---|
B|-|---|-o-|---|-o-| ---|
G|-|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|
D|-|-o-|---|-o-|-O-|---|
A| -|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|
E|-|---|-O-|---|-o-|---|

[Itsmeagainkvo]

i know this as my major scale... whys it different.

e|-|-o-|-O-|---|---|---|
B|-|---|-o-|---|-o-| ---|
G|-|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|
D|-|-o-|---|-o-|-O-|---|
A| -|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|
E|-|---|-O-|---|-o-|---|

[guitarist@net]

Itsmeagainkvo wrote:

i know this as my major scale... whys it different.

e|-|-o-|-O-|---|---|---|
B|-|---|-o-|---|-o-| ---|
G|-|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|
D|-|-o-|---|-o-|-O-|---|
A| -|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|
E|-|---|-O-|---|-o-|---|

Coz major n major pentatonic different scales

[cwalsh09]

This is a great tutorial but I have one question. It looks like the end of the 2nd minor pent box lines up with the 4th. Does that mean I can play them Consectutive and still play the right notes in the scale. I don't know all the notes on the fretboard yet so if someone could help me out it would be great.

[rocka120]

zakk wylde uses minor pentatonic scale and kirk from metallica used a modified E minor pent.

[fuzzymunkee]

im kind of new to this, so you can apply these "boxes" anywhere on the fred board?

[mike12489]

fuzzymunkee wrote:

im kind of new to this, so you can apply these "boxes" anywhere on the fred board?

Yes, you can apply them anywhere. It's a pattern, just like chords are patterns.

For people who don't understand the o's and O's, the capital O's are the root notes (i.e. if you move the scale such that the O is on an E, then you're playing an E scale) and the lower case o's are the rest of the notes, and the diagram is drawn as a picture of the fretboard.

cwalsh09,
Yes, you can mix the boxes where they overlap. They're actually all the same patterns and long as they're the same scale (like minor pentatonic). They just look different because they start with the root note in a different location. If you try to mix boxes, make sure that the *root notes* in the boxes overlap. If they don't, then you'll be switching keys.

People who are confused about the formulae (like 1 b3 4 5 b7 1) should look here: http://guitar.songstuff.com/articles.php?selected=61 or look elsewhere online for a similar tutorial. Scales start at the root note and go up according to the intervals: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. That's how you can find the notes that the numbers represent from 1 to 7 (after 7 comes 1 again).

Music theory regarding scales is really interesting. People should look it up.

Good tut, thanks.

[G-NumeroUno]

Great info thanks!
Didn't understand the tab at first, but then realised it was pretty much the same as this pentatonic guitar scale. Took me a while to visualise it but when it finally clicked it's really easy. Thanks again!