Pentatonic Minor Scales

First, note that the G Major diatonic scale has the notes G Major scale are G, A, B, C, D, E, F#. The notes in the G Minor Pentatonic are G, A#, C, D, E. So, all the 5 notes of the G Minor Pentatonic scale are not in the G Major scale. You have a couple keys to choose from when it comes to playing G Minor Pentatonic scales, but G Major is not one of them. In the Diatonic Scales lesson, I talked about how each mode has a chord type that goes with it. The 2nd, 3rd, and 6th modes go with Minor chords. So, that means for G Minor Pentatonic, you can play that scale in any key whose 2nd, 3rd, or 6th note is G.

You can't talk about the Pentatonic scales without talking about the Blues scale. The Blues scale just adds a 6th note to a pentatonic scale. In the fretboard diagrams for the exercises, I have shown the extra blues note. The diagram is only a suggestion - depending on how your fingers are, you may find adding the blues notes to the scales like I have shown a little awkward.

Ok - enough talk. Just get on with the exercises and email me if you are confused about anything!

If there is one thing that every guitar player should know, then it is the Pentatonic Minor scale. About 90% of what you hear guitar players playing is based on this scale (ok so I grabbed that number out of the air).

Here is the most famous guitar scale of all time. You will have no trouble memorizing this one! The red notes are the actual scale, and the green notes show in addition of the blues notes.

Pentatonic Mode 1 - Pentatonic Minor
--------------------------------3--6--6--3--------------------------------
--------------------------3--6--------------6--3--------------------------
--------------------3--5--------------------------5--3--------------------
--------------3--5--------------------------------------5--3--------------
--------3--5--------------------------------------------------5--3--------
--3--6--------------------------------------------------------------6--3--

In the previous exercise, we played the G Minor Pentatonic, which starts from G. If we take the 2nd note from that scale, and use it to start the scale, then we end up with the 2nd Pentatonic scale mode.

Pentatonic mode 2
--------------------------------6--8--8--6--------------------------------
--------------------------6--8--------------8--6--------------------------
--------------------5--7--------------------------7--5--------------------
--------------5--8--------------------------------------8--5--------------
--------5--8--------------------------------------------------8--5--------
--6--8--------------------------------------------------------------8--6--

In this exercise, we continue the idea of Pentatonic modes, and start the scale from the 3rd note of the Pentatonic Minor scale

Pentatonic mode 3
--------------------------------8-10--10-8--------------------------------
--------------------------8-11--------------11-8--------------------------
--------------------7-10--------------------------10-7--------------------
--------------8-10--------------------------------------10-8--------------
--------8-10--------------------------------------------------10-8--------
--8-10--------------------------------------------------------------10-8--

We are almost done with out Pentatonic modes. Now we start from the 4th note of the G Pentatonic Minor and end up with the shape below.

Pentatonic mode 4
--------------------------------10-13-13-10--------------------------------
--------------------------11-13-------------13-11--------------------------
--------------------10-12-------------------------12-10--------------------
--------------10-12-------------------------------------12-10--------------
--------10-13-------------------------------------------------13-10--------
--10-13-------------------------------------------------------------13-10--

We have reached the end of the Pentatonic modes. This last mode is also known as the Pentatonic Major

Pentatonic mode 5 - Pentatonic Major
--------------------------------13-15-15-13--------------------------------
--------------------------13-15-------------15-13--------------------------
--------------------12-15-------------------------15-12--------------------
--------------12-15-------------------------------------15-12--------------
--------13-15-------------------------------------------------15-13--------
--13-15-------------------------------------------------------------15-13--

I hope this lesson helps you. This will help you alot when learning guitar. Helped me out so much. Check out my other lessons and tabs. Thank you. Any problems message me.

Comments

[sTarbuck]

I believe it's a Bb rather than an A# in G Minor Pentatonic?

[Myshadow46_2]

Well done, you've shown us some patterns.You've not been able to describe how the pentatonic minor scale is constructed and I would have thought that would have been a must for an article on the pentatonic minor scale.

and yes, it's a Bb not an A#. In fact I'm pretty sure the notes are G Bb C D F because you lose the 2nd and 6th scale degree from the natural minor scale.

[pigeonmafia]

The red notes? The green notes? I don't see no red nor green.

Other than that, mirroring what the above have said. Thanks for basic patterns, and its Bb no A#

[boogie_maan]

Myshadow46_2, i see that you are pretty harsh on simple lessons on UG. Not everybody is looking for some crazy structures and some complicated theory stuff. A kid that got borred of playng simple three chord rock tunes, and is starting out with solos and lead guitar could really learn something from this lesson. Chill out. All of us once learned this simple stuff from some lessons similar to this one.

[Myshadow46_2]

Simple lessons are often the best. However they need to be correct throughout and be clear. This lesson gives incorrect notes for the G pentatonic minor and doens't even mention how it is derived from the natural minor scale. It also advises that the blue's note will be highlighted, but the diagram doesn't even contain the notes, let alone highlight them.

It feels rushed and incomplete and I believe that if somebody learns something wrong it takes longer to relearn it than if they had learnt correctly in the first place.

So I'm not being harsh on simple lessons, just being critical of the content.