The “Secret” Pentatonic Shapes

  • Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 21:24
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  • 11 comments

The Minor Pentatonic scale is one of the most widely used scales in improvisation in every musical style so it makes sense to know it well all over the guitar neck. When it comes to moving beyond the first pattern learned (see my lesson on 4 Scales You Should Know) the next step is usually to introduce five overlapping patterns, each staying strictly in position on the neck. In reality, most Blues and Rock soloists connect these positions in very repeatable ways creating just two patterns that cover the entire neck. These are shown below in the key of A:



From the fingering you can see that you play these patterns with just two fingers, sliding every other string. I would recommend practicing these patterns descending as well, usually sliding back with the index finger.

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Update (8/11/10) – Video for this lesson is now available here: http://guitarteacher.com/2010/08/11/secret-pentatonic-patterns-video-guitar-lesson/

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  • elvis747

    SWEET THE PATTERN OF TWO NOTES THEN THREE NOTES ACROSS THE NECK MAKES IT EASY TO REMEMBER

    • http://www.guitarteacher.com Storm

      @elvis747 -
      The patterns fall real easy under the fingers, too!

  • Brian

    I have played off and on since I was 12. I’m 30 now. I never felt very comfortable improvising. I knew the five pentatonic scales but I felt so limited because I couldn’t run up and down the fretboard unless I thought about another scale form and jumped up to it.

    I just got done jamming to several backing tracks in different keys and these shapes you posted have single-handedly forever changed the way I will solo and improvise.

    No bullshit… this is the biggest revelation I’ve had in playing for a long time. Thank you so much!!!

  • http://www.hoogyweb.com Travis

    I love this method and have used it for years now.

    If you guys like this diagonal pattern, I have a similar method for ALL 7 POSITIONS of the major scale, and subsequently, all the modes. It’s on my website.

    http://www.hoogyweb.com/2007/08/26/travs-super-duper-diagonal-scale-method/

    Let me know what you think.

  • Jack

    This is no big secret. Look closely at them. Look familiar? This is a speedy and convenient way to get from one pentatonic/Blues “box” position to the others smoothly. But thanks for posting this–I swear I played guitar for 5 years (back in the days before teh Interwebs and the tablatures) before I figured this out on my own. My advice would be to practice the holy crap out of this–at first just hit all the notes accurately. Then start messing with them trying to do musical things. You’ll be surprised how many legendary guitar solos and fills are played using this same map. I believe just about any scale you would want to use could be mapped out this way if you thought about it. But this is the king of versatility right here.

  • http://www.guitarteacher.com Storm

    @Jack: I don’t know how much of a ‘secret’ these are, either. It just made for a catchy title. And I think you’re right. Learning famous solos show how separate patterns are connected in real-world soloing. I think I will do some lessons on that subject, more licks. Thanks!

  • bluesmike

    this is pretty helpful thanks… i was wondering if there is a lesson out there that teaches one how to switch between minor and major pentetonic in 12 bar format.. that style of B.B.King and Buddy Guy that is so pleasing to the ear when switching between the IV and the V

  • http://www.fullbirdmusic.com/blog fullbirdmusic

    @bluesmike

    You can change from minor pentatonic to major in the same key by taking the most-used box pattern of the pentatonic scale from the minor key position, moving it down three frets and changing the root. Very cool and is used by Billy Gibbons, Angus Young, Joe Perry, and many other rock guitarists. Cheers.

    PS: look up the “BB box” and you will find a lesson like that. On the treble strings, where it switches from 2 notes per string to 3 is where it lies.

  • http://www.guitarteacher.com Storm

    @bluesmike: As a quick tip, stay on the Major Pentatonic for the I chord and then switch to the Minor Pentatonic for the IV and V chords. I should post a lesson on this shortly. Look out for it!

    @fullbirdmusic: Right. That move works with any Minor Pentatonic pattern. I think it help to learn the Major Pentatonic patterns overlapping the Minor Pentatonic, too. Allows you to switch between scales more smoothly.

    The “BB box” also includes the 4th scale tone. Not a true Major Pentatonic.

  • David K

    Another cool thing about these patterns is that the so called “blue” notes – the flat 5s – are all in the middle of the slides.  Makes for a nice triplet feel if you slow down through some of those slides.

  • Matt

    Thanks for this!  This lesson really broke me out of my “5 pattern” routine!!!

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