Guitar Lesson -- The Pentatonic Scale
The Pentatonic Scale is a 5 note (penta meaning 5) scale commonly used when playing guitar leads in popular music
. There are lots of other techniques and scales used when playing lead, but you hear this a lot.
Like all scales, a pentatonic scale has a "step" formula: 1 1/2 + 1 + 1 + 1 1/2. Here is one of the fingerings:
E-----1----------------4----
B-----1----------------4----
G-----1---------3-----------
D-----1---------3-----------
A-----1---------3-----------
E-----1----------------4----
The notes from bottom to top are: F Ab Bb C Eb F Ab Bb C Eb F Ab.
If you know the notes on your guitar, you can figure out the other forms up and down the neck.
This scale has two names -- depending on which note you start off from. If you start, or key off of the F, you will be playing an F minor pentatonic. If you key off of the Ab, you're playing an Ab major pentatonic. In this particular form, if you start with the 1st finger first fret on the 6th string, it will be Fm pentatonic. If you start with the 4th finger 4th fret 6th string, you have an Ab pentatonic.
So... On the 6th string (or on the 1st string), if you key off the 1st finger, your playing the minor pentatonic where THAT NOTE IS. If you key off of the 4th finger, you are playing the major pentatonic where THAT NOTE IS.
So this particular scale can be played against chord progressions in the key of Fm or the key of A major. But it can also be played against a progression in F major. This gives it a bit of a bluesy feel, though this is not a blues scale by definition.
To review, keying off of the 1st finger on the 6th or 1st string allows you to play against chord progressions in either F or Fm. Keying off the 4th finger puts you in Ab major.
Try playing this scale against these progressions so that you can hear the differences in character and style:
Fm Bbm C Fm
F Bb C F
Ab Db Eb Ab
This scale is movable by the chromatic scale, so if you think of this scale as a form and move it up 1 fret, your 1st finger key is now an F# / Gb, and your 4th finger key is now an A. If you don't know the chromatic scale, then take the trouble to learn it:
A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A etc...
The distance, or interval between each note is 1/2 step. The frets on your guitar are also 1/2 steps. Memorizing this scale will give you all of the notes on your fretboard.
You should move this form up and down the neck of your guitar and memorize all of your "key" placements so that you will be able to play in any key.
by: James Emery Vigh
Northern Soul Music - Dance Moves Plus Much More Guitar For Kids -- Wanna Be An On-stage Performer? Easy Guitar Songs For Beginners Guitar For Kids -- Wanna Be A Studio Musician? Guitar For Kids -- Wanna Play In An Orchestra Pit? Music And Children's Health Are Related A Family Event In The Mountains The Overlook Brasstown Music And Arts Festival 10 Essential Songs For Guitar Players To Learn Piano Teacher Resources Innovative, Fun And Effective Teaching Music : A Stable And A Noble Profession How Music Teaching Resources Can Help You Motivate Your Students Music Teacher Website : Going Beyond The Four Walls Of The Music Studio Top 5 Essential Songs To Learn On Piano