The pentatonic scale on the guitar is a special type of scale, consisting of 5 steps of the main scale.

Any simple major or minor scale will contain 7 steps (according to the number of incoming notes), and only 5 steps will be used in the pentatonic scale, respectively, 5 notes of the major or minor scale.

When it comes to the pentatonic scale, it doesn’t really make sense to talk about minor or major, since the pentatonic scale is quite original and is used in many musical styles guitar game.

The pentatonic scale is an integral part of blues, jazz, country and can be played in rock music, pop songs, funk, rap and even metal.

Here is such a wonderful range, which is always and everywhere used.

Now we invite readers-musicians of the site to get acquainted with the training video from a beautiful girl - Nina Yakimenko.

If you wish, you could also purchase her tutorial or search for other videos on the channel.

Pentatonic on the guitar: sheet music and tabs. How to play the pentatonic scale

1. The first example both in the video and in the tablature is the pentatonic scale from the note LA (sixth string - fifth fret), which is played in the second position.

In this case, the first note LA on the sixth string is played with the little finger.

The position of your fingers while playing should remain constant and stable. The fingers can move up and down the frets, but do not move left or right.

Each finger has its own fret, on which it plays all the falling notes.

Setting in the second position (position name from the name of the lowest fret of the guitar) is as follows:

- second fret fretboard - index finger;
- third fret - middle finger;
- fourth fret - ring finger;
- fifth fret - little finger.

This position of the fingers must remain constant until you change position. In the Guitar Pro tabs that you download from our site, this is the first group of notes.

2. Now we play the same pentatonic notes (5 notes without semitones), only in the fifth position.

The position number for the hand is the number of the lowest fret on the guitar that is pressed down with your fingers.

We do not go below the 5th guitar fret here, which means that this is the fifth position on the fretboard.

The setting of the fingers for playing the pentatonic scale LA in the fifth position is as follows:

- fifth fret - index finger;
- sixth fret - middle finger (it should be in its own fret even when it does not clamp any strings);
- seventh fret - ring finger;
- eighth fret - little finger.

3. The next 2 groups of notes are pentatonic guitar exercises that are shown in the video.

Here, in fact, you play the same notes from the pentatonic scale from the note LA, only you constantly return one previous step back.

Download tablature and understand everything yourself. The same course of the training exercise is accessible and clearly shown in the video. There is nothing complicated here.

IMPORTANT: When you play scales or exercises, make sure to make a minimum of unnecessary movements.

For example, keep your fingers always on your strings and your frets, even if the notes on them at a certain moment do not sound.

Don't fidget around the frets, play everything in one or another specific position. Do not carry alone index finger along the string from the first to the twelfth fret - you have other fingers for this!

IMPORTANT: If you are just learning how to play, be sure to use a metronome.

Guitar Pro 5 (which you'll need to open our sheet music and tabs) has a built-in metronome and you need to use it.

Also in this program, in a couple of minutes, you can sketch out the simplest rhythmic drum part, or at least accentuate strong beats (we registered the beats of the proposed metronome).

IMPORTANT: Start at low speeds until you can play all the notes in the correct positions. Then the tempo of the metronome can and should be increased, developing the technique and speed of your playing.

Here it is also necessary to say that the notes of the pentatonic scale should be taken exclusively from the notes of your scale. In A minor and C major, there are no sharps or flats in the key.

Here all these notes will sound as they should. If you want to play with the pentatonic scale, for example, E minor, you will have to take notes from the same MI scale.

In general, in terms of pentatonic scale, you can say a lot, a lot more, but the basics from this video exercise will be enough for now.

The pentatonic scale will be discussed in more detail in other exercises of the site and in the "elementary theory" section.

Brief preface: my reader (and very talented) still did not quite understand a few points from video #2. Conclusion. These points may be important forother aspiring musicians…
——————-
Alina!
That is, you yourself did not have the feeling that some notes sound unstable, right?
Here, listen.
In any scale there are strong (as they are correctly called - "sustainable") notes. And the notes are unstable.
Unstable notes cause attraction to stable ones.

Well, it's like in life - people with a "weak core" are drawn to the strong. So you understand better?

And the transition from a weak, unstable note to a strong, stable note is called resolution.
The whole point of improvisation—and melody writing in general—is to evoke gravity and resolve it.

And now - concise answers to your questions.

What does "accompaniment chord changed" mean?
- How are you, you probably know, the chords in the accompaniment change. In my example, the A minor chord has changed to a D minor chord.

What does it mean "the main tone has changed, the la has turned from the tonic into a quart"?
- Each chord has its own root tone (the tonic in the scale from which the chord is built). That is, La changed to Re.

A chord is made up of three notes. Minor from a minor triad. Major from a major triad.
Here are the three sounds. Tonic, third step and fifth step.
With tonics - figured it out. What are the third and fifth steps?

Do you remember the scale Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si -? This is the major scale. More precisely C-major scale.
A C major chord will consist of Do (root), Mi (third note in the scale), and Sol (fifth note in the scale)

No matter how many fingers you put on the strings, this triad should sound in a C-major chord - Do-Mi-Sol
(I don’t take four-note chords now - seventh chords, only ordinary ones)

The A minor chord is built from the A minor scale. There she is:
La-Si-Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol
From what sounds?

That's right - from the first, third and fifth.

This is La, Do, Mi.

The D minor chord (which was replaced by the A minor in the accompaniment) is built on the D minor scale
There she is:
Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si flat-Do

D minor chord - 1,3 and 5 notes -
Re - Fa - La By the way, they are also called differently
Tonic - Tertia - Quinta (by the name of the INTERVALS from the tonic)

Look.
In the accompaniment, we play first in A minor
La - Do - Mi,
and then D minor
Re-Fa-La

"What does it mean" the main tone has changed, the la has turned from the tonic into a quart "???"
- In the first case (when the chord is La), the note La comes first. She is a tonic.
In the second case (in the second line, where the chord is D minor) - the note La comes fifth.
She is a quint.

Tonic and fifth are not equivalent steps. Let them both be stable, but Tonic is always more important.
Therefore, although we did not change the improvisation note, but during the change of the accompaniment chord, it changed its role. From the tonic - the most important - it turned into a fifth (in relation to the note Re) - an important, stable, but still secondary note.

"What does it mean to beat a D chord with an A pentatonic scale?"
- Here look.
By the way, why the pentatonic scale at all? There the scale is short, easy to remember, easy to play, and stable notes - there are three out of five. Everyone is easier to understand.
So…
Our chord is in D minor. And we play the pentatonic scale, built on the A-minor scale. That is, we do not start playing another pentatonic scale built from the note Re. Not! We use all the same!! We don't need a new one (yet)

And that's why.
A-minor scale:
La-Si-Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol

Pentatonic A (minor)
La-Do-Re-Mi-Sol (no Si and Fa)

D minor scale:
Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si flat - Do

Pentatonic D (minor)
Re-Fa-Sol-La-Do (no Si and Mi)

Let's compare them, penatonics:
La-Do-Re-Mi-Sol - in La
Re-Fa-Sol-La-Do - in Re

The notes of La, Re, Sol, Do coincide - 4 notes out of five !!!
Therefore, D minor can be played with the A minor pentatonic scale.
But at the same time (as we have already said), the same notes will have a different meaning.

They will be different STAGES and will sound different!

In addition to the common seven-step frets that we examined in, quite often you can also find a fret consisting of five notes. It's called the pentatonic scale. And today we will talk about the types of pentatonic scale, the principles of its structure, how it is played on the guitar, and also give examples where this mode can be heard.

Types of pentatonic

1. Semitone Pentatonic. It is not in vain that it received such a name, since the distance between two notes will be just a semitone. You can give such an example of construction: “si-do-mi-fa-sol”. Surely you have noticed that the distance between "si-do" is equal to a semitone, as well as the distance between "mi-fa". This type of pentatonic scale can often be heard in Japanese music. For example, folk work"Sakura" is a prime example.

Sakura (Japanese folk song)

2. Non-semitone pentatonic. One of the most common types. The sounds of this pentatonic scale can go in pure fifths. By the way, if you have forgotten information about the main musical intervals, you can read about them. It should be noted right away that the distance between adjacent notes can only be in the form of a major second or a minor third. This is the main rule! Surely you have noticed that in this type of pentatonic scale there are no small seconds. That is why there is no modal gravity, and there is no tonal center. used this species in rock music, in pop music and in the blues of European countries. Let's give an example: "sol-la-si-re-mi".
3. Mixed pentatonic. It is formed by combining semitone pentatonic and non-semitone pentatonic. Let's give an example: "la-si-re-mi-fa".
4. Tempered Pentatonic. It is represented by the Indonesian scale slendro. There will be no tones or semitones. Example: "do-re sharp-fa sharp-la-do".

Major and minor pentatonic

Now we will focus on subspecies of non-semitone pentatonic scale. Their sound is similar to the usual major and minor for us, which is why they got such a name.

• Major Pentatonic. The difference from the natural major is the absence of the fourth and seventh steps. Let's give an example: "do-re-mi-sol-la." The construction formula is very simple: major second/major second/minor third/major second. Remember this method and you will be able to build a pentatonic scale from any note on the guitar. In its composition, the pentatonic scale has a major triad: “do-mi-sol”. Therefore, the sound is very close to the usual major for us.
• Minor Pentatonic. It sounds like a natural minor, only without the second and sixth steps. It also has a minor triad in its composition. Let's give an example: "la-do-re-mi-sol." We build according to the following formula: minor third / major second / major second / minor third.

Pentatonic scale in Chinese music

Scientists believe that the pentatonic scale first appeared in China. Even earlier than 221 BC, there is evidence of the existence of this mode. Later, two sounds were added to the Chinese pentatonic scale and the well-known seven-step frets were built. However, the pentatonic steps have been preserved, have come down to our time and allow you to get interesting sounds during improvisation.

Jasmine flower (traditional Chinese music)

For the Chinese, the pentatonic scale is not just a mode, but a whole philosophy. It is believed that when you press any note, we hear not one sound, but as many as five. It's overtones all around given sound. In fact, there are many, however, our ear can only pick up five overtones. Therefore, the Chinese considered this number sacred and the pentatonic scale, which also consists of five notes, is the most important mode for them.

Pentatonic guitar

Now we will analyze how to play the pentatonic scale on the guitar. In order to improvise in the major or minor pentatonic scale, you need to practice a lot. To begin with, we will determine what fingering we will play. Each finger will be responsible for the note in its own way. Very simple: four fingers - four frets. In this way, you will play position, which in this situation is a very useful and correct decision.

Play the pentatonic scale from the lowest note first, working up to the highest, and vice versa. If you perfectly master this exercise, you can move on to more complex variations. Play in eighth notes at first, and with more experience, change durations.

Minor pentatonic scale on guitar

The pentatonic scale allows you to diversify the solo of any guitarist with interesting sounds. The blues pentatonic scale will also serve as an interesting example and will teach every guitarist a bright improvisation. The use of the pentatonic scale can be seen in rock music and jazz.

It is believed that the pentatonic scale on the guitar is one of the most common and simple frets. However, in order to really skillfully and interestingly improvise using the pentatonic scale, it will take a long time of training and practice.

Pentatonic - a sound system containing five steps within one octave, arranged in major seconds and minor thirds. The pentatonic scale can also be understood as an incomplete diatonic series.

The major pentatonic scale is a natural major scale without the 4th and 7th steps.

The minor pentatonic scale is a natural minor scale without the 2nd and 6th steps.

For clarity, let's depict the receipt of major and minor pentatonic in the diagram:

In addition, if we exclude the 4th and 7th steps from any major diatonic mode, and the 2nd and 6th steps from the minor one, then we will also get the major and minor pentatonic scales, respectively:

Ionian major:	Lydian major:	Mixolydian major:
4,7	#4, 7	4, 7
Major pentatonic scale

Aeolian minor:	Dorian Minor:	Phrygian minor:
2, 6	2, 6	2, 6
Minor pentatonic scale

Thus we have the following formulas major and minor pentatonic:

major:	IIIIIIVVI
minor:	IIIIVVVII

Below are 2 fingerings of the major and minor pentatonic scales on the guitar neck (these fingering forms do not take into account the shift of 1/2 tone on the upper strings, i.e. on the 1st and 2nd) for playing in one position:

For clarity, we will depict these fingerings with the designation of the steps of the pentatonic scale:

If we combine the right and left fingerings, we get the fingerings for playing in one position on all six strings:

Pay attention to the position of the tonic of the parallel major pentatonic scale in the minor one - here it is convenient, using the octave system, to project the combined fingering of the parallel pentatonic scales onto the fingerboard. Despite the fact that the pentatonic scale is a fairly simple scale, in which there are only five notes within an octave, this combined scheme helps to better navigate the fretboard:

Well, now let's go beyond one position and "apply" the pentatonic scale to the entire fretboard. To begin with, it is worth noting that, for certain reasons, among guitarists, the most common minor pentatonic scale, so we, depicting the pentatonic scale on the entire fretboard, will choose the minor one and show it from the first fret of the sixth string, i.e. our pentatonic scale will be in the key of Fm. We also depict a parallel major - A:

And it’s better to start studying the pentatonic scale in practice, after all, in the key of C-major and parallel to it, Am-minor. To do this, the above schemes simply need to be moved to the desired position:

And finally, let's see which notes "hit" the C/Am pentatonic scale:

To play the pentatonic scale along the entire neck, it is convenient to consider it in the form of boxes.

Just as diatonic modes exist in pairs (minor and major), so the major pentatonic scale corresponds to a parallel minor, which is built from the fifth degree of the major, and to the minor corresponds to a parallel major, which is built from the second degree of the minor. That is, the structural scheme of the major and minor pentatonic is the same, the reference (tonic) sound changes. More clearly in the diagram:

Because within the natural major there are 3 pairs of frets - major and minor (diatonic) modes parallel to them, then on the steps of the natural major mode you can build 3 pairs of pentatonic scales - major and minor parallel to them. Moreover, all pentatonic scales built on the steps of the natural major scale have the same fingering structure. Those. to each major scale corresponds to the major pentatonic scale with the IIIIIIVVI structure, and each minor scale corresponds to the minor pentatonic scale IIIIIVVVII. Let's take a look at the example of three-string fingerings:

The pentatonic scale is the most commonly used scale in the blues. Here it is often found with "blues" or "blue" notes (blue notes). Blues notes - these are chromatic III, V, VII steps in the major scale. This is how the major and minor pentatonic scales will look like with the added third degree in major (it is also the fifth degree in minor):

The diagram clearly shows that in major III and in minor V - this is the same note. Now let's note the blues note in the major and minor pentatonic fingerings, for playing in one position:

We will also supplement the step fingering:

The blues note is the opening tone to the second or third degree in a major pentatonic scale (or to the fourth or fifth in a minor).

In fingerings for playing in one position on all six strings, including in boxes, the greatest interest represent those areas of the fingering in which the blues note is on the same string with adjacent steps. Then these three notes are played with the fingers 1-2-3:

This is due to the ability to apply various playing techniques - vibrato, slides, bend, hamer-ons and breakdowns, etc. - in a comfortable position. This is especially reflected in the out-of-box pentatonic fingerings (see below). Also note the characteristic placement of these three notes on the fretboard relative to the tonics of major and minor:

Let's supplement the standard pentatonic fingerings with blues notes:

Let's write out our example with the pentatonic scale on the entire fretboard for the key Fm and parallel A, but with a blue note:

Also note the blues note in the C/Am pentatonic example:

All C/Am pentatonic notes with a blue note:

In the blues, the major harmony is often played with the minor pentatonic scale, hence these "blue" notes appear in the major scale. Blues-note pentatonic scales can also be represented as boxes.

The following are quite commonly used out-of-box fingerings of the pentatonic scale in its pure form and with the blues III note (aka V in minor):

Let's combine these fingerings into one:

When playing exercises built on the pentatonic scale, do not forget to add "blues" notes. In principle, studying the pentatonic fingering schemes, you can immediately memorize them with a blues note.

The following schemes are the game of the pentatonic scale in the system of octave positions, which are formed by filling in the steps of the pentatonic scale of one of the five octave positions. This is the same technique that was considered for triads and seventh chords.

Even if you really didn’t want to study pentatonic, but with this fatal reluctance, you would really like to come up with cool solos on acoustic or electric guitar, sooner or later you would still get to know her. It's unavoidable. Why?

The pentatonic scale on the guitar - was, is and will be, because ...

It is difficult to say which of the famous guitarists, and what are the famous ones, all guitarists, as well as keyboardists, bassists and other musical fraternity (except drummers of course) do not use pentatonic scales; improvisation without a pentatonic scale in such styles as blues and rock is a difficult thing to imagine in principle.

In particular, for six-string guitar The pentatonic scale opens up unlimited possibilities. Again, the great string maestros are proof of that. Eric Clapton, for example, manages to produce an uncountable number of melodic phrases over the course of eleven measures in one box, and one does not resemble the other. Yngwie Malmsteen: no matter how high-speed passages he “shoots”, he still makes room for the canonical five-step scale (his composition Magic Mirror is one of the many striking examples). And Ritchie Blackmore, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page? Well, about these gurus, in general, as they say, no comments.

If you don’t know how to play the pentatonic scale on the guitar, but want to become a cool guitarist, be sure to start learning it. It is a powerful, indestructible foundation of the musical temple, called "Fundamentals of Improvisation".

The motives of knowledge are voiced, the excursion is over. Pick up the guitar - it's time to start!

Brief theoretical introduction

So, the pentatonic scale is a five-step mode. That is, unlike diatonic scales, it consists not of seven, but of five sounds. This, in fact, is all its power. AT ancient China(just think!), in the 7th century, it was elevated to the status of a philosophical postulate: each note of the scale meant a certain magical effect on society. Or maybe there really is “it” in it, who knows how it was there and how it is now ... 🙂

There are major and minor pentatonic scales. Let's look at the formulas in detail:

That is, if the II and bVI steps are removed from the natural minor scale, the minor pentatonic scale is obtained. For example, from A (la) it will be: la (I) - to (III) - re (IV) - mi (V) - G (VII).

Now the major pentatonic scale on the guitar is like that.

The C major pentatonic scale can be obtained by removing from the natural C major scale IV and VII steps. Accordingly, its formula is: I (do) - II (re) - III (mi) - V (sol) - VI (la).

Please note that the C major and A minor pentatonic scales consist of the same sounds, but at the same time they have a different interval structure. That is, they are subject to the rule of paired keys major-minor, which have the same number of accidentals in the key.

For example:

• C major - A minor
• G major - E minor (F sharp)
• D major - B minor (F, C sharp), etc.

It turns out that the pentatonic boxes on the guitar regarding this property are universal. In other words, the C major and A minor pentatonic scales have the same fingering on the fretboard. However, the location of the tonal center and other steps are different from each other.

Minor:

Major:

For example, the first sound La in box V position relative to major (C) - sixth (6), an unstable step, and relative to the minor (Am) - this is the 1st degree, tonic (T).

Listen to how the scale sounds in the same box on a C chord

and to Am7 chord(A minor seventh chord):

Accordingly, the tonal gravitation is different. If figuratively - there is a contrast of mood.

Let's take a closer look at how the minor pentatonic scale is played on the guitar. That is, we will study the fingerings relative to Am - the tonal center A (la).

Workshops

You can play the exercises below both under the metronome and under the backing track that sounds in the audio examples. This is already as you like, although playing the pentatonic scale to the accompaniment is more interesting - more musicality appears in the lessons, but at the same time, the performing technique develops.

Download backing tracks at 50 BPM:

II position (from VII step)

Playing the pentatonic scale in the second position starts from the note G (sixth string, 3rd fret).

This and all subsequent examples are played with an alternating mediator stroke (up / down) at a tempo of 50 beats per minute - two sounds per string. Near each note is a number - it indicates which finger to press the string.

The pentatonic scale on the guitar can also be played in another "fingering".

The accompaniment sounds one single chord - Am7 (A minor seventh chord). Listen to how Ex.1 is played:

And now take apart the tabs/notes of Ex.1 and try to play in sync with the recording, and then under the minus.

In the process of playing, comprehend each extracted sound, i.e. what note and what degree of fret sounds in this moment. Listen to the sound of steps in relation to the chord (in this case to Am): I (la - tonic), III (do - small third), V (mi - fifth) - stable tones; but IV (re - quart) and VII (septim) sound more intense. Acquire the skill of auditory perception, without it, improvisation is nowhere.

Perhaps at first it will seem incredibly difficult for you to play and think in sync, to listen to every sound. But, believe me, these efforts will pay off handsomely. You study the location of notes on the fretboard, train by ear to determine the tonal gravity of steps, and, of course, develop finger fluency. The effectiveness of the lesson increases significantly.

Do not rush to take on the analysis of a new box without mastering the previous one. Studying the pentatonic boxes on the guitar on the principle of "galloping through Europe", in essence, you will be left with nothing - as a result, "clumsy" sound production and a vague idea of ​​fingerings.

Use this sequence of analysis of the exercise, also when mastering subsequent positions.

V position (box from the tonic of a minor chord, I steps)

A very, very favorite fingering by all guitarists in the world. Perhaps you have already come across tablature with the use of this box more than once or twice.

Now exercise:

We understand, we listen, we play:

VII position (from bIII step)

Within the first three strings This fingering has built an incredible amount of beautiful blues clichés. (Just in case, one more moment of motivation, if for some reason you start to cool down to the pentatonic scale on the guitar. 🙂)

Fingering (played from note Do):

Tabs/Notes Ex.3

Audio example:

IX position (from IV step)

Fingering (built from Re):

Tabs/Notes Ex.4

Audio example:

XII position (from the V step)

Fingering (built from Mi):

Tabs/Notes Ex.5

Having mastered all the pentatonic boxes, or selectively, one of the boxes, play them on a major chord - C (download the backing track for the lesson -). In the same way, analyze the location of the steps on the fingering (see the diagram at the beginning of the article). The structure of the major pentatonic scale: I - II - III - V - VI(if in C major, these are the notes - do - re - mi - sol - la). Do not forget, do not confuse with the minor.

Fruitful work for you!

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