The Minor Pentatonic

The way I remember the Pentatonic Scale is by remembering the 5 Shapes and giving them rememberable names. (The following Scales are in E Minor)

Shape 1

G|-0-2-|
D|-0-2-|
A|-0-2-|
E|-0-3-|

Give it a unique Name.


Shape 2


G|-2-4-|
D|-2-5-|
A|-2-5-|
E|-3-5-|

Shape 3 (Quite a similar pattern to Shape 1)

G|-4-7-|
D|-5-7-|
A|-5-7-|
E|-5-7-|

Shape 4

G|-7-9--|
D|-7-9--|
A|-7-10-|
E|-7-10-|

Shape 5

G|-9--12-|
D|-9--12-|
A|-10-12-|
E|-10-12-|

Improvising

The Minor Pentatonic May be used for Improvising and possibly Soloing. Making it a good thing to use. You may have noticed I stopped at the Twelth Fret. that's because there are only 12 Notes...

E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C, C# D, D#.

To go higher, just repeat those shapes. Also remember that these shapes are in the Key of Emin. To go to G for example, Shape 1 starts on the 3rd Fret, and the rest of the shapes follow after (and repeat behind)

Here are all the Frets you can use using the Shapes.

G|-0-2-4-7--9-12-|
D|-0-2-5-7--9-12-|
A|-0-2-5-7-10-12-|
E|-0-3-5-7-10-12-|

So that means the notes you can use are...


E, G, A, B, D.

Remember to practice those Scales, try improvising with the Pentatonic and enjoy!