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Scales The 1,6 minor 
Pentatonic Scale
Rock Scales The Open 
Pos C 
Scale
The II
  Pos C 
Scale
The V 
Pos C 
Scale
The VII
Pos C
Scale 

 

THE "1,6" MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE  
(the first "rock" scale)

Lesson by 
Michael Chodosh

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You will probably wonder why this scale is repeated in the "Rock Scales" lesson which follows.  Sometimes it's better to get used to a type of study by taking on a smaller amount before going on to the harder study also, most guitar players use this scale a great deal and not a lot of the other four scales.  So, I believe that you will get a quicker sense of satisfaction and a lower dose of frustration if we just start you off with this one scale.  Once you have mastered it, please go on to the rock scale studies and get the rest.  Yes, I could have broken each of the other four scales into their own study but you probably would get bored with that since they are pretty easy to master once you've tackled one of them.  Let me know what you think!

This is  a chord/scale diagram of the "A" minor pentatonic scale.  Picture a head stock at the top of this diagram and you should be able to see where to place your fingers, but note that you would be five frets higher, or five frets toward the body of the guitar.
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
1   1   1   1   1   1-
5th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |-6th
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   3   3   3   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |-7th
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   |   |   |   4   4
|   |   |   |   |   |-8th
+---+---+---+---+---+
6th                 1st
string              string

SETTING UP YOUR HAND:

Line up your four fingers on your left hand to the four frets on the guitar starting at the fifth fret. The reason you're putting your first finger at the fifth fret is that we are going to start with the note "A" at that fret on the sixth string (the thickest string) which is the lowest sounding ROOT note to this scale.

NOTE: Some people call this the "# 1" minor pentatonic scale and some others refer to it as the "#2" minor pentatonic scale. I don't care what you call it as long as you understand that I am calling this the "1,6" minor pentatonic scale to indicate that the ROOT TO THE SCALE IS FOUND UNDER THE FIRST FINGER AT THE SIXTH STRING, ie. THE 1,6 minor pentatonic scale.

DIRECTIONS: 

We will start with the lowest SOUNDING note of the scale and play up to the highest SOUNDING note and then back down to the original note for this particular exercise. 

OK, got your fingers lined up to the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th frets? For now, keep your thumb arched and below the neck. Use your finger tips to play each note.

As you place your finger on the desired fret and string play the string with your right hand using either a pick, your thumb or one of your fingers. Remember, each string will produce two separately played notes. First play the note under one finger and then play the note under the next before moving on to the next string. 

Play  only one note at a time, as follows: 

  •     6th string (the fattest) : 1st finger, 4th finger
  •     5th string : 1st finger, 3rd finger
  •     4th string : 1st finger, 3rd finger
  •     3rd string : 1st finger, 3rd finger
  •     2nd string : 1st finger, 4th finger
  •     1st string (the thinnest) : 1st finger, 4th finger.

    Now, reverse the process and play the scale all the way back to the starting note.

 

  • Below is the same scale written in what I call "cyber-tab" which is tablature as seen on cyber space.

    E:---------------------5-8-5-------------------------

    B:-----------------5-8-------8-5---------------------
    G:-------------5-7---------------7-5-----------------
    D:---------5-7-----------------------7-5-------------
    A:-----5-7-------------------------------7-5---------
    E:-5-8---------------------------------------8-5-----

This is the most commonly used form of the most played scale for all styles of rock and for blues on the guitar. Practice it as much as you can and you will get good at it! Remember that even your favorite player started out where you did. If you stay with it and practice hard (lots of repetition) you will be a great player! 

Achieve that dream!
Lesson Information: lessons@chodoshguitar.com 
Other questions and comments: mailto:info@chodoshguitar.com

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