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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 

"Rock Scales" 

The Five Minor Pentatonic Scales

Lesson by
 Michael Chodosh

When I started playing guitar there was a big difference between how the guitar and other instruments sounded.  I discovered that the biggest part of that difference was in the scales that the players were using.

Most Guitar players (to this day) use only the first scale shown here.  They are all minor pentatonic scales, some people call them rock scales and some people call them blues scales.  A real blues scale has some sort of alteration in it like a flat five or a flat third with the rest of the scale usually being one of the major modes or even a major pentatonic.  Some schools refer to a blues scale as a minor pentatonic scale with a flat fifth added to it, making the scale contain eight notes.  I don't disagree with that or anyone's interpretation of a blues scale so for now, lets just call these rock scales since they are used extensively by rock players.

I suggest that you master the 1,6 minor Pentatonic Scale study before taking this lesson on.  It's included in this lesson and makes a great warm up for this lesson.

Also, I have used this particular lesson at many clinics and have had a great deal of success with it.  That is why I have compiled all five of the minor pentatonic scales into one lesson.  It's been proven to me that students who've at least mastered the 1,6 minor pentatonic scale can handle a lesson with all five at one time.  It isn't easy that way but it's a lot more fun!

In most rock videos the instructor refers to each scale using a number.  I did the same here at the beginning of each scale.  But I prefer using two numbers on each as this describes the scale more accurately.  To find the root, or the note that names the scale and shows you that you are in the correct key, you must put one of your fingers on that note.  The two numbers I use indicate: 
                    1st) Which finger is on the root note
                    2nd) Which string that note is on.  

So if the scale is a 1/6 rock scale in A,  that means that you need to put your first finger/ on the sixth string and find the note "A".  If  you do that you will be in the correct key and everyone will think that you truly rock.  Cool, huh?  Lets try it!

The Five "Rock Scales"

The first "rock scale".
(open position)
The 0/6 pentatonic scale.

The second "rock scale"
The 1/4 minor pentatonic scale.

0   0   0   0   0   0
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   | - 1st fret 
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   | 
|   2   2   2   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
3   |   |   |   3   3  - 3rd fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   | 
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+

6th string          1st string

+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   1   1   1   |   | 2nd
|   |   |   |   |   | fret
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
2   |   |   |   2   2 
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   3   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   4   4   |   4   4 5th
|   |   |   |   |   | fret
+---+---+---+---+---+

|                   |
6th string          1st string


The third rock scale
The 4/5 minor pentatonic scale.


The fourth rock scale.
The 1/5 minor pentatonic scale.

 

+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   1   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
2   2   2   |   1   1 5th  
|   |   |   |   |   | fret
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   4   4   4   |   3 7th
|   |   |   |   |   | Fret
+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   4   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|                   |
6th string          1st string

 

+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
1   1   1   1   |   1 7th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   2   | 
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   3   3   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   4   |   |   4   4 10th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|                   |
6th string          1st string

The fifth rock scale.
The 4/6 minor pentatonic scale.


The first "rock scale".
(at the 12th position)
The 1/6 minor pentatonic scale. 

  

+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   1   1   |   | 9th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
2   2   |   |   2   2  
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   4   4   4   4   4 12th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|                   |
6th string          1st string

+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
1   1   1   1   1   1 12th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
|   3   3   3   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |   |   |
4   |   |   |   4   4 15th fret
|   |   |   |   |   |
+---+---+---+---+---+

|                   |
6th string          1st string

Lets run them.  In each case we will play the scale starting with the root note, we will play to the highest note in that scale and then back down to the lowest note in the scale before returning to the root note.  If the lowest note in the scale is the root note we will just play up to the highest note and then back down to the root note.

  Em Open Pos                             
E:------------------------0-3-0----------------------
B:--------------------0-3-------3-0------------------
G:----------------0-2---------------2-0--------------
D:------------0-2-----------------------2-0----------
A:--------0-2-------------------------------2-0------
E:----0-3---------------------------------------3-0--

  Em 1/4 II Pos                    
E:-------------3-5-3---------------------------------
B:---------3-5-------5-3-----------------------------
G:-----2-4---------------4-2-------------------------
D:-2-5-----------------------5-2-------------2-------
A:-------------------------------5-2-----2-5---------
E:-----------------------------------5-3-------------

  Em 4/5 IV Pos/V Pos                               
E:---------------5-7-5-------------------------------
B:-----------5-8-------8-5---------------------------
G:-------4-7---------------7-4-----------------------
D:---5-7-----------------------7-5-------------------
A:-7-------------------------------7-5-------5-7-----
E:-------------------------------------7-5-7---------

                                 
  Em 1/5 VII Pos                               
E:------------------7-10-7---------------------------
B:-------------8-10--------10-8----------------------
G:---------7-9------------------9-7------------------
D:-----7-9--------------------------9-7--------------
A:-7-10---------------------------------10-7-------7-
E:------------------------------------------10-7-10--

   Em 4/6 IX Pos                               
E:---------------------10-12-10----------------------
B:----------------10-12--------12-10-----------------
G:------------9-12------------------12-9-------------
D:--------9-12--------------------------12-9---------
A:---10-12----------------------------------12-10----
E:-12---------------------------------------------12-

  Em 4/6                                
  E:-------------------------------------------------
  B:-------------------------------------------------
  G:-------------------------------------------------
  D:-------------------------------------------------
  A:-------------------------------------------------
  E:-10-12-------------------------------------------

 

   Em 1/6 XII Pos                              
E:--------------------------12-15-12-----------------
B:---------------------12-15--------15-12------------
G:----------------12-14------------------14-12-------
D:-----------12-14----------------------------14-12--
A:------12-14--------------------------------------14
E:-12-15---------------------------------------------

  Em 1/6                                
  E:-------------------------------------------------
  B:-------------------------------------------------
  G:-------------------------------------------------
  D:-------------------------------------------------
  A:-12----------------------------------------------
  E:---15-12-----------------------------------------

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

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