KNOW HOW - PENTATONIC SCALE FINGER PATTERNS

POSITION 2 - A Major, F# Minor POSITION 4

POSITION 1 - A Major, F# Minor Pentatonic
POSITION 3 - A Major, F# minor
Key finger positions
Use these patterns to play major or minor
Pentatonic scales. The root notes (Green =
Major Pentatonic, Magenta = Minor
Pentatonic) in each pattern relate to the
chosen scale. Note how the patterns from 1
to 5 interlock with each other. Pattern 5 links
POSITION 5 with pattern 1 to continue the chain.

FIRST POSITION PATTERN - Pentatonic scale root on A - Minor Pentatonic scale root on F#
1 4
1 4
1 3
1 3
1 3
1 4
0 1 2 3 4 5
SECOND POSITION PATTERN - Pentatonic scale root on G - Minor Pentatonic scale root on E
2 4
2 4
1 3
1 4
1 4
2 4
6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

THIRD POSITION PATTERN - Pentatonic scale root on E - Minor Pentatonic scale root on C#
1 3
1 4
1 4
2 4
2 4
2 4
0 1 2 3 4 5
FOURTH POSITION PATTERN - Pentatonic scale root on D - Minor Pentatonic scale root on B
1 4
2 4
1 3
1 3
1 4
1 4
6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

FIFTH POSITION PATTERN - Pentatonic scale root on C - Minor Pentatonic scale root on A
2 4
2 4
1 4
1 4
2 4
2 4
0 1 2 3 4 5
Practice makes perfect
Major Pentatonic Scales are played across the neck
Root note
moving from string to string. Practice
the scales by playing up and down
Minor Pentatonic the scale in one even motion. The
Root note scale in each pattern is played from
1 the lowest note on the sixth string to
Scale note with
the highest note on the first string
finger position and then back again.
6
Try to maintain your hand position
and note the finger positions. Also
practice linking into adjacent patterns
or skipping a pattern into a new
position.
Once you have become familiar with
the patterns you will find it much
easier to improvise melody and solos.

www.musigital.com © 2019 Musigital