GUITARIST TOOLBOX : Minor pentatonic scale (Beginners)

The easiest way to improvise and
The best way to start as a beginner.

Here are the five main fingerings for the minor pentatonic scale. 61/53/51/64/41 are positions, they all are the same scale at different places through the neck. 61 means you should start the position from the sixth string with your first finger (index).

Unlike the major scale and the minor scale (that contains up to seven notes) pentatonic only contains five. On the picture you might notice that there's more than five notes, it's because the scale repeat itself multiple times trought the neck.

Blank notes are starting points for the scale, it's basically be the same note as the tonality in which you want to improvise. If you're playing on a backing track in A minor then all the blank notes should be A's and in that case you would use the 61 position at the fifth fret.

Triangles are "blue notes", you can turn a minor pentatonic scale in a minor blues scale just by adding these notes. The "blue note" is an optionnal passing note, it can sound weird if you play it for too long.

You can now search for a "Guitar backing track in A minor" or in another tonality on youtube and then test your abilities! Comment bellow if you have any question.

Laurent