Today we’re going to learn the A minor pentatonic scale, which consists of the notes A C D E and G (no sharps or flats).
Before we get to the fingering positions, remember that scales must be practiced slowly and intentionally from the very beginning. You want to get them 100% right from the start to prevent picking up bad habits. So don’t rush. Start slow, build up slow.
Ok, let’s walk through the fingering for the first position (or form) of Am pentatonic (starting on the 5th fret of the low E string):
The index finger does all 5th fret fretting, the middle finger does all 7th fret fretting, and the little finger does all 8th fret fretting. Hopefully your little finger doesn’t have the same tendency to either totally curl up (maybe to get out of the way of the other fingers?) like mine, or spaz out and straighten when I try to press down.
The order in which you play the finger positions goes:
- low E string index finger position, then little finger position
- A string index finger position, then middle finger position
- D string same positions as for A string
- G string same positions as for A string
- B string same positions as for low E string
- high E string same positions as for low E string
Now reverse the whole thing. That’s it! You’ve played a scale. Mazel tov.
Since we already learned where all the notes are on the fretboard, it may be obvious to you that applying this same shape will enable you to play any minor pentatonic scale (i.e. in any key) by just changing the fret on which you start. The same position moved one fret up (pitch-wise) plays the next key’s scale.
In addition, this same position can also be applied starting on an open E string (i.e. key of E minor), in which case you just play open strings instead of the 1st finger positions, so it’s even easier. Try it out. In the key of Em, the five notes of the scale are: E G A B D (no sharps or flats).
Now go practice. Until your roommates duct-tape your hands in your sleep to get you to stop practicing. Hopefully at that point you’ll be playing a pretty good pentatonic scale. And you’ll be ready to use it to improvise a guitar solo (it’s true). Here’s a slow rock-blues backing track in A minor to get you started.
Using a universally-tuned guitar, play your Am pentatonic scale over the backing track in time to the beat. Sounds pretty good, right? But you’re impatient. How do you get from there to improvisation, I hear you asking. Ok, here are the steps. Play the scale over the backing track again:
(1) first in time to the beat, then at half-speed, then at double-speed
(2) in a different rhythm, maybe with a pause after the first note, then after every third note
(3) with some notes skipped out
(4) with some notes repeated
(5) including some (right-sounding) notes from outside Am pentatonic (e.g. from just below or above your fret positions)
Now put all of that together in a way that sounds good to you, and you’re jamming. Feels good, right? Keep going. Find some other backing tracks you like, maybe in different keys, and see what you can do.
Let me know how it’s going! Tweet at me (@acnotesblog), find me on Facebook, or leave a comment below. In the next theory tutorial, we’ll use scales to understand how chords are built.
Until then: happy playing!
P.S. Bonus song of the day: Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard
If you like Pour Some Sugar on Me, consider helping to support Acoustic Notes by getting it here
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