Hello, how're you doing? Justin here.
In this lesson today we're going to be checking out the minor pentatonic scale.
Now, I don't want you to get scared. I know, scales kinda sound like they're gonna be nasty
and really boring but actually scales are pretty damn cool.
And the reason that scales are cool is
because they teach you the notes that you can use when you improvise.
So what we're gonna be doing now is checking out this very first scale called the minor pentatonic scale
and it's the scale that most guitar players learn first and for a lot of guitar players it's the only scale
they ever learn. It's got a lot of mileage. You use it for Blues and Rock and even in Jazz and Country.
It's a really, really useful, excellent sounding scale and one that you'll use
and for as long as you play guitar you'll be using this scale.
So, what we're gonna do is, we're gonna learn it just to play it up and down
and work on making sure that we've got our fingers stretched out right.
Now, if you've been doing the preparation exercices properly that I've told you about,
about, you know, working your fingers up and down and picking the strings individually
you're probably not gonna find playing the scale very difficult.
So, let's get stuck in now and learn our very first scale: the A minor pentatonic.
OK, here we are for a look at the A minor pentatonic scale.
So, we're starting here with our first finger in the 5th fret of the thickest string.
So, this is the root note, this is the note A.
. . .
Then we reach up with our fourth finger into the 8th fret.
You can see it's kinda one finger per fret here.
We got first finger is going in the 5th, second finger in the 6th, third finger sits in the 7th
and little finger reaches the 8th.
Of course, we don't need to put those other two now
'cause at this point we're just playing those two notes, but just be aware of that nice spacing.
Then we move on to the next string [plays]. We play first finger and third finger in the 7th fret.
Onto the next string: First finger in the 5th fret, third finger in the 7th fret.
Now we're onto the 3rd string: First finger 5th fret, third finger 7th fret.
2nd string: first finger on the 5th fret, little finger in the 8th fret.
First finger in the 5th fret - now we're on the thinnest string - and little finger in the 8th fret.
Now we're going straight back down. So we play that note there with the first finger
in the 5th fret thinnest string. It's like a tongue twister.
Little finger on the 8th fret of the 2nd string, down to the first finger.
Now we're onto the 3rd string: third finger in the 7th fret, first finger in the 5th fret.
Onto the 4th string: third finger in the 7th fret, first finger in the 5th fret.
Next string: third finger in the 7th fret, first finger in the 5th fret.
Onto the thickest string now: little finger in the 8th fret, first finger in the 5th fret.
Now I'm gonna play it once up and down for you, still nice and slowly but without all the talking.
Here we go:
. . .
And a little faster:
. . .
Now, I have this scale on the web site as both a neck diagram
which is usually the easiest way to learn a scale but it's also written there in tab, in regular notation
and you can also see the finger numbers under the tab. The 1-4, 1-3, 1-3, 1-3, 1-4, 1-4 thing.
Now it's a really, really simple box pattern to remember.
Just remember that it starts on the thickest string with 1-4,
then it's a bunch of 1-3, 1-3 finger groupings and then 1-4, 1-4 on the thinnest two strings.
Make sure that you're playing it correctly on the way up and on the way down
and that you check out the fret numbers that you should be playing so it doesn't go...
Some people try and go up the strings coming 'down'.
Putting 'up': it's down, descending the scale and you get this kinda
. . .
This isn't right. It should be
. . .
Just be careful with that. Check the tab if you're unsure with the tab there's a ...
One of the lessons in the early hundreds. Can't remember what lesson number
off the top of my head now but "How to read tab".
There's a lesson on that. So check that out on the web site.
I'll stick a link in the lesson as well for those confused by the tab.
This is a really, really, really class little scale to check out.
There's loads of different ways of playing it, loads of tricks to playing it.
We use it for Blues and string bending and all sorts of cool stuff.
So do have a go at that now. When you feel kinda confident with this,
maybe toward the end of the course, if you wanna experiment a bit more with your lead guitar.
You might wanna check out my Blues Lead Guitar Series which is online and on DVD.
It's a very, very cool little set
and that's a perfect follow one for after you've finished the Beginner's Course.
So, you might wanna bear that in mind, too, but more on that another time.