WEBVTT 00:00:05.668 --> 00:00:08.531 Hello, how're you doing? Justin here. 00:00:08.531 --> 00:00:12.858 In this lesson today we're going to be checking out the minor pentatonic scale. 00:00:12.858 --> 00:00:16.342 Now, I don't want you to get scared. I know, scales kinda sound like they're gonna be nasty 00:00:16.342 --> 00:00:20.611 and really boring but actually scales are pretty damn cool. 00:00:20.611 --> 00:00:22.127 And the reason that scales are cool is 00:00:22.127 --> 00:00:25.677 because they teach you the notes that you can use when you improvise. 00:00:25.677 --> 00:00:29.788 So what we're gonna be doing now is checking out this very first scale called the minor pentatonic scale 00:00:29.788 --> 00:00:34.425 and it's the scale that most guitar players learn first and for a lot of guitar players it's the only scale 00:00:34.425 --> 00:00:40.399 they ever learn. It's got a lot of mileage. You use it for Blues and Rock and even in Jazz and Country. 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:45.900 It's a really, really useful, excellent sounding scale and one that you'll use 00:00:45.900 --> 00:00:49.097 and for as long as you play guitar you'll be using this scale. 00:00:49.097 --> 00:00:51.963 So, what we're gonna do is, we're gonna learn it just to play it up and down 00:00:51.963 --> 00:00:55.389 and work on making sure that we've got our fingers stretched out right. 00:00:55.389 --> 00:00:58.739 Now, if you've been doing the preparation exercices properly that I've told you about, 00:00:58.739 --> 00:01:02.229 about, you know, working your fingers up and down and picking the strings individually 00:01:02.229 --> 00:01:05.418 you're probably not gonna find playing the scale very difficult. 00:01:05.418 --> 00:01:11.000 So, let's get stuck in now and learn our very first scale: the A minor pentatonic. 00:01:12.723 --> 00:01:16.276 OK, here we are for a look at the A minor pentatonic scale. 00:01:16.276 --> 00:01:21.598 So, we're starting here with our first finger in the 5th fret of the thickest string. 00:01:21.598 --> 00:01:24.401 So, this is the root note, this is the note A. 00:01:24.401 --> 00:01:25.601 . . . 00:01:25.601 --> 00:01:28.181 Then we reach up with our fourth finger into the 8th fret. 00:01:28.181 --> 00:01:30.284 You can see it's kinda one finger per fret here. 00:01:30.284 --> 00:01:35.622 We got first finger is going in the 5th, second finger in the 6th, third finger sits in the 7th 00:01:35.622 --> 00:01:37.952 and little finger reaches the 8th. 00:01:37.952 --> 00:01:39.693 Of course, we don't need to put those other two now 00:01:39.693 --> 00:01:44.667 'cause at this point we're just playing those two notes, but just be aware of that nice spacing. 00:01:44.667 --> 00:01:52.246 Then we move on to the next string [plays]. We play first finger and third finger in the 7th fret. 00:01:52.246 --> 00:01:58.222 Onto the next string: First finger in the 5th fret, third finger in the 7th fret. 00:01:58.222 --> 00:02:04.641 Now we're onto the 3rd string: First finger 5th fret, third finger 7th fret. 00:02:04.641 --> 00:02:11.152 2nd string: first finger on the 5th fret, little finger in the 8th fret. 00:02:11.152 --> 00:02:16.658 First finger in the 5th fret - now we're on the thinnest string - and little finger in the 8th fret. 00:02:16.658 --> 00:02:21.669 Now we're going straight back down. So we play that note there with the first finger 00:02:21.669 --> 00:02:26.395 in the 5th fret thinnest string. It's like a tongue twister. 00:02:26.395 --> 00:02:30.789 Little finger on the 8th fret of the 2nd string, down to the first finger. 00:02:30.789 --> 00:02:36.752 Now we're onto the 3rd string: third finger in the 7th fret, first finger in the 5th fret. 00:02:36.752 --> 00:02:42.772 Onto the 4th string: third finger in the 7th fret, first finger in the 5th fret. 00:02:42.772 --> 00:02:48.125 Next string: third finger in the 7th fret, first finger in the 5th fret. 00:02:48.125 --> 00:02:54.719 Onto the thickest string now: little finger in the 8th fret, first finger in the 5th fret. 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:58.741 Now I'm gonna play it once up and down for you, still nice and slowly but without all the talking. 00:02:58.741 --> 00:03:00.108 Here we go: 00:03:00.108 --> 00:03:28.635 . . . 00:03:28.635 --> 00:03:30.224 And a little faster: 00:03:30.224 --> 00:03:45.205 . . . 00:03:45.713 --> 00:03:49.606 Now, I have this scale on the web site as both a neck diagram 00:03:49.606 --> 00:03:55.589 which is usually the easiest way to learn a scale but it's also written there in tab, in regular notation 00:03:55.589 --> 00:04:02.169 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. 00:04:02.169 --> 00:04:05.469 Now it's a really, really simple box pattern to remember. 00:04:05.469 --> 00:04:08.459 Just remember that it starts on the thickest string with 1-4, 00:04:08.459 --> 00:04:14.307 then it's a bunch of 1-3, 1-3 finger groupings and then 1-4, 1-4 on the thinnest two strings. 00:04:14.307 --> 00:04:18.409 Make sure that you're playing it correctly on the way up and on the way down 00:04:18.409 --> 00:04:22.360 and that you check out the fret numbers that you should be playing so it doesn't go... 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:27.039 Some people try and go up the strings coming 'down'. 00:04:27.039 --> 00:04:30.011 Putting 'up': it's down, descending the scale and you get this kinda 00:04:30.011 --> 00:04:33.334 . . . 00:04:33.334 --> 00:04:34.545 This isn't right. It should be 00:04:34.545 --> 00:04:38.116 . . . 00:04:38.116 --> 00:04:42.296 Just be careful with that. Check the tab if you're unsure with the tab there's a ... 00:04:42.296 --> 00:04:44.868 One of the lessons in the early hundreds. Can't remember what lesson number 00:04:44.868 --> 00:04:48.432 off the top of my head now but "How to read tab". 00:04:48.432 --> 00:04:50.475 There's a lesson on that. So check that out on the web site. 00:04:50.475 --> 00:04:53.928 I'll stick a link in the lesson as well for those confused by the tab. 00:04:53.928 --> 00:04:57.354 This is a really, really, really class little scale to check out. 00:04:57.354 --> 00:05:00.610 There's loads of different ways of playing it, loads of tricks to playing it. 00:05:00.610 --> 00:05:03.592 We use it for Blues and string bending and all sorts of cool stuff. 00:05:03.592 --> 00:05:07.312 So do have a go at that now. When you feel kinda confident with this, 00:05:07.312 --> 00:05:11.098 maybe toward the end of the course, if you wanna experiment a bit more with your lead guitar. 00:05:11.098 --> 00:05:15.918 You might wanna check out my Blues Lead Guitar Series which is online and on DVD. 00:05:15.918 --> 00:05:17.994 It's a very, very cool little set 00:05:17.994 --> 00:05:21.483 and that's a perfect follow one for after you've finished the Beginner's Course. 00:05:21.483 --> 00:05:25.879 So, you might wanna bear that in mind, too, but more on that another time.