Top 5 Pentatonic Scale Shapes Every Guitarist Should Know

We have been helping you find your way around different types of chords, scales, and notes. In addition to this, we also shared tips and tricks to play that made it easier for you to play your favourite songs on guitar. Now, we are moving to the next section of your training, which is showing five major pentatonic scale patterns of a guitar. 

By learning how to play and use pentatonic scales, you will soon be able to create superb guitar solos like Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, Agnus Young from AC/DC, and many other famous guitarists who are known for their signature guitar sounds.

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From this blog, we will share vital information on 5 pentatonic scale shapes and how you should be playing them. Likewise, we will also show you when and where you will be using these pentatonic shapes when playing guitar. So, without waiting any further, let’s explore the uncharted territory of Pentatonic scales.

Introduction to Pentatonic Scale

Let’s break down the word Pentatonic into two parts:-

• The first one is Penta, meaning 5
• Tonic means note 

So when we combine these two, Pentatonic becomes a 5-note scale. Before this, we were talking about 7 notes, which were divided into two scale options, major and minor. These 7 notes are the ABCs of the guitar, and Pentatonic scales are more like framing sentences.

In addition to this, with major and minor scales, you have to play all 7 notes, and each of these 7 notes is separated by a full or a semitone. As a result, notes that are one semitone apart (one Fret apart) from one another. You can possibly hit the note at the wrong position or at the wrong time causing an unpleasant sound.

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In Pentatonic scales, you only have a full tone or tone and a half, which means the notes are present either two frets or three frets apart. Thus, when you are playing a Pentatonic scale shape, it will be difficult to make the mistake of not playing the right note in the correct position. Moreover, no matter the note, no matter its shape or place on the Fret, all of them will sound amazing. 

What are Pentatonic Scale Shapes?

Here, we are going to show you how you make a pentatonic scale shape using a major scale shape. 

For this, we want you first to write down the scale shape of A minor. The minor Pentatonic scale shape is quite similar to the basic 7-note scale, but it only has 5 notes instead of 7. When you are creating a minor pentatonic, you are going to take 5 notes from the minor scale, and the same thing goes for the major scale as well. 

In addition to this, when you start playing guitar regularly in a band or even playing it solo, you will find that it is much more common to move from a 7-note minor scale to a 5-note pentatonic scale. However, moving from a major scale to a pentatonic major scale is something that happens every once in a while. A minor scale is made from the notes written below:-  

A B C D E F G

You will notice that it does not have any sharps or flats present in it. Much similar to that of the C major scale. Now, to convert the A minor scale to A minor pentatonic, we need to use a formula.

1 f3 4 5 f7 1

See, you can use this specific formula to create a pentatonic minor scale even if you take a major scale instead of a minor scale. But for beginners of pentatonic shapes for the very first time, we decided to keep things as straightforward as possible by now showing the process of converting major scale into minor. So now, if we use the above formula for the A minor scale, we get this:-

A C D E G A

One thing to note here is that the A minor pentatonic scale is considered to be universal to all minor pentatonic scales. So, if you have to play any other scale, the only change that you will be incorporating is going to be the root note from which the scale is built. Moreover, if you play these notes anywhere on the fretboard, you will be playing A minor pentatonic.  

If you play these notes on these specific strings you will be getting the typical pentatonic shape on the guitar. Whoa, that’s all you need to know about the minor pentatonic scale. 

A Minor Pentatonic Scale – Shape 1: 3rd Fret

• Step – 1: Start by playing the G note on the 3rd Fret at the 6th string.
• Step – 2: Then play A note on the 5th Fret at the 6th string.
• Step – 3: Play the C note on the 3rd Fret at the 5th string. 
• Step – 4: Play the D note on the 5th Fret at the 5th string. 

• Step – 5: Play the E note on the 2nd Fret at the 4th string. 
• Step – 6: Play the G note on the 5th Fret at the 4th string.
• Step – 7: Play the A note on the 2nd Fret at the 3rd string. 
• Step – 8: Play the C note on the 5th Fret at the 3rd string.

• Step – 9: Play the D note on the 3rd Fret at the 2nd string.
• Step – 10: Play the E note on the 5th Fret at the 2nd string.
• Step -11: Play G note on the 3rd Fret at the 1st string.
• Step – 12: Finally, play A note on the 5th Fret at the 1st string. 

A Minor Pentatonic Scale – Shape 2: 5th Fret

This minor pentatonic scale starts from the 5th Fret and here’s how you need to play it to sound it harmonic.

• Step – 1: First, play A note on the 5th Fret at the 6th string. 
• Step – 2: Play the C note on the 8th Fret at the 6th string.
• Step – 3: Play the D note on the 5th Fret at the 5th string. 
• Step – 4: Play the E note on the 7th Fret at the 5th string.

• Step – 5: Play the G note on the 5th Fret at the 4th string. 
• Step – 6: Play A note on the 7th Fret at the 4th string. 
• Step – 7: Play the C note on the 5th Fret at the 3rd string. 
• Step – 8: Play the D note on the 7th Fret at the 3rd string. 

• Step – 9: Play the E note on the 5th Fret at the 2nd string. 
• Step – 10: Play the G note on the 8th Fret at the 2nd string.
• Step – 11: Play the A note on the 5th Fret at the 1st string.
• Step – 12: Play the C note on the 8th Fret at the 1st string. 

When you play this pentatonic scale shape, you will notice that your index finger (1) will always be used to play the 5th Fret of the 6th string on the guitar. At the same time, your ring finger (3) and your pinky finger (4) will be used for playing the 7th or the 8th Fret for this shape. 

A Minor Pentatonic Scale – Shape 3: 7th Fret

Now, even here, things will remain the same: you will be playing 2 notes on the thickest string (6th string) and then move to the next one till you finish playing 2 notes until you reach the 1st string. Follow the note pattern in the image given below and play them as we told you.

A Minor Pentatonic Scale – Shape 4: 9th Fret

Again, follow the note pattern given in the image and start from the thickest string (6th string) and reach the thinnest string (1 string). 

A Minor Pentatonic Scale – Shape 5: 12th Fret

The same thing to do here: follow the note pattern from the image given below, starting from thickets (6th string) and finishing at the thinnest string (1st string.)

Application in Guitar Playing

Pentatonic scale shapes allow guitarists to learn the foundations of improvisation. It is one of the crucial techniques in guitar playing that makes the creation of harmonies possible regardless of the type of music they are playing. 

When you start practising pentatonic scale shapes, you will find their use in almost every song; it is instantly recognizable, and it can be layered over many other chords and scales. You might be surprised to know it but most of the guitar solos were invented because the guitarist who played them knew pentatonic shapes due to the fact that there are no half steps to create dissonance. 

So when these shapes are played, they will sound good over any progression that is being played on one key. Each note present in Pentatonic shape is harmonious, so in whichever order you play the notes, they will help you build musical techniques and add confidence to your guitar playing. 

As we said earlier, it is practically impossible, even for beginners to make the mistake of playing the wrong notes. Thus, using pentatonic scales, everyone gets the ability to play music that sounds amazing, making these scales significantly crucial in the study of musical theory. 

Advanced Techniques and Creative Variations

In order to remember the position for A minor pentatonic scale, you should practice playing the scale in both ascending and descending order. Always start with a root note of A, followed by C, D, E, and G, and then move to a higher A. 

It is better to always start with the 5th position and then work your way back down the scale, then again beginning with the higher A and repeating the process. You can also take the five notes in the A minor pentatonic scale shape and then use them to be extended into full chords.

You Don’t Need to Play All Parts of 5 Shapes

The guitar solo in “Let It Be” by The Beatles uses the C major pentatonic scale on parts of the 5th, 1st, and 2nd position. This is done because it is much easier to play parts of the position as you will need fewer fingers to play this way. At the same time, you will be avoiding the extra work of stretching your fingers.