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Play lead guitar using the pentatonic scale

[ A minor pentatonic root note 5th ] [ Am pentatonic C note ] [ Am at D ] [ Am at E ] [ Am at G ] [ Am root 17 ] [ Am open ] [ Am at the G ]

A minor Pentatonic scale, starting on the C note

By now you should be familiar with the A minor pentatonic scale in the root note fret position, tablature exercises and triplets. I would now like to expand a little more on the A minor pentatonic scale at a different position. The root note fret for the A minor pentatonic scale starts on the 5th fret. But the same scale and same notes can be played starting at other frets and different positions.

The root note fret for A minor starts at the 5th fret. The notes for the A minor pentatonic scale root note fret are (A, C, D, E, G)   

Look at the scale below and notice that the scale now starts at the 8th fret or C note. This is the same A minor pentatonic scale, but starting at a different fret and has a different fingering pattern. All of the different pentatonic scale positions should be learned to play lead guitar. Remember the root note fret is the easiest to play and most popular position to play in. This is true because the 1 finger never has to leave the 5th fret among other important reasons you will learn later. In the next position you have a different fingering pattern to learn. All of the patterns of the Am pentatonic scale have the same notes. A, C, D, E and G. All of the different patterns should be used when playing lead guitar or practicing scales.

Tablature below to play from C to C in the A minor pentatonic scale.

 

The tablature below shows you how to play from C to C in the A minor pentatonic scale.

Listen to this position  C to C

1 = index
2 = Middle
3 = Ring
4 = Pinkie
T = Thumb

The new fingering pattern for this position will be 2-4, 1-4, 1-4, 1-3, 1-3, 1-3.

This will be starting at the C note 8th fret Low E string, look above. Remember to alternate the pick down, then up when moving from note to note. Work your way down the scale and then back up. The two images above show the A minor pentatonic scale. One image shows the notes and the other shows the fingering pattern. Notice that the C notes are highlighted in blue and the A notes in yellow. This is a popular position to play lead over the C chord.

Assignment: 

1. Use these blank fret-board illustrations to fill in the notes of the C position of the a minor pentatonic scale at the 8th fret position. 
2. Fill in one illustration of the fingers used for the C position.
3. Fill in one illustration of the notes used for the C position.

So we have learned the fingering pattern for the A minor pentatonic scale starting at the 5th fret root note position and the 8th fret position starting on the C note. Each position has a different fingering pattern, but the same notes. Remember that all of the A minor pentatonic positions you learn will have the same notes. A-C-D-E-G.

You should now be familiar with the guitar fret-board, tablature, exercises, triplets and up to now, two positions of the A minor pentatonic scale. 

In the next lesson I would like to expand on the A minor pentatonic scale in the 10th fret position, starting on the D note.

Good Luck,

Guitar Secrets