In addition to the pentatonic minor scales, you also have the pentatonic major scales. Once again, they only contain five notes compared to the full major scales, which contain seven notes. To create the pentatonic major from the standard major scale the 4th and the 7th notes have been removed leaving you with the five notes below:
Each of the two positions below contains these five notes in this order. As with the pentatonic minor scales, each position starts from a root note (A) situated at different places on the neck of the guitar.
Position One:
Position Two:
Take a look at the video for help and try and practice with a click track when you are familiar with the scales.
Practice running through both the pentatonic minor and major scales and see if you can tell the difference. The major scales should sound happy in contrast to the minor scales sounding moody and sad.
Remember, the aim of your practice should be clear notes, using the correct fingers and playing the scales evenly.
If you can memorise the scale shapes from the diagrams this will play in your favour when you want to change into another key apart from A major or A minor. For example, a G pentatonic major scale is exactly the same shape as the A pentatonic major. To switch into another key you just have to start the shapes from the appropriate root note e.g; if you wanted to play in the key of G, simply start the scale shape from a G.
This would be done by simply moving the scale two frets lower. By doing this, you would be starting from a G.
RELATED Learn How to Improvise on the Guitar with the Pentatonic Minor ScalesChanging the scales into different keys will be looked at in more detail later on, as will the position of the notes on the neck.
