I was frustrated with the Key of A pentatonic scales, but now play them cleanly after much practice. Now I was wondering this. What other Pentatonic patterns should I be practicing. Here is the link to the youtube lesson I was watching. I want to learn exactly what he is showing. It is truly a beautiful sound. I don't understand the thing about it being patterns 1.3,4. I didn't realize that there were many different patterns.
Well, one can play every pentatonic scale in 5 different patterns, depending on which position you play them at. A minor pentatonic at the fifth fret is the standard pattern (from 1st to 6th string) 1-4, 1-4, 1-3, 1-3, 1-3, 1-4. At the 12th fret for instance it would be 1-4, 2-4, 1-3, 1-3, 1-4, 1-4. With the A on the fifth string instead of the sixth.
What he's doing here when he plays over the D minor chord is simply play this second pattern at the 5th fret, which gives him a D minor pentatonic (because 5th fret on the A string is D). The third pattern, over E minor is 1-3, 1-4, 0-3, 1-3, 1-3, 1-3.
It really pays to practice all five patterns. To get going, I'd start with pattern two (s.a.) because it's one of the more useful ones. Just find your base note on the A string and take it from there (12th fret for A, 5th for D, 7th for E, etc.).
Maybe (hopefully) Neil will get to a lesson on the five patterns some time.
Re:Another question about Pentatonic scales
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:41 pm
by rcsnydley
Perhaps this attachment will help with understanding the five positions. As can be seen the key you are playing in can be started from the sixth string. If you look, as you move from position 1 through the other 4 positions the lower notes (left hand side) match with the higher notes (right hand side) of the previous pattern.
Let me know if this is still not clear and I will provide more resources.
I also have the same chart for minor pentatonic patterns if anyone would like I can attach them also.
Keep Playing
Ric
Re:Another question about Pentatonic scales
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:46 pm
by rcsnydley
Ok, that didn't like my file so let's try again and see if it takes this one.
BTW - this file has both the major and minor pentatonic patterns on it. The numbers after the words minor = , major = are the pattern numbers.
This might help, notice that each new position starts where the last position ends.
See how position 2 starts where position 1 ends and so on.......
Re:Another question about Pentatonic scales
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:01 pm
by dtaylor
Sledge-
Great job! Thanks for taking up the cause. I would like everybody to start thinking about numbering these in a not too obvious manner that I will explain later.
Left to right/ top to bottom-
Pattern VI - Pattern I - Pattern II
- Pattern III - Pattern V -