pentatonic

When dealing with petantonic scales do the fingerings change as you move up and down the fretboard

[font=trebuchet ms]Uhh... What do you mean by "change"?[/font] :confused:

If you are speaking of patterns then, yes, they change. Take the A minor Pentatonic Scale. It consists of the notes A-C-D-E-G. So no matter what position you're playing in, if you want to continue to play the A minor pent. scale, you've gotta be hitting those same notes. Does that make sense?

Yeah but if you are going to play in say A minor or A major even your root would still be on the fifth fret. Or if you are playing G minor or G major the root is still on the 3 fret. Correct? I guess im really asking if your change the root will the pattern be the same throught the fretboard. THis is my point of confusion

Yes, the pattern(s) are moveable as the intervalic relationships between each degree of the scale remain the same.


G Minor Pentatonic A Minor Pentatonic

E--3------6--- E-----5------8------
B--3------6--- B-----5------8------
G--3----5----- G-----5----7--------
D--3----5----- D-----5----7--------
A--3----5----- A-----5----7--------
E--3------6--- E-----5-------8-----


There are other patterns of these same exact scales which you should learn, but this is the most common shape to start out with. Did this answer your question?

Yes. Thanx a bunch :D

With major or minor keys, the root is the same, it's just a matter of knowing what position to start from with that root note

see attached layout.

I have the same layout in all keys :cool:

does that mean we need to memorise every note on every fret on every string of a particular tuning to be able to fully function in improvising?also each scale has a somewhat different/additional set of notes...so do i have to memorise that as well? man its tougher than i thought i thought i had it...but u can use pentatonic at every fret isnt it?what ive gathered so far is that the difference between minor and major pentatonic is that the pattern is inverted with a missing note in the beginning...like

C Pentatonic minor (Fret 8 on 6th string as the root note):
---8---------11---
---8---------11---
---8------10------
---8------10------
---8------10------
---8---------11---

Pentatonic major would then be (Root note still similar):
---5---------8---
---5---------8---
---5------7------
---5------7------
---5------7------
-------------8---

seems this applies to the other scales as well...but what ive always known as the major scale apparently isnt the major scale...as the patern is different....whats with the 32472983729 guitar terms that means the same thing? its confusing sometimes...

Originally Posted by: jeffhxseems this applies to the other scales as well...but what ive always known as the major scale apparently isnt the major scale...as the patern is different....whats with the 32472983729 guitar terms that means the same thing? its confusing sometimes...

Major scale means one thing. There is no second meaning to that term.

So, what do you know as the major scale?

---2-3-----------
-----3------5----
---2-----4-5-----
---2-----4-5-----
---2-3-----5-------
-----3-----5------

this was what i thought is the major scale...is this the correct one? cos according to chordbook.com its a different pattern

Originally Posted by: jeffhx---2-3-----------
-----3------5----
---2-----4-5-----
---2-----4-5-----
---2-3-----5-------
-----3-----5------

this was what i thought is the major scale...is this the correct one? cos according to chordbook.com its a different pattern

What you've tabbed above is a major scale - but there are a pile of different ways to play it - chordbook is probably showing you a different one. Just remember the intervals - WWHWWWH (W=Whole step or 2 frets, H = Half step or 1 fret)

As an example, if you play the pattern you probably know for a natural minor scale, but start on the third scale degree, you'd actually be playing a major scale... :eek:

third scale degree?? whats that?? oh snap

Originally Posted by: jeffhxthird scale degree?? whats that?? oh snap

Sorry dude - as in, the third note you'd play in the scale.

For example - Play an A minor scale at the fifth fret, but start playing it on the 3rd note of the scale at the 8th fret - it becomes a C Major scale.

Yeah knowing your relative scales is a huge plus when doing improv stuff. This way you stay in key and you aren't recycling the same scale over and over.

Originally Posted by: jeffhx---2-3-----------
-----3------5----
---2-----4-5-----
---2-----4-5-----
---2-3-----5-------
-----3-----5------

this was what i thought is the major scale...is this the correct one? cos according to chordbook.com its a different pattern

Ok, that's not "THE" major scale, it's a major scale, particularly G major. Technically "THE" major scale is simply a root note followed by two whole steps, a half step, three whole steps and another half step.

e.g. C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

or in the case of your example

G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G

-w-w-h-w-w-w-h-

Originally Posted by: jeffhxdoes that mean we need to memorise every note on every fret on every string of a particular tuning to be able to fully function in improvising?

It actually really helps. I highly reccomend it.

Friday at 8:49am and now my head hurts....

Time to start learning the fretboard before I post in this forum ;)

Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonOk, that's not "THE" major scale, it's a major scale, particularly G major. Technically "THE" major scale is simply a root note followed by two whole steps, a half step, three whole steps and another half step.

e.g. C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

or in the case of your example

G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G

-w-w-h-w-w-w-h-

thanks buddy now its way clearer for me...theory's a pain...altho this is probably basic theory but yea...thanks for clearing it up! thanks all!

Originally Posted by: jeffhxthanks buddy now its way clearer for me...theory's a pain...altho this is probably basic theory but yea...thanks for clearing it up! thanks all!

Well, while it is basic theory, this is my theory on theory:

Theory is incredibly easy; however, because of miscommunication or poor communication, theory becomes incredibly difficult. I don't like very many internet sources on music theory, this site and musictheory.net I trust, but neither of them are as complete (and peer reviewed) as a text-book.