Scale of the Month - Am Pentatonic - July '07

Scale of the Month - July 2007 - A minor (Am) Pentatonic: Position 1

The Scale:

There are many ways in which to play an Am Pentatonic scale. I think this is the easiest place to begin:

Ascending
E|---------------------------------------------5---8---
B|-------------------------------------5---8-----------
G|----------------------------5---7--------------------
D|-------------------5---7-----------------------------
A|----------5---7--------------------------------------
E|-5---8-----------------------------------------------

Descending
E|-8---5-----------------------------------------------
B|---------8---5---------------------------------------
G|-------------------7---5-----------------------------
D|----------------------------7---5--------------------
A|-------------------------------------7---5-----------
E|----------------------------------------------8---5--

The Theory

The pentatonic scale is so named because it only has five notes - the root, flattened third, fourth, fifth and flattened seventh degree (or note) of the parent major scale, which for Am Pentatonic means A, C, D, E & G. Position 1 shown above is probably the most popular way to play an Am scale, perhaps because your index finger never needs to move from the 5th fret and the notes fall neatly under your fingers with practice. The pentatonic scales are very popular across musical genres, but especially in rock. It's difficult to hit a bad note when you're only using 5 of them. If you are not familiar with this scale, memorize the shape and get practicing!


Some Example licks (Tab symbol key below)

1) Double Stop

E|-----------------------------------------------------
B|-------5---------------------------------------------
G|-------5---7b9rb7---5h7p5---------------------------
D|---/7-----------------------7---7~~~~ -------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------


2) Alternate pick or Legato, it's up to you:

E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5---
B|----------------------------------------------------------------5--------5---8---5---8-------
G|----------------------------------------5-------5---7---5---7-------7------------------------
D|---------------5--------5---7---5---7-------7------------------------------------------------
A|---7---5---7-------7-------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3) Hammettish

E|----------5h8p5---------------5h8p5-----------------------
B|---5---8----------8p5h8p5h8-----------8p5h8p5h8b10~~---
G|-----------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------


4) A Classic

E|-------------5---------------------------------------
B|---------5-------8b10~~~---------------------------
G|---7b9-----------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------


Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Slides: /.

You decide what next month's scale should be - Private Message me using the links above and tell me which scale should be scale of the Month for August...

Ren - this is a terrific feature to the Newsletter. It's very informative and helpful. Thanks for putting this in. I look forward to the new one each month!