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Major or Minor ?


flyinduck
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Joined: 06/30/25
Posts: 7
flyinduck
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Joined: 06/30/25
Posts: 7
07/10/2025 9:05 pm

Hello, 


I'm a newbie. Anders, in country tutorial level 1 shows the pentatonic scale calling it major. It contradics what I read in James Shipway book, no bull theory page 69. As, I understand James calls it Minor. 


Who's is right ?


 


Best,


# 1
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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Joined: 08/09/05
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07/11/2025 4:07 am

I'm assuming you're referring to this lesson.


https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson/24265


Anders is playing the A major pentatonic scale in that lesson.


I'm not familiar with the book you mentioned.  But there is a major pentatonic scale as well as a minor pentatonic scale.  They are based on the standard diatonic scales that also come in major and minor forms.  So, it's doubtful there is any contradiction involved here.  It's just two different sources talking about two different scales that both use the term pentatonic.  But one is major, the other minor.


The tricky thing is that they both use the same fretboard pattern or shape!  But the difference is in the scale degrees and intervals.  This image shows that information.  Same shapes, different scale degrees, thus a different sound.



This tutorial covers the theory of pentatonic scales.


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/296


Hope that helps!


 


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory

# 2
flyinduck
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Joined: 06/30/25
Posts: 7
flyinduck
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Joined: 06/30/25
Posts: 7
07/11/2025 9:36 pm
#2 Originally Posted by: ChristopherSchlegel

I'm assuming you're referring to this lesson.


https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson/24265


Anders is playing the A major pentatonic scale in that lesson.


I'm not familiar with the book you mentioned.  But there is a major pentatonic scale as well as a minor pentatonic scale.  They are based on the standard diatonic scales that also come in major and minor forms.  So, it's doubtful there is any contradiction involved here.  It's just two different sources talking about two different scales that both use the term pentatonic.  But one is major, the other minor.


The tricky thing is that they both use the same fretboard pattern or shape!  But the difference is in the scale degrees and intervals.  This image shows that information.  Same shapes, different scale degrees, thus a different sound.



This tutorial covers the theory of pentatonic scales.


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/296


Hope that helps!


 

hi mr. ChristopherSchlegel ,


 


Same notes. Key of A and Key of C. Thanks, I will look forward to see meaningful uses of them, down the road !


Thanks for answering very clearly.


 


BEST,


 


 


# 3
ChristopherSchlegel
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Joined: 08/09/05
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ChristopherSchlegel
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Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,834
07/12/2025 12:33 pm

You're welcome.  Keep practicing!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory

# 4

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