Five Forms of the Pentatonic

Lesson 2/97 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Electric Guitar

Five Forms of the Pentatonic

Altogether there are five forms of the minor pentatonic scale. When linked together they cover the whole fretboard. Each form is named by the chord shape it most closely resembles. You have already learned the E form (pattern 1) of the scale. The other four forms are shown in the following examples in the key of C along with the matching chord shape for each one. Practice each form until you know it from memory and then analyze them all in terms of where the scale degrees fall within each fingering. It is especially important to memorize the positions of the root notes in each form.

D Form (Pattern 2)

In the D form of the scale (and D chord form) there is one root note on the 4th string and another one three frets higher on the 2nd string.

X D Form

Here is a lick which makes use of the D form of the C minor pentatonic scale. Analyze it as shown in the previous lesson and try making up some of your own licks using the D form.

C Form (Pattern 3)

In the C form of the scale (and C chord form) there is one root note on the 5th string and another one two frets lower on the 2nd string.

C Form

This lick is played within the C form of the C minor pentatonic scale. As before, analyze it and then try making up some of your own licks from the C form.

A Form (Pattern 4)

In the A form of the scale (and A chord form) there is one root note on the 5th string and another one two frets higher on the 3rd string.

A Form

This lick is played within the A form of the C minor pentatonic scale,at the 3rd fret. It is also possible to play it up an octave at the 15th fret. Take care with the bends in this lick, especially the second one. The bend is done with the 3rd finger on the 2nd string and then the 4th finger plays the note on the 1st string. The 3rd finger then releases the bend on the 2nd string. Practice this technique separately from the rest of the lick if you need to.

G Form (Pattern 5)

In the G form of the scale (and G chord form) there is one root note on the 6th string and another one on the 1st string at the same fret. In the middle, there is one three frets back on the 3rd string.

G Form

This lick is played within the G form of the C minor pentatonic scale, at the 5th fret. It is also possible to play it up an octave at the 17th fret.

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1- Using the Whole Fretboard 2- Notes on the First String 3- The 12-Bar Blues 4- The Eighth Note 5- The Triplet 6- Notes on the Fourth String 7- Sixteenth Notes 8- Playing Two Strings Together 9- The Minor Pentatonic Scale 10- Chords 11- INTRODUCTION 12- The Half Bar 13- Rests 14- Ties And Syncopation 15- Using the Guitar Pickups 16- Minor Chords 17- The Major Scale 18- Arpeggios 19- Learning All the Notes 20- Using Guitar Effects 21- Vibrato 22- How to Read Music 23- Scale Degrees 24- Moving to Different Keys 25- Slurs 26- The Trail Off 27- Five Forms of the Pentatonic 28- The Release Bend 29- Moving Between Forms 30- Getting Your Hands Moving 31- Bending Notes 32- The Slide 33- The Trill 34- Analyzing What You Play 35- Reverb 36- C Major Scale in Open Position 37- Sliding Pattern 2 38- Electric Guitars 39- Identifying Scale Patterns 40- The Lead-in 41- The Full Bar 42- Notes on the Sixth String 43- Vibrato With Bent Notes 44- Sixteenth Note Groupings 45- Slight Bends 46- Swing Rhythms 47- Chords I IV and V in all Keys 48- Tones and Semitones 49- Right Hand Technique 50- Overdrive and Distortion 51- Alternate Picking 52- Notes on the Fifth String 53- Power Chords 54- Chord Symbols 55- Tablature 56- Rests With Chord Playing 57- Playing Two Strings With the First Finger 58- Pickup Selector Switches 59- Visualizing 60- The G Major Scale 61- Picking the Open Strings 62- Pentatonic Blues Solo 63- Notes on the Second String 64- The Shuffle 65- The Chromatic Scale 66- Delay 67- Notes on the Sixth String 68- The Symbols 8va and loco 69- Music Notation 70- Harmonizing Scales With Power Chords 71- Movable Power Chords 72- Left Hand Technique 73- Rhythm Notation 74- Riffs 75- Electric Guitar Pickups 76- Learning the Notes on the Staff 77- Jam Along Progressions 78- Amplifiers 79- Notes on the Third String 80- Left Hand Technique 81- Chorus 82- Learning the Whole Fretboard 83- Strumming 84- Keys and Key Signatures 85- The Open Position 86- Listening 87- The Open Strings of the Guitar 88- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 89- Flanger 90- Types of Amplifiers 91- Major Chord Formations 92- More titles by LearnToPlayMusic.com 93- Understanding the Control Knobs 94- Bar Lines 95- Strings 96- Time Signatures 97- Chord Symbols

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Five Forms of the Pentatonic