Major Pentatonic Scale - Guitar Session 1

For the person first learning guitar these 2 types of scales are the easiest to play & learn.
In this session we will be focusing on the A Major Pentatonic Scale. Guitar scale charts are displayed below showing the A Major Pentatonic scale in different positions on the guitar, along with different note patterns you can play the scale, on the guitar fretboard.
The notes that make up the A Major Pentatonic Scale is shown in the diagram just below.

As I said earlier the Major Pentatonic scale is derived out of the Major scale. The diagram above shows the notes that were taken out of the Major scale to make up the Major Pentatonic scale. Notice the position each note held in the Major scale. So as a rule of thumb, the 1st-2nd-3rd-5th & 6th notes of any Major scale make up the Major Pentatonic scale for that key.

When your first learning guitar, the easiest place to start learning the Major Pentatonic scale is in a position where you don't have to use open string notes. For the A Major Pentatonic scale that would be the 5th position on the guitar, which is on the 5th fret.

When your beginning to learn a new scale, I found it better to start playing the scale as ascending, ( lower tone note to higher tone note ) until you get familiar with your fingering for the scale as well as the note pattern.

Below is what I call a scales chart key. On the scale charts themselves, you wiil see these suggested fingering symbols for the notes played in the scale.

R = rootnote
O = Open string played
= Index Finger
=Middle Finger
=Ring Finger
=Little Finger
Strings that are played open will be marked with "O" on top of the scale diagram.

Guitar scale chart 1 shows the A Major Pentatonic scale played across the guitar fretboard, staying in the 5th position. Playing the A Major Pentatonic scale by ascending in the scale, you will begin on the 6th string (Big E string) 5th fret with your middle finger which on the chart is marked 2. This is the rootnote (A), the 1st note of the A Major Pentatonic scale. Play the notes in the scale by following the scale chart and using the correct fingers for each note, until you reach the rootnote (A) on the 1st string-5th fret.

Guitar Scale Chart 1

Guitar Scale Chart 2

By playing the scale as shown in the chart, you have played this scale 2 octaves. From the rootnote A on the 6th string-5th fret, to the rootnote A on the 4th string-7th fret is one octave tone. Then played the scale an octave tone higher when you played from the rootnote A on the 4th string-7th fret to the rootnote A on the 1st string-5th fret.

Once your familiar with the fingering for this scale and the note pattern, start playing the scale by ascending and then descending back from the rootnote A 1st string-5th fret to rootnote A 6th string-5th fret.

Guitar scale chart 2 shows the A Major Pentatonic scale in the 7th position on the guitar fretboard. The scale notes are the same octave tone notes as in chart 1, from rootnote A on the 4th string-7th fret to rootnote A on the 1st string-5th fret.

What we have here is the same octave tone for this scale in a different position on the guitar. Scale charts 3 & 4 show this same octave tone for this scale in 2 other positions on the guitar. Scale chart 3 shows the A Major Pentatonic scale in the 12th position. Scale chart 4 shows the A Major Pentatonic scale in the 1st position.

Guitar Scale Chart 3

Guitar Scale Chart 4

This concludes session 1 on Major Pentatonics scales. Session 2 will focus on the A Major Pentatonic scale by playing the scale and running the scale into different positions on the guitar.