An interesting, and hopefully helpful bit of information I’ve recently discovered on the fretboard, detailing the notes of both the major and minor pentatonic scale. It’s a bit like an on the fly, quick ‘ready reckoner’ right in front of you that some may find useful in learning the notes of the scales.
I’m sure it’s been ‘noted’ before by many, and it’s seemingly obvious, but I’ve not seen it anywhere.
Minor Pentatonic
Looking at the left side of Pattern 1 ( Em Shape), the bar of 5 notes are the notes of the relevant minor pentatonic.
So, using A as the example, you can see below the 5 notes in the scale,
A-C-D-E-G
Major Pentatonic
Similarly, the left side of Pattern 1 (E shape) Major Pentatonic contains all the Major Pentatonic notes, A-B-C#-E-F#
(Alternatively, you can shift the middle 3 notes of minor shape one fret ( semitone) to the left, and you have the 5 notes of the Major Pentatonic).
As I said, great for a quick, visual reference for learning the notes, for any key, anytime, even while actually playing. Some may find it useful for a quick scale note reference; others may not.
One thing it also revealed to me that I wasn’t consciously aware of? The notes that differ between major/ minor pentatonic are always one semitone apart, in any key. So the 1 and 5 are obviously common to both, with the other 3 major pentatonic notes a semitone below the minor. This has proven helpful to me already, particularly when utilising major/ minor together in the same progression, or even the same lick.
As I said, each to their own if they find it useful or not.
I’m consciously trying to think in terms of both, to the point where, in at least a few keys, I eventually dont have to think at all. I’ll have it down pat in about…another 10 years…hopfully…
Hey Shane. Thanks for this it is a good visual and conceptual reference. I am not at the stage where I can use this practically (it’ll be ahwile til I am able to consciously mix major and minor notes in a lick or progression) but it helps to know and see it.
I am also working with both note names and scale degrees as references but am at a different point in the journey and will be focusing on notes in keys for the next good while. I feel like the scale degrees will come naturally after that.
J.
I wrote this topic so long ago I had virtually forgotten it existed. It is one of the old, old topics I migrated from the old forum to the new. This dates back at least ten years I would think.
I will certainly have to re-read it and check whether the quality of writing, information and graphics is up to par. I may also check if it would benefit from an update - either in presentation or in the perspective used to view the major / minor mixing.
Wow! Just had a quick scan of this. I will definitely be coming back to it when it’s time to do so. Thanks so much for the mapping work done here Richard. I think it will be of great future use for me!!
Thanks Shane. I’ve been using the “house” pattern in the extended minor pentatonic scale to work out the five notes. I think your aide memoir is better as it also gives you the major pentatonic notes.
