I just realized that Pattern 2 for the minor Pentatonic is the same as Position 1 Major Pentatonic but they start out on different root notes positions. Could you comment on the relationship or where Justin talks about this
There are only 5 pattern to the Major scale and all it’s modes using the CAGED System. The major and minor pentatonic scales are 5 note out of these patterns.
This is why it’s better to learn the patterns by their chord shape name rather than pattern 1 2 3 etc.
You are corect that Pattern 1 (E shape) major pentatonic is the same as Pattern 2(D shape) minor the only difference is the tonal center or Root note placement.
The relationship between the two scales is the Major and Relative minor share the same notes but different root notes.
For example the C Major scales and A minor scales or G Major scale and E minor scales are the same patterns just different Root notes.
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Thank you. I just completed the CAGED major scales (Pentatonic and connection to the fretboard) on a different website which was really helpful. I was using Justin’s chord shape names which is also what my teacher refers to (Patterns not CAGED shapes) I’m still trying to understand that relationship between the major and relative minor. I’ll keep working on it. Thanks
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Just adding to @stitch 's great explanation;
Always think of the Major scale as the primary, default scale. Everything relates back to it. Everything.
‘Minor’ is just a mode of this Major scale, that, in relative terms here, starts on the 6th degree.
It has become a ‘special’ mode because we have become so used to it, and is used so widely.
Its called ‘relative’ because it uses the same notes, but a different tonic. ( As opposed to ‘parallel’, which is same tonic, different notes).
Same applies to pentatonics for major/ minor , as its all derived the the fuĺl 7 note scale.
Cheers, Shane
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Of the 8 notes, 4 of them are not picked but are made to sound by a slide movement or flicking off. At speed, this creates a smoothness to the sound as each note changes to the next.
Conventionally, major scale pattern 1 and minor scale pattern 1 are both derived from the E-shape within the CAGED system.
It is also conventional to always see the major scale as the root and source of everything.
The minor pentatonic scale is a subset of the full (natural) minor scale.
The natural minor scale is a modal scale derived from the major scale.
Pattern 1 of the major scale is the E-shape, it contains the E-shape barre chord and it has as a subset the E-shape major pentatonic scale.
Pattern 1 of the minor scale is also the E-shape, it contains the E-shape minor barre chord and it has as a subset the E-shape minor pentatonic scale.
NOTE
Pattern 1 of the minor scale / minor pentatonic scales are exact matches - in terms of dot patterns - for pattern 5 of the major scale / major pentatonic scale.
Patterns 1 - both E-shape
Notice - the two full scales (major and minor) and the two pentatonic scales (on the middle row) do not share the same pattern. They share the same name (pattern 1 or E-shape). But they are not the same set of notes on the fretboard.
Patterns 5 & 1 - G-shape and E-shape respectively
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Notice - both major and minor scale, plus the pentatonics, share exactly the same dot patterns on the fretboard. But they have different letter names within the numbering and CAGED systems (Patterns 5 & 1 - G-shape and E-shape respectively).
Here is another set of diagrams of only pentatonic patterns - minor on the left, major on the right.
If you are unsure why they are grouped as shown below then look carefully at each pairing and the positions of the root notes in each.
Minor pentatonic pattern 1 goes with major pentatonic pattern 1 (E-Shape). Look where the root notes are positioned.
Minor pentatonic pattern 2 goes with major pentatonic pattern 2 (D-Shape). Look where the root notes are positioned.
Minor pentatonic pattern 3 goes with major pentatonic pattern 3 (C-Shape). Look where the root notes are positioned.
Minor pentatonic pattern 4 goes with major pentatonic pattern 4 (A-Shape). Look where the root notes are positioned.
Minor pentatonic pattern 5 goes with major pentatonic pattern 5 (G-Shape). Look where the root notes are positioned.
NOTE
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Major pentatonic pattern 1 is the same shape as minor pentatonic pattern 2.
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Major pentatonic pattern 2 is the same shape as minor pentatonic pattern 3.
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Major pentatonic pattern 3 is the same shape as minor pentatonic pattern 4.
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Major pentatonic pattern 4 is the same shape as minor pentatonic pattern 5.
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Major pentatonic pattern 5 is the same shape as minor pentatonic pattern 1.
This is where the ‘slide 3 frets down’ concept fits. The matching shapes are displaced by one pattern, offset pattern numbers having the same shapes on the fretboard.
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