When playing two notes on one string, e.g. starting with moving from A (1st finger, 6th string) to C (4th finger, 6th string), you need to lift your 1st finger off of note A before fretting note C, correct? You can’t leave your 1st finger on A when you move your 4th finger to fret C?
@talank
It is perfectly fine to leave your finger down … often desirable.
Good luck practicing.
Cheers
Richard
Thanks. But by “down”, do you mean fretting? So at one point, you’re playing two different notes on the same string?
You won’t be playing two notes because (as in your example) when your 4th finger goes down at fret 8 of the low E string, the note that your 1st finger is holding down will no longer be sounding it - it is behind the fretted note.
You can’t play 2 different notes on the same string at the same time. Ideally when playing scales you want a smooth transition from note to note. Play first note A then fret and play second note C preparing to lift and move index finger to land on 3rd note D on the next string and so on. It’s a rocking back and forth motion.
You want to leave the previous played note fretted until you play the next note but be prepared to play the next note.
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How would you mute using your fretting hand for the Am pentatonic scale?
Your question isn’t very clear. It depends if you are wondering about muting all strings thinner than the one being played. If so, just lay your fretting finger a little flat to reach its string instead of being curled and upright.
I know Justin mentioned it is a bit controversial to introduce string bending so early, which is why I wish he had spent a little more time on how to do it properly here. “Practice makes permanent, so practice perfectly” and all that. 
There is a link to a more advanced lesson that covers string bending in this lesson’s description, but if that’s where we are expected to go, it might also be worth mentioning in the video lesson if he ever revisits this topic.
At the very end of this lesson, Justin mentions we’ll put the A minor pentatonic into practice at the next lesson. But the next lesson is about palm muting. Does anyone happen to know the next lesson he’s referring to?
I think he misspoke, saying “lesson” rather than “module”. The A minor pentatonic scale is used in the Beginner Blues Solo lesson in Module 13.
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Oh okay! Thank you!
Hello there,
I got a little question - I am doing daily spider exercise 10-60 minutes, it gave me rocket boost in controlling my fingers and I can see connection in lot of techniques.
I take this exercise from Paul Davids. When he is teaching this he is talking about finger move efficiency and not making move that cost you extra energy. I can see A minor pentatonic is like naked spider exercise and I would like to know if same thinking applies to A minor penta too.
When I am holding 6th string with pinky on 8th fret and I am about to go for 5th string with point finger on 5th fret… I do not put pinky in space but I am trying to make space here so that 5th 5 rings. It is something I had problem with from beginning but its getting better and better, so my notes almost everytime rings.
Is it OK to apply this thinking here or am I overthinking this and I can or should just put fingers in space above strings so they do not mute notes? Hope my question is clear, thanks anyone for reply.
Just my opinion, but when I want to fret a note, my finger goes down on the string; when I’m done, it comes off. Helps with ‘feel’, helps with rhythm.
Different people will have slightly different variations of course.
Cheers, Shane
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I know what you mean but if you were playing 5-7-5 on string 3 would you take your finger off the 5?
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Hello Stuart,
For a quick flurry between 2 notes, it would possibly stay on because I’m not done; dependind on the lick etc
The vast majority though, it comes off.
Cheers, Shane
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Sorry, I know this might seem obvious or has already been asked but why are some of the notes Red on Justin’s n screen scale?
Thanks
Those are the root notes of the scale. Scales are movable so if you place those red notes so they fall on the note G you’ll be playing a G minor pentatonic scale.
In this pattern there are 3 root notes all one octave apart.
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Thanks,
The root note… That answer my question but I don’t understand what you mean by moving the scale to a G.
I’m sure it will come up as I progress through Justin’s course however.
Thank you.
The reason the scale is called the A minor pentatonic is because you are starting the scale on the 5th fret of the E string. This is the note A and all the red dots are A notes.
If you move the whole scale pattern down 2 frets(towards the head stock) the red dots will be over the notes G. This will be the G minor pentatonic scale. If you move the whole scale pattern up 3 fret from the original position the red dots will be over the note C and it would be a C minor pentatonic scale. Hope this helps.