Five Forms of the Pentatonic Scale

Lesson 2/62 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Rock Guitar

Five Forms of the Pentatonic Scale

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 on the following pages 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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Class Sessions

1- Syncopation 2- Playing Two Strings Together 3- Chords 4- Rests 5- Minor Chords 6- Arpeggios 7- Learning All the Notes 8- Using An Electronic Tuner 9- The Release Bend 10- Vibrato 11- Bending Notes 12- The Half Bar 13- Using the Whole Fretboard 14- The Slide 15- The Minor Pentatonic Scale 16- Sixteenth Notes 17- The Triplet 18- Left Hand Technique 19- Moving to Different Keys 20- Moving Between Forms 21- How to Read Music 22- Notes on the Fourth String 23- The Eighth Note 24- Five Forms of the Pentatonic Scale 25- Notes on the First String 26- Scale Degrees 27- Electric Guitars 28- Pentatonic Blues Solo 29- The Symbols 8va and Loco 30- Notes on the Sixth String 31- Music Notation 32- Left Hand Technique 33- Analyzing What You Play 34- The Lead-in 35- Slight Bends 36- Notes on the Second String 37- Tones and Semitones 38- Identifying Scale Patterns 39- Slash Chords 40- Chord Shapes 41- Alternate Picking 42- Rhythm Notation 43- Notes on the Fifth String 44- Vibrato With Bent Notes 45- Power Chords 46- Sharps 47- Jam Along Progressions 48- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 49- Riffs 50- Major Chord Formations 51- Movable Power Chords 52- Notes on the Sixth String 53- Notes on the Third String 54- Bar Lines 55- Electric Guitar Pickups 56- The Chromatic Scale 57- Chord Symbols 58- Amplifiers 59- Listening 60- Flats 61- Picking the Open Strings 62- Types of Amplifiers

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Five Forms of the Pentatonic Scale