MINOR PENTATONIC MASTER PATTERN - Graehme …...The Minor Pentatonic scale is by far one of the most...

1 © Graehme Floyd 2018 https://www.graehmefloyd.com/

MINOR PENTATONIC MASTER PATTERN

BY GRAEHME FLOYD

Watch the video for this entire lesson on my YouTube channel https://youtu.be/dvtYbbOpwX0

Visit the article online to hear audio examples https://www.graehmefloyd.com/minor-pentatonic-master-pattern/

The Minor Pentatonic scale is by far one of the most versatile scales to know on the guitar.

With it you can sound great soloing in just about any style of music. But, if you're like many guitar

players you likely struggle to use the Minor Pentatonic scale across your entire fretboard, relegated to

using the same box shape over and over again.

In this lesson, I'm going teach you how to play your trusty Minor Pentatonic scale, in any key, anywhere

across your fretboard using just one pattern as a guide.

This single pattern will be called the Master Pattern.

https://www.graehmefloyd.com/

https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&video_id=4EeDBoCBtGI

https://youtu.be/dvtYbbOpwX0

https://www.graehmefloyd.com/minor-pentatonic-master-pattern/




Minor Pentatonic Master Pattern


Here is the Master Pattern for the Minor Pentatonic scale:

To use the Master Pattern you need to follow three simple steps.

Let's learn these steps by using the Master Pattern to give us the original Minor Pentatonic scale which

you probably already know.

A MINOR PENTATONIC – PATTERN #1

Step #1: Anchor on a Root note

The Root note is the note that the scale we are playing is named after. In this case, we will be playing the

A Minor Pentatonic scale. So, our Root note is A.

Notice that the Master Pattern includes several Root notes.

Master Pattern – Root Notes

Step #1 – Choosing a Root Note, “A”

The Master Pattern



The Root note will anchor your scale which is critical when playing in different positions across the

fretboard. If you don't keep track of the Root you can end up getting lost.

To save a little time, here are all of the “A” notes across the fretboard, which we will use as our Root.

Step #2: Place the Master Pattern on your fretboard

In this step, we place the Master Pattern on the fretboard, but how we do so will depend on which string

our root note is on. To make this work, you may need to cut the Master Pattern up into different chunks.

However, this first example lets us put the pattern directly on the fretboard with no changes.

Step #3: Shift the Notes

This last step requires us to shift part of the Master Pattern up or down by a fret.

If your Root note was below string two, shift the top two strings up by one fret. If your Root note was

above string three, shift the bottom four strings down by one fret.

Since our Root note is on string six, the top two strings will shift up by one fret.

All “A” Notes on the Fretboard

Step #2 - Placing the Master Pattern On The Fretboard

Step #3 - Shifting the Top Two Strings Up One Fret

https://www.graehmefloyd.com/flng/



And, there we go. We now have Pattern #1 of the Minor Pentatonic scale.

Confused? Watch the Video Lesson to SEE How the

Master Pattern is used and moves across the fretboard https://youtu.be/dvtYbbOpwX0

Listen to the audio examples by visiting the article online https://www.graehmefloyd.com/minor-pentatonic-master-pattern/


Let's now look at the next position up the fretboard. We'll once again follow our three steps.

Step #1: Anchor the Root

This time, we will anchor using the Root on the 7th fret of the 4th string.

Step #1 – Another “A” Note









Step #2: Place the Master Pattern on the fretboard

Because we're starting on string four, we will need to break the Master Pattern into two chunks.

One for the higher notes…

…and one for the lower notes.

Notice that we used different parts of the Master Pattern to make this work.


Since our Root is on the 4th string, the top two strings will shift up by one fret.

Step #2A – Placing the Top Notes

Step #2B – Placing the Bottom Notes

Step #3 – Shifting the Top Two Strings Up One Fret



And, we now have Pattern #2 of the Minor Pentatonic scale.


For the remaining patterns, I'm going to move a little bit more quickly.


Step #2: Place the Master Pattern on your fretboard





Notice that for this pattern, since we anchored the root on the 2nd string we'll have to move the lower four

strings down by one fret.

And, we now have Pattern #3.


Step #3 – Shifting the Bottom Four Strings Down One Fret



A MINOR PENTATONIC – PATTERN #4 On to the next pattern…

Step #1

Step #2



Step #1 – Choosing a Root Note



Step #3

And, we now have Pattern #4 for the Minor Pentatonic scale.

A MINOR PENTATONIC – PATTERN #5 Now on to our final pattern for the A Minor Pentatonic scale.

Step #1





Step #2

Step #3






And, we finally have Pattern #5 of the Minor Pentatonic scale.

So, by using our Master Pattern and three steps, we're able to play the Minor Pentatonic scale for A

anywhere across the fretboard.

But, what about for other keys? Let's take a look at an example now using the C Minor Pentatonic scale.

C MINOR PENTATONIC

Step #1: Anchor your Pattern

Instead of going through all of the patterns one by one, let's just choose a random C note across the

fretboard as our starting point. Let's use the C note on the 5th fret of the 3rd string as our anchor.






Step #2: Place the Master Pattern

We're going to start with the higher notes…

…then we place the lower notes


Since we started on string three, the top two strings will shift up by one fret.






And, that does it. So, it looks like we have Pattern #5 of the Minor Pentatonic scale.

Notice that as long as we find a Root note to anchor our Master Pattern and follow the steps we end up

with the correct notes for the Minor Pentatonic scale that we want.

Building up the scale using these three steps works, but it can still take a little time to get everything

organized before you see what to play on the fretboard.

For our final example, let's see how the Master Pattern can be applied in real time while you are actually

playing the scale. This means that you'll be generating the scale pattern as you play it.

Let's also change keys and find the E Minor Pentatonic scale.

E MINOR PENTATONIC IN REAL-TIME


Once again, we'll arbitrarily choose an E note on the fretboard as our starting point. Let's use the E on the

7th fret of the 5th string.





Step #2 & Step #3

Now because we're generating the scale in real time, Step #2 & #3 will be combined together as we play it

on the scale.

So, we start with the notes on the 5th string…

We then continue adding the notes string-by-string until we get to the 2nd

string.

Once we get to string two, we have to shift the notes up by a single fret. Remember, we started with our

Root on string five.

Step #2 & #3 – String 5




+



We finished the Pattern by adding the lower notes below our anchor.

And, now we have Pattern #4 from the E Minor Pentatonic scale.

Keep working with the Master Pattern for the Minor Pentatonic scale in different places on the fretboard

and in different keys. I know that doing this in real time is tricky and takes time to get used to, but as long

as you keep using it, it will get easier and easier to map out as you play.

If you have any thoughts or questions, please post them in the comments below.

That's all for now.





Not Quite Getting How the Master Pattern Works?

Watch this entire lesson in video form on my YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/dvtYbbOpwX0

To hear audio examples, visit the article online. https://www.graehmefloyd.com/minor-pentatonic-master-pattern/

About the Author

Graehme Floyd is a guitarist, composer, clinician, teacher, and music coach from Canada.

With more than 10 years of teaching experience, Graehme has worked to help hundreds of

guitarists of varying age and skill level. By providing support beyond mere teaching,

including educating, training, coaching, and mentoring, Graehme has helped his students to

reach their goals and take their playing to higher levels of excellence.

At the age of 8, Graehme began his musical training with the piano. After 5 years, he moved

to the guitar when he discovered the music of Metallica. Since then, Graehme has expanded

his musical knowledge extensively and has developed a thorough understanding and application of classical

and jazz theory, voice leading and harmony, advanced improvisation, virtuoso technique, composition, music

business, and artist development.

With more than 15 years of performance experience, Graehme has worked with numerous professionals and

bands including the symphonic metal bands Avidas and Autocratic Oath, and the progressive Rush/Dream

Theater cover band Falling into Infinity. Graehme currently plays lead guitar with the progressive hard rock

band Opus Rex.

Official Website & More Lessons: https://www.graehmefloyd.com/

Music Lessons in London, Ontario, Canada: https://www.londoncollegeofmusic.com/

Opus Rex Band Website: https://www.opusrex.com/

Didn’t quite get how the Master Pattern works?

Looking for personalized help using the pattern on your fretboard?

Consider taking a one-on-one Skype lesson with Graehme Floyd.





http://www.opusrex.com/

https://www.graehmefloyd.com/

https://www.londoncollegeofmusic.com/

https://www.opusrex.com/

https://www.graehmefloyd.com/skype-lessons/



https://www.graehmefloyd.com/skype-lessons/

MINOR PENTATONIC MASTER PATTERN - Graehme …...The Minor Pentatonic scale is by far one of the most...

Documents

Transcript of MINOR PENTATONIC MASTER PATTERN - Graehme …...The Minor Pentatonic scale is by far one of the most...