Minor pentatonic: box 1

The minor pentatonic has five notes, two to a string, and fits in a compact box. It is the first scale most guitarists solo with, because it is easy to finger and hard to make sound bad. You will learn its notes, the first position and the roots inside it.

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

• State the minor pentatonic notes (1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7) and how they come from natural minor.
• Play A minor pentatonic box 1 at frets 5 to 8.
• Find all the roots inside the box.

The minor pentatonic has five notes: 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7. It is the natural minor scale without the 2nd and ♭6, the two notes that clash most often with chords. That is why it is so easy to improvise with.

For A: A C D E G.

The box 1 shape has two notes per string and fits between frets 5 and 8:

• 6th, 2nd and 1st strings: frets 5 and 8 (index and pinky).
• 5th, 4th and 3rd strings: frets 5 and 7 (index and ring).

Roots. A is the root. In box 1 you find it on the 6th string (fret 5), the 4th string (fret 7) and the 1st string (fret 5). Knowing where the roots are lets you start and end phrases on the home note.

Picking. Alternate picking, as before.

Box 1, with fingers.

1. Index finger on fret 5, pinky on fret 8, 6th string. Play both.
2. Move to the 5th string: index on fret 5, ring on fret 7. Continue string by string to the 1st string.
3. Come back down. Say the notes: A C, D E, G A, C D, E G, A C.

A staircase riff uses three strings and ends on a root. It descends from D to D through C, A, G and E.

e|--------------------|
B|--------------------|
G|---7--5-------------|
D|---------7--5-------|
A|---------------7--5-|
E|--------------------|

Do these in order. Each one is small. Tick the ones you have practised.

• 1.Learn the box

  4 min · 60 → 90 BPM

  1. Index finger on fret 5. On the 6th, 2nd and 1st strings play frets 5 and 8 (index and pinky).
  2. On the 5th, 4th and 3rd strings play frets 5 and 7 (index and ring).
  3. Play ascending from the 6th string, with alternate picking.
  4. Come back down to the 6th string.

  You have it when

  • You can play the box up and down at 70 BPM without looking.
  I practised this one

• 2.Find the roots

  3 min

  1. The root is A. Find it in the box: the 6th string fret 5, the 4th string fret 7, the 1st string fret 5.
  2. Play each A and listen: they are all the same note in different octaves.
  3. End each run on an A.

  You have it when

  • You can point to all three As in the box instantly.
  I practised this one

• 3.Staircase riff

  4 min · 60 → 100 BPM

  1. Play the descending riff in the lesson: D, C, A, G, E, D across the 3rd, 4th and 5th strings.
  2. Loop it over a metronome with alternate picking.
  3. Play it over an Am chord (strum Am once, then play the riff).

  You have it when

  • The riff sounds even and ends on a clear note.
  I practised this one

Start at 60 BPM with eighth notes. Because the shape is so compact, speed comes quickly. Aim for 80 to 100 BPM, but stop at the pace where your picking remains even.

• Running up and down the box without a pause. Silence is part of music. Stop on a root and let it ring.
• Ignoring where the roots are. Every phrase should start or end on a root. The root is the home note.
• Using too much pressure with the pinky. Fret close to the fret wire and keep the thumb relaxed.

This one box is enough to play over the 12-bar blues in A. You will use it as the main building block in Module 5.

Try it in: 12-bar blues in A.

Short version (10 minutes)

Play box 1 at 70 BPM, up and down, for three minutes, ending each run on A.

Standard version (about 30 minutes)

Do all three exercises, then improvise for two minutes over a recording of yourself strumming Am.

• Minor pentatonic: 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7.
• Box 1 for A is at frets 5 to 8.
• Roots are at the 6th string fret 5, 4th string fret 7 and 1st string fret 5.
• Use pauses; end phrases on a root.

You are ready to move on when you can honestly say:

• I can play A minor pentatonic box 1 at 70 BPM.
• I can find the roots inside the box.
• I can play the staircase riff cleanly.