The Major Pentatonic Scale
This guitar lesson will cover the major pentatonic scale, how to play a shape for it and how it is made. There are many shapes that you could use for the major pentatonic scale but we will stick to the most common one for this lesson.
First let’s learn how the major pentatonic scale is made. If you do not know your major scale you may want to go take this lesson on the major scale first. If you already know the following shape for the major scale you are already half way to knowing your major pentatonic scale.
The major pentatonic scale is taken directly from the major scale. If you want to turn the major scale into a major pentatonic scale all you have to do is take out the fourth and seventh note of the major scale. Here is a scale diagram of the G major scale with the fourth and seventh notes removed. That’s the major pentatonic scale.
Practice this shape slowly until you can play it cleanly. You will probably notice that it feels quite different from playing the major scale. Try using the major pentatonic scale over the major chord that it corresponds to. For example, play a G major pentatonic scale over a G major chord or a D major pentatonic over a D major chord.
There is no right or wrong right now. Just try to experiment with this shape and get it down to where you really don’t have to think about the shape when you are playing it.
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