How to Use Pentatonic Scale Patterns - Guitar lessons

How do we use those two patterns we just learned? Pentatonic pattern 1 and pentatonic pattern 2. Every key, every musical key has a relationship both with major and minor. So at the same time that you might be in G major you're also in E minor, and there's a relationship for every single major key to another minor key. Right? So we can use that a little bit to our advantage if I use my 1st pentatonic scale. Right? If you remember its: 1, 4, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 4, 1, 4. My 1st finger is the minor root. So, at this point I'm at the 5th fret of the 6st string. That's A, so this is A minor, and then my pinkie is going to be the major root. I know this sounds complicated but just bear with me here. This is C major. Right? So A minor, C major. That relationship never changes. No matter what kind of instrument you play A minor and C major are eternally bonded. So, A minor, C major. I found that on the 6th string. OK, now pentatonic pattern 2, the roots happen to be on the 5th string. OK? So let's find A minor, or C major, on the 5th string. So, the 5th string is already A, so we could use that, but, you know, dealing with the open string in the beginning can be a little difficult, so why don't we shoot up to the 12th fret. Remember that's A again. Right? So, here's A minor. C major for pentatonic pattern 2, and, of course we don't have to start there. We can do the whole scale, the full scale, so, the whole scale is 1, 4, 1, 4, 1, 3, 1, 3, 2, 4, 1, 4. Right? Remember that? So, songs are written in keys. Right? A family of chords that belong together. For example, songs can be written in the key of G. All chords belong together, and they are all sort of centered around G. Right? Everything I do to that song, over the top of it while somebody else plays guitar, or maybe somebody singing, and now, it's my turn to solo. I'm going to do it in G major. Right? So, I'm going to find G. Right? So, let's say here is G, on the 6th string, and because it's major, I'm going to use my pinkie. Right? Remember, pinkie is major, 1st finger is minor, so I'm going to use my pinkie to line this up. Right? Now, in this case again, I've got that open string so it's going to be a little bit of a problem. We can still do it, but just so you can really see it, I'm going to move it all the way up here, to the 12th fret. Right? Remember that's where the guitar starts again. Here's my 1st pentatonic scale. 1, 4, 1, 3, 1, 3. Right? Do you remember that? And then, we can also do it with our 2nd pattern. Right? Here's the A string. That's where we're going to get the note from. So, A, B, C, D, E, F and G. We found G again. I'm just going to put my pinkie on it. Right? That's our major finger, and so now I know when I line it up, I'm at the 7th fret. So, here's where my pentatonic pattern 2 will go. 1, 4, 1 4, 1, 3, 1, 3, 2, 4, 1, 4. And that's it. That's how you line up your 2 pentatonic scales.