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Cheat Sheet: Play The Minor Pentatonic Scale All Over The Neck, In Any Key, With ONE Shape

  • by Tom Boddison
  • 06 Apr, 2017
Ever get fed up of learning pentatonic box patterns? Use our iron-clad formula to play the whole scale, all over the neck, with just one simple pattern.
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Any Key, All Over The Neck With One Box
That's really all there is to it - just one shape!

Why This Simple Method is Best

Not only does this method make you learn the scale much quicker, it also helps you USE it more effectively. Why?
  • You're encouraged to see the fretboard not is a bunch of vertical patterns, but as a selection of boxes that move down AND across. This greatly improves your fretboard vision.
  • Each octave is now clear, so it's easy to move your licks higher up the neck into new positions.
  • Learn to play well in the box in a single position and you can quickly transfer your skills to the box all over the neck, making it much quicker to learn how to play great solos.
  • You know exactly where the root note is at all times, making your solos more melodic and allowing you to start/end phrases and solos more easily.

Grab your Pentatonic Scale Secrets FREE Guide right here to super-charge your skills by applying this same method to a whole host of other scales and sounds. We think it's awesome, and we'd love to know what you think!

Inspiration: 5 Players That Use Pentatonics Incredibly Well

To give you some inspiration and fire up your excitement, here are five guitar players who use the pentatonic scale to maximum effect. Once you've got the scale down, try learning some of their licks and seeing how they fit into the pattern! Some of them combine the pentatonic scale with other notes too, to create some really nice effects.

Stevie Ray Vaughan

BB King

Jimi Hendrix

Zakk Wylde

Philip Sayce

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