Guitar UpscaleThe 5 minor pentatonic shapes
The five box shapes of the minor pentatonic scale in A, with charts, and how to join them into one map of the neck.
By Oleg Chibikov, the author of Guitar Upscale
The minor pentatonic has five notes: the root, flat 3rd, 4th, 5th and flat 7th. In A they are A, C, D, E and G. On the neck those notes form five shapes that join end to end. Learn all five and you can solo anywhere on the neck.
Each chart shows the thin e string on top. Highlighted circles mark the root, A. Each shape has two notes on each string, so it fits under one hand.
Shape 1
The best known shape. The root A sits under your index finger on both E strings, and under your ring finger on the D string at the 7th fret.
Shape 2
Starts where shape 1 ends. The roots are on the D string at the 7th fret and on the B string at the 10th fret.
Shape 3
The A string root at the 12th fret anchors this shape. The B string reaches up to the 13th fret.
Shape 4
Around the 12th fret inlay. The roots are on the A string at the 12th fret and the G string at the 14th fret.
Shape 5
Leads back into shape 1, an octave up at the 17th fret. The same shape also sits at frets 2 to 5.
How the shapes join
The right side of one shape is the left side of the next. Shape 1 ends on the 8th fret of the low E string, and shape 2 starts there. After shape 5 the pattern starts again with shape 1, 12 frets higher.
Practise two shapes at a time. Play up shape 1, slide into shape 2 on the top string, and play down shape 2. Then do the same with shapes 2 and 3.
Use the shapes in any key
The shapes keep their order in every key. Only the starting fret changes. Find the root on the low E string and start shape 1 there:
- E minor pentatonic: shape 1 at the open strings and 12th fret.
- G minor pentatonic: shape 1 at the 3rd fret.
- A minor pentatonic: shape 1 at the 5th fret.
- C minor pentatonic: shape 1 at the 8th fret.
- D minor pentatonic: shape 1 at the 10th fret.
The same shapes give the major pentatonic
A minor pentatonic and C major pentatonic share all five notes. Play the same shapes, but treat C as home. Over a C major chord, shape 2 becomes the first shape of C major pentatonic.
Add one note for the blues
Add the flat 5th, E flat in A, and you get the blues scale. In shape 1 it sits on the A string at the 6th fret and on the G string at the 8th fret.
Try it on a full neck
Open A minor pentatonic in Guitar Upscale to see all five shapes at once and hear each note. Change the capo in the key menu to move the scale to another key.