This scale pattern is the first step on the path to Rock’n’Roll greatness. It is the foundation of a huge majority of the greatest riffs and solos of all time. The Minor Pentatonic (“Five-Note”) Scale is an important weapon in all great guitarists’ arsenals. From Chuck Berry, to Jimmy Page, to Randy Rhoads and Tom Morello, its presence is everywhere. It is extremely important that you become very familiar with the sound of this scale, and how it lays out on the fretboard. It will serve as both a home base and a launching pad for all of your future scale knowledge.
The scale pattern we will be starting with is affectionately known as “The Box”. It is very easy to play and remember, and continually yields great stuff (root notes are the empty circles).
ROCK SHORTCUT: To immediately put “The Box” to use, follow these guidelines.
1. Find the root note of the first chord in the song you want to play over. In most rock songs (but not ALL rock songs), this note will determine the “key” of the song.
2. Identify the “key” note on your low E string.
3. Use the Minor Pentatonic “Box” that starts on that note as the basis for your solo.
Simple, right? Well, yes and no. If you follow all of the instructions above, all the notes you play will technically be the “right” notes. The important part is to make those notes into interesting phrases. The notes of the Minor Pentatonic Scale are just a collection of pitches until you breathe some life into them. This is accomplished by mixing up the order of the notes, and varying the rhythm and dynamics of the lines you play. You should also use time-honored techniques such as vibrato, sliding, and bending to add excitement to this humble scale. Once you have the sound of the scale in your ear, listen to your favorite players and try to identify how they put their own unique stamp on the Minor Pentatonic Scale.
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