The minor pentatonic scale is the one scale that every guitarist must know how to play. It’s a simple 5 note scale that can be played anywhere on the neck. It can be heard in rock and blues guitar solos from Chuck Berry to modern metal. Although there are many different patterns of a minor pentatonic scale, there is one pattern that guitarists use all the time.

In this pattern there are 12 notes but only 5 different notes. We are starting on an A note at the 5th fret on the 6th string (this is called the root note). Because we’re starting on A, it is called an A minor pentatonic scale. To play it in another key, start it at a different fret (12th fret = E minor pentatonic/3rd fret = G minor pentatonic etc…). The trick to playing it in every key is to know the names of the notes on the 6th string (see my blog on How to Learn the Notes on the Guitar).

I hope this helps.