A Pentatonic Minor

Am pentatonic scale for guitar.
The A Pentatonic Minor is a five-note scale. The diagram shows a fingerboard with the notes in the scale. Darker color marks the root notes. In the two-octave pattern, the first root note is on the 6th string, 5th fret.

A Pentatonic Minor 2 octaves

A Pentatonic Minor full fretboard

A Pentatonic Minor with note names

Shape 1 (5th position) with fingerings

Shape 2 (7th position) with fingerings

Shape 3 (9th position) with fingerings

Shape 4 (12th position) with fingerings

Shape 5 (2nd position) with fingerings

Notes: A – C – D – E – G

Intervals: 3 – 2 – 2 – 3 – 2

Type: Pentatonic

The scale and its scale degrees.

Formula
Notes

1
A

b3
C

4
D

5
E

b7
G

The second and the sixth degrees are omitted, for the reason that the degrees are based on the natural Minor seven-note scale.

The interval formula (3 – 2 – 2 – 3 – 2) can be expound into specific notes of the scale.

Notes (ascending)
Interval

A-C
m3

A-D
P4

A-E
P5

A-G
m7

Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.

Notes (descending)
Interval

A-G
M2

A-E
P4

A-D
P5

A-C
M6

The notes in the scale can be described as intervals, written as 3 – 2 – 2 – 3 – 2 from the first note to the first in next octave.
The A Pentatonic Minor is relative to C Pentatonic Major. Both scales include the same notes but has different root notes.

Some of the chords that are related to this scale are listed here:

• Am
• C
• Dm7
• Em7
• G5

The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the A Pentatonic Minor scale. Notice that the match is not completely exact, the third (F) in Dm7 and the fifth (B) in Em7 are not included in the scale.

Related to this scale is the A Pentatonic Minor add2, adding the 2nd degree. It can be displayed as follows:

Formula
Notes
Intervals
Degrees

1
A
Unison
Tonic

2
B
Major second
Supertonic

b3
C
Minor third
Mediant

4
D
Perfect fourth
Subdominant

5
E
Perfect fifth
Dominant

b7
G
Minor seventh
Subtonic

The A Pentatonic Minor add2 scale, is identical with the A Minor except for missing the major 6th interval.

Start the audio and play along! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.

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A Pentatonic Minor scale first shape ascending.

The numbers above the tablature are suggested fingerings.

This scale is covered by the Blues soloing series (“Blues lead guitar – lesson 6”).
Go to Blues lead guitar – lesson 6