Major pentatonic scales for guitar are the easiest and fastest way for you to get started playing solos and sounding good right away. It’s almost like having a shortcut to sounding good when you play solos.
I remember when someone finally showed me this scale, it was like a lightbulb finally lit up in my brain – “So that’s how they do it!”
The sounds I’d heard coming from some of my favorite guitar players for years were suddenly coming out of my guitar!
It became so easy to sound good over the blues, rhythm changes, and even more complicated chord progressions I’d find in jazz standards. I almost felt like I was cheating.
In this lesson, I’m going to show you everything you need to know about the major pentatonic scale, and how to start using it to sound good in your own jazz guitar solos.
Getting to Know Your Major Pentatonic Scale
The major pentatonic scale is a fundamental pattern for all guitar players, for 2 good reasons:
- It’s usually your best first option for playing solos in major keys
- It forms a “frame” that you can use to create other, more complicated scales later on… just by adding a note here and there to a pattern you are already good at
The major pentatonic scale is built using 5 notes, which we’ll identify by interval numbers (or scale tones). These numbers are the secret to really understanding the music theory side of the scale, and give you the ability to “play by ear” as you get better.
It’s built using a root (1), a major second (2), a major third (3), a perfect fifth (5), and a major sixth (6).
You can also think of it as the major scale, but leaving out the 4th and 7th notes. (This is how it’s usually taught in theory books)
Movable Scale Patterns
We’re going to be looking at your major pentatonic scales in movable scale patterns or shapes.
This means there are no open strings in any of the patterns. It also means that if you move your scale pattern to a new fret, you’re technically playing a new scale.
At one fret, you might be playing a G scale, but if you slide up 2 frets, you’re now playing an A scale.
It’s like a cheat code – learn one pattern, and you technically already know that scale in every key… you just have to know what fret to start at.
Each scale pattern will have it’s starting note on a different string, focusing on the 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings. We’re using the same system for these scales that we do with our jazz guitar chords.
So everything is nice and consistent as you learn.
This series of patterns is similar to the CAGED system, but with a different focus that I find to be more directly useful in your playing.
If you’re interested, check out my full article on the CAGED system here.
The 5 Major Pentatonic Scale Shapes for Guitar
As you go through the examples below, you’ll find 3 diagrams for each pattern:
- A suggested finger pattern
- The intervals or scale tones
- A TAB and notation example to show you how to put it together
Let’s jump in.
6th String Scale Pattern
5th String Scale Pattern
4th String Scale Pattern
3rd String Scale Pattern
2nd String Scale Pattern
These 5 scale patterns make it easy to find any scale you need on the guitar, anywhere on the fretboard. Make it a goal to learn all 5 over time.
Practical Application – Major Pentatonic Scales for Guitar
Here are some tips to help make it easy for you to learn and use these scale patterns:
Do one pattern at a time. You don’t need to learn all 5 patterns right away. In fact, it will probably slow you down if that’s what you try to do. Chances are you’ll start mixing up which pattern is which and have to go back and review them all.
Instead, take one pattern and really work with it – once it’s good, move to the next one.
Play all over the neck. Practice these scale patterns all over the neck so you get used to how each pattern feels and sounds at different frets.
Personally, I like playing the scale and moving up the neck one fret at a time until I’ve played in all 12 keys.
You can also practice around the cycle of 4ths to work on finding different notes on the fretboard as you go.
Focus on the scale tones. The better you get, you’ll pay less attention to the finger pattern. Instead, pay more attention to the scale tones/intervals you are playing. This will let you know the scale on a deeper level, and improve your ear at the same time.
Don’t just practice… play. Put these scales to work in blues progressions and jazz standards as soon as you can.
Really any song that’s in a major key… major pentatonic scales are going to be a great option for you.
The secret is to not think too hard. Focus on creating melodies that sound good to you, and you’ll be on the right track.
Conclusion
With a little practice, the major pentatonic scale will transform your jazz guitar soloing. You’ll be able to play great solos over the blues and other major chord progressions easily. And you’ll even have fun doing it.
Get all the scale patterns you need with our free Ultimate Guide to Jazz Guitar Scales.
How are you using major pentatonic scales in your own playing? Let me know in the comments.