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Posted by: Sizemore23 Sep 10 2009, 03:59 PM

I know the A Minor Pentatonic now how do I switch to different keys. Like if i wanted to play the E minor pentatonic what would I do and how would I know were the different boxes start at?

Posted by: jafomatic Sep 10 2009, 04:02 PM

If you're playing your A minor pentatonic rooted at A on the 5th fret of the 6th string, you can move it to any other root note on that same string to play it in that key.

Move it just one full step (2 frets) closer to the nut, so third fret, and now it's G minor penta. Move it one minor third (3 frets) closer to the bridge, so eighth fret, and now it's C minor penta.

You'll find E minor penta starts at 12th fret of 6th string.

Posted by: Emir Hot Sep 10 2009, 04:06 PM

Set your root note where you need and play the same shape. As Jafomatic said, if you start from 12th fret you'll be playing E pentatonic. You need to know when to use it. Obviously if the chord in the background is E then you can go for E pentatonic etc... That's the simplest approach but it works for the start.

Posted by: Marc_Maiden Sep 10 2009, 04:17 PM

yep like the above said



the beauty of scales and chords for guitar is that the fingering stays the same...all you have to do is move them over!


so you would need to go from the 5th fret of the low E string to the 12th fret of the low E string

Posted by: Sizemore23 Sep 10 2009, 04:46 PM

Okay. So I start on the 12th fret with the 1st pattern. Then when do i end up closer to the nut? oh and thanks everyone for the reply.

Posted by: Emir Hot Sep 10 2009, 04:49 PM

Do you know all minor pentatonic boxes? I am asking this because you still sounds like it's not 100% clear to you Try http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/pentatonic-patterns-in-five-positions/ just to learn the boxes. This one is in the key of A. You have scale diagram included.

Posted by: Sizemore23 Sep 10 2009, 08:38 PM

yes i know all five boxed for the A minor. i just dont get it. instead of starting on the 12th fret for the E minor why not start at the nut?

Posted by: ZakkWylde Sep 10 2009, 08:41 PM

You can start at the nut! That's on octave lower!

When you start on the nut and play all the five boxes you end up at the 12th fret where the boxes start all over again!

Posted by: Muris Varajic Sep 10 2009, 09:23 PM

Yeah, you can find same box twice on fingerboard most likely,
even with 21 fret.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Sep 10 2009, 11:58 PM

Sure, starting at the nut is good, using open strings.