The Major Pentatonic Scale Options

[bart m]

Thanks Andrew...i didn't find you dismissive at all

[eddiecat]

Hello Andrew, my name is Eddie.
Thank you so very much for your wonderful theory board, it really is of great help!
I've spent the last three weeks in here and I can't believe how much I'm actually learning.
Now to the pentatonic boxes, major and minor:
hoping that I understood the lesson concerning relative minors here's my conclusion:,
A given box of a major pentatonic is exactly the same as the box of it's relative minor.
So the five boxes of G major pentatonic are exactly the same as the five boxes of E minor pentatonic,
the only HUGE difference is the root note (E vs. G) and, of course, the formula.
The same thing would work for C and A, for example.
Now, if it is so, I'm really thrilled to bits, because besides learning the boxes for both major and minor penta,
I'm also memorizing the notes on the fretboard since I know where the different root notes are!
Thank you very, very much for your helpfulness and for the clarity within your lessons.
Greetings, Eddie

[Andrew Cockburn]

Hello Andrew, my name is Eddie.
Thank you so very much for your wonderful theory board, it really is of great help!
I've spent the last three weeks in here and I can't believe how much I'm actually learning.
Now to the pentatonic boxes, major and minor:
hoping that I understood the lesson concerning relative minors here's my conclusion:,
A given box of a major pentatonic is exactly the same as the box of it's relative minor.
So the five boxes of G major pentatonic are exactly the same as the five boxes of E minor pentatonic,
the only HUGE difference is the root note (E vs. G) and, of course, the formula.
The same thing would work for C and A, for example.
Now, if it is so, I'm really thrilled to bits, because besides learning the boxes for both major and minor penta,
I'm also memorizing the notes on the fretboard since I know where the different root notes are!
Thank you very, very much for your helpfulness and for the clarity within your lessons.
Greetings, Eddie

Hi eddie,

You are close, but lets be exact here just so there is no confusion:

A given box of a major pentatonic is exactly the same as the box of it's relative minor shifted down one pattern

For example, if you play C Major Pentatonic, that is the same as A minor pentatonic in its 2nd box - the notes are identical, just the root notes differ. So you also have to figure in that 1 box shift and you are right:)



See the answer on pentatonic major scale lesson

[eddiecat]

Hi eddie,

You are close, but lets be exact here just so there is no confusion:

A given box of a major pentatonic is exactly the same as the box of it's relative minor shifted down one pattern

For example, if you play C Major Pentatonic, that is the same as A minor pentatonic in its 2nd box - the notes are identical, just the root notes differ. So you also have to figure in that 1 box shift and you are right:)
See the answer on pentatonic major scale lesson

Oh, yes! Of course.
Sorry I didn't make that clear...

[Mrblomme]

I have a question.

Ok the patterns for the minor and major pentatonic scale are almost the same but the first pattern in the minor is the fifth in the major?

Is it necessary to call the first you mentioned the FIRST pattern or doesn't it matter?

Caus otherwise I would use the order of the minor caus it's easier to think of 1 thing.

[Muris Varajic]

These boxes might confuse sometimes.
Deal is to stick with the root note which is C in per example C major pentatonic scale.
A minor pentatonic scale has same notes while root is A.
Same notes,same boxes,everything.

[Mrblomme]

So you're telling me they're completely the same? Why should we learn both then?

[Muris Varajic]

So you're telling me they're completely the same? Why should we learn both then?

Root isn't the same,that's the point why we should learn both
and not thinking of Am pent while playing C Maj pent.

[Andrew Cockburn]

Root isn't the same,that's the point why we should learn both
and not thinking of Am pent while playing C Maj pent.

Yes, as Muris says, although the pasterns are the same, the scales are different (because they have different roots), and you need to get the scales in your head or it will lead to confusion later, so treat them as different.

[coffeeman]

Yes, as Muris says, although the pasterns are the same, the scales are different (because they have different roots), and you need to get the scales in your head or it will lead to confusion later, so treat them as different.

And I guess is important to treat them as different to understand and play pentatonic modes too.

[PlayAllDay]

They SOUND different.

[Kapto]

They SOUND different.

Lol they are the same with same notes. Exactly the same patterns only the root note changes. What I do is to remember the root "this one is for major that one for minor" If its Major I start with the 2nd pattern that has the root on the 1st note if it's minor I start with the 1st pattern which has the root on the 1st note" After that I move to another pattern and try to remember the rest.
Hope this helps a bit

[Andrew Cockburn]

They SOUND different.

That's the key right there - they sound different because you have them organized right in your head, even though they are the same notes

And that's what practicing them as different scales will do for you ... you will practice hearing the notes in a different starting place with the correct root note, and that makes the scale sound and act different.

[PlayAllDay]

Lol they are the same with same notes. Exactly the same patterns only the root note changes. What I do is to remember the root "this one is for major that one for minor" If its Major I start with the 2nd pattern that has the root on the 1st note if it's minor I start with the 1st pattern which has the root on the 1st note" After that I move to another pattern and try to remember the rest.
Hope this helps a bit

Compare a minor pent with root note A and a major pent with root note A. They are not the same.

This is one way you can start to identify them by sound.

[Kapto]

Compare a minor pent with root note A and a major pent with root note A. They are not the same.

This is one way you can start to identify them by sound.

Of course it's not the same I compare Am with C major A major with #F minor F major with D minor and so on. So while running on 1 pattern I think to myself I am on the G major or Em Key.

[Muris Varajic]

Of course it's not the same I compare Am with C major A major with #F minor F major with D minor and so on. So while running on 1 pattern I think to myself I am on the G major or Em Key.

That IS what I was talking about actually.
Most of players think of Em while playing in G using pentatonic,
guess it's because we all started with minor pentatonic licks more or less,
still,it's wrong way of thinking,there are many spots when
player lays down on "wrong" note in solo,
per example,laying on E or bending from D to E while chord in progression is G.

[Mrblomme]

Hi Andrew,

I have a question
If I play this box


This is a G Major pentatonic but If I want to make it an E, do I have to move UP or DOWN? Becaus if I move down from here I dont have enough frets to play an F#

[Muris Varajic]

Since Andrew is ofline I'll try help

If you wanna play E Major pentatonic scale than you need to move this box 3 semi tones DOWN,
so the yellow dot will be on 12th fret on E string per example,our root note is E now.
And if you wanna play E Minor pentatonic scale then you don't need to move at all,
notes are same,just consider note E(12th fret on E string) as root now,there you go.

[Mrblomme]

Yes but it's quite hard to play that low on my axe.

[Muris Varajic]

That low,from 9th to 12th fret?