The Minor Pentatonic Scale | Guitar Lesson with Diagrams
The minor pentatonic scale is the fifth mode of the major pentatonic scale (there are five different modes). The formula is 1 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b7. This is the first scale to know for a guitarist who wants to explore the wide world of improvisation. Indeed, the minor pentatonic scale very is easy to remember, easy to play and it sounds very good on a modal tune or a jazz blues (listen to Kenny Burrell or Grant Green).
Minor Pentatonic Scale Formula
As its name implies, the minor pentatonic scale is made of five notes ("penta" means "five and tonic means "notes"). Giving the interval pattern Tonic (1) - minor third (b3) - fourth (4) - fifth (5) - minor seventh (b7).
A minor pentatonic scale | A | C | D | E | G |
Formula | 1 | b3 | 4 | 5 | b7 |
Intervals | W+H | W | W | W+H | W |
Minor Pentatonic Scale | One Octave Shapes
These two guitar neck diagrams show you how to play the minor pentatonic scale within two octaves in order to cover the six strings.


Difference Between Major Pentatonic and Minor Pentatonic
The minor pentatonic scale interval pattern is 1 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b7 whereas the major pentatonic scale formula is 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6. They have only two chord tones in common, the tonic (1) and the fifth (5).
Relative Major
The minor pentatonic scale as a relative major which is the major pentatonic scale. Meaning that these two scales are built with the same notes.
The minor pentatonic scale starts on the sixth of the major scale. Conversely, the major scale starts on the b3 of the minor scale.
The two guitar shapes below show the relation between the A minor pentatonic scale and its relative major (C major). As you can see their can be two pentatonic scale in the same pattern. The tonic determines the tonality.

Difference Between Minor Pentatonic Scale and Minor Blues Scale
The minor blues scale is no more and no less than the minor pentatonic scale with a supplementary note. You need to know that there are three types of minor blues scales depending on the added note. The most used is the minor blues scale with a b5 between the fourth (4) and the fifth (5).

The second type of minor blues scale has a major third (3) between the b3 and the fourth. Whereas the third type has a major seventh (7) between the b7 and the tonic.


Minor Pentatonic Scale And Chords
Basically, minor pentatonic scale are played over minor chord types as : minor (m), minor 7 (m7), minor 11. Here are five examples that show how to mix the minor pentatonic scale with minor seventh chords.
The first lick is based on the A minor pentatonic scale linked to a drop 3 min7 chord.
This second tab uses the D minor pentatonic scale and a drop min7 chord.
D minor pent. with a drop 3 min7 chord with root note on the sixth string.
G minor pentatonic scale with a Gm7 drop 2 voiced with root on the fourth string.
E minor pentatonic with drop 2 Em7 chord.
Minor Pentatonic Scale Over II V I Progressions
Here are three exercises showing how the minor pentatonic scale can be used in a major 2 5 1 progression.
In the first example you will play D minor pentatonic scale over the ii chord (Dm7).
As you can hear in the lick below, playing Bb minor pentatonic over G7 outlines interesting altered tones as the b13, b5, #9 and b9.
In this last line Em pentatonic is played over Dm7 in order to highlight the ninth (9), eleventh (11) and thirteenth (13).
Soul Jazz Guitar Line
Here is a soul, jazz guitar lick using notes from the Bb minor pentatonic scale (Bb - Db - Eb - F - Ab). It starts and ends with a perfect fourth (F-Bb). This lick is taken from the 25 SOUL JAZZ GUITAR LICKS PDF Method
Kenny Burrell | Minor Pentatonic Jazz Blues Licks
Here are 10 easy guitar lines using the C minor pentatonic scale transcribed from Kenny Burrell's guitar solo on "Chitlins con carne" from the album midnight blue.
10 easy Kenny Burrell Jazz Guitar Licks | Chitlins Con Carne | Lesson with Tabs
Boogaloo Boogie - Big John Patton
Boogaloo boogie is one of the most famous tune of Big John Patton jazz, blues organist. It has been recorded by Stanton Moore with guitarist Charlie Hunter on the album "All Cooked Out". The theme contains a repetitive G minor pentatonic line mixed with some rootless dominant seventh chords and chords in fourths.
-
Guitar Scale Dictionary
This E-book is a printable PDF method including over 700 scale diagrams and formula charts for guitarists. -
Guitar Chord Dictionary
This PDF eBook provides over 550 guitar chord shapes. This is the perfect reference guide to understand how chords are built and how to play them on the guitar neck. -
172 Arpeggio Shapes For Guitar
This printable PDF is a method dedicated to guitarists of all styles who want to learn the most important types of arpeggios. -
126 Triad Chord Shapes
This handbook for guitar players is intended both for teachers and students. It includes 126 guitar shapes for mastering triads. -
30 Minor Arpeggio Licks
This package includes a printable PDF method containing 30 exercises with tabs, staves and audio files for practicing minor arpeggios on guitar. -
II V I Bundle - 170 Exercises
This bundle contains 4 PDF methods for a total of 170 exercises with tabs, staves & audio files for practicing scales, licks & chords over the 2-5-1 progression. -
Diatonic Licks Bundle
This package contains 120 jazz guitar lines based on diatonic modes as Mixolydian, Dorian and Ionian. PDF format with tabs, audio files and analysis. -
30 Smooth Jazz Guitar Licks
In this package you'll get a printable PDF Method with tabs, notation, analysis, scale shapes and audio files for practicing 30 smooth jazz guitar licks. -
40 II V I Jazz Guitar Licks
This pdf method for guitar contains fourteen 2 5 1 jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files. -
50 II-V-I voicings
This printable PDF guitar method provides 50 exercises with audio files, analysis, tab and staves for learning major 2-5-1 chord voicings. -
40 Minor 2 5 1 Chord Voicings
This PDF method contains 40 exercices with tabs, scores and audio files for practicing jazz guitar chords over the minor 2 5 1 progression. -
40 Minor II V I Licks
This guitar method is a printable PDF with tabs, diagrams, theory and audio files providing 40 minor 2 5 1 jazz patterns. -
40 Mixolydian Jazz Guitar Lick
PDF guitar method with tabs, audio files and theory providing 40 dominant jazz guitar lines for teachers and students. -
40 Minor Jazz Guitar Licks
This printable guitar method in PDF format contains 40 easy minor jazz guitar lines based on the Dorian mode. -
40 Major Jazz Guitar Licks
Printable PDF eBook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with tab, standard notation and audio files for beginners and intermediates. -
Guitar Walking Bass Lines
This jazz guitar method about walking bass lines and chords is available as a PDF files containing 35 exercises with tabs, analysis and audio files -
101 Dominant Arpeggio Patterns
This printable PDF method offers 101 dominant arpeggio exercises with tab, theory and standard notation for the jazz, blues and rock guitarist. -
49 Essential Jazz Lines
This printable eBook method in PDF format provides 49 jazz solo transcriptions of the greatest jazz musicians. Tab, standard notation, audio files & analysis. -
11 Jazz Blues Studies
11 jazz blues chord studies with tabs, standard notation, analysis, and audio recordings and PDF. -
10 Easy Fingerstyle Blues
This PDF with Tabs and audio files provides 10 easy acoustic fingerstyle blues guitar studies for kids and beginners. -
25 Altered Jazz Guitar Lines
This PDF eBook method contains 25 altered jazz guitar licks with tabs, patterns, scale charts and audio files to master, apply and develop the altered scale. -
40 Blues Dominant Patterns
This printable method is available as a PDF file containing 40 easy dominant jazz-blues guitar lines with tabs, standard notation, analysis, audio files and scale charts. -
Mastering Pentatonic Scales
This jazz guitar method is an eBook available as a PDF with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. You will find in this booklet 25 easy jazz guitar lines with theory using common and rare pentatonic scales. -
25 Soul Jazz Guitar Licks
You will find here an eBook available in PDF containing 25 soul jazz and hard bop guitar licks in the style of Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, George Benson. These jazz lines come with tabs, standard notation, guitar neck diagrams, backing track for practice and 25 audio files for each riff. -
25 Diminished Patterns
This eBook PDF with audio files contains 25 dominant diminished jazz guitar patterns using the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggios. -
6 Tritone substitution licks
This Printable PDF eBook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabs/notation, youtube video link and analysis about the tritone substitution. -
10 Minor 7 Arpeggio Patterns
This printable PDF eBook offers 10 easy minor 7 arpeggio patterns with its related YouTube video for beginner guitarists.
Last edited: 2022-06-24
Add a comment