Pentatonic Scale and Extended Pentatonic > More used finger patterns for pentatonic scale
Here you are 5 possible fingerings of the A pentatonic scale that would have
to satisfay a widw range of needs.
I've pointed the fingers of the left hand I usually use, even if I must admit
that I use other fingers more functional, simpler and handy while I improvise.
I'll write them in the exercises.
Then feel free to choose the fingering you prefer (more convenient to you),
even if I WARMLY suggest to respect the |1|-|-|4| , don't play them as
|1|-|-|3| just because you hate your little finger (pinky)!!!
The numbers you'll find on the fretboard index which finger of the left hand
has to be used to play the arpeggio. The numbers within brackets index that in
that point of the fretboard there is the tonic of the arpeggio.
Here's then the positions of a pentatonic scale: the A one.
Position 1 : A pentatonic
----------------------------
3 5 7 9 12 15 17 19
[---|---|---|---|(1)|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|-1-|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|-1-|---|-3-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|-1-|---|(3)|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|-1-|---|-3-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|(1)|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
Position 2 : A pentatonic
----------------------------
3 5 7 9 12 15 17 19
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|(4)|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|-3-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|(1)|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
Position 3 : A pentatonic
----------------------------
3 5 7 9 12 15 17 19
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|-3-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|(1)|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|(4)|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---]
Position 4 : A pentatonic
----------------------------
3 5 7 9 12 15 17 19
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|(3)|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|-3-|---|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|(1)|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---]
[---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---]
Position 5 : A pentatonic
----------------------------
Here are write two positions an octave distant.
3 5 7 9 12 15 17 19
[---|---|-2-|---|(4)|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|(4)|---|---]
[---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---]
[---|(1)|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|(1)|---|---|-4-|---|---]
[---|-1-|---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-1-|---|---|-4-|---|---]
[---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|-4-|---|---]
[---|---|-2-|---|(4)|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-2-|---|(4)|---|---]
UP
I've organized the positions in cresent order, number them for clarness only,
I don't know if exist a position named 4 corresponding to the one written
above.
Anyway, what I want to point out is the linking of a position with the next
one and the preceding one. During the improvisations, in fact, is very usefull
"to see in advance" where to put the fingers if we want to go up or down of
position along the frettboard.
I want also remember that, faceing the study of a scale, you don't have to
forget what it is: intervals between notes.
Relatively to the pentatonic they are :
t+s t t t+s t where : s 1 semitone 1 fret
t 1 tone 2 frets
t+s 1 tone and half 3 frets
Over a single string they appare so :
--|(T)|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|(T)|---|---|-O-|---|--
Where the notes ar rappresentated by "O" and the "tonic of the scale by "(T)".
Theorically it would be necessary to study the scale even on a single string.
In fact "visualize it" even in this way will be usefull in sequences of
legato, tapping and tapping with more fingers. If you are not intrested, at
the moment, to these techniques concentrate aboveall on the study of the 5
positions.
UP
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