The minor pentatonic scale is an important scale for any guitarist.
These scale diagrams and guitar tabs show the scale pattern connections that help give more room and dynamics with the minor pentatonic scale when playing different phrases, solos or riffs.
The A Minor Pentatonic Scale
e|--------------------------------5--8--| B|--------------------------5--8--------| G|--------------------5--7--------------| D|--------------5--7--------------------| A|--------5--7--------------------------| E|--5--8--------------------------------|
The first minor pentatonic scale pattern is the base that these scale connections are built around. If you're not already familiar with this scale pattern, practice this until you have a good idea of where to locate the notes of the scale on the neck.
Connecting Minor Pentatonic Scale Patterns
Minor Pentatonic Connection 1
e|------------8--10--| B|-----8--10---------| G|--9----------------| D|-------------------| A|-------------------| E|-------------------|
Minor Pentatonic Connection 2
e|--------------| B|--------------| G|--------------| D|--------------| A|--------3--5--| E|--3--5--------|
How to Connect the Patterns
Thinking of scale patterns as "boxes" on the fret board often help remembering the patterns used to play anywhere on the neck.
Here is how the connections look on the fret board with the original minor pentatonic pattern.
A way to connect these with the original pattern is by starting on the second connection box and moving through the original scale pattern, up to the first connection.
e|---------------------------8-10-12--| B|----------------------8-10----------| G|----------------5-7-9---------------| D|------------5-7---------------------| A|------3-5-7-------------------------| E|--3-5-------------------------------|
Notice the pattern of play 2 notes, move up a string, play the next 3 notes, and repeat this sequence on each string through the connections and original scale pattern.
The last note on the high E string can added onto the first extension with this technique.
Once you've practiced connecting the scale patterns with the first minor pentatonic scale pattern you will have more options to play solos or riffs. Practice different phrases in the scale using melodic patterns.