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22.2 · The Pentatonic Scale

The guitar's home scale

Rotate the major pentatonic to start on its 6th note and you get the minor pentatonic: same five notes, darker home. It's the relative-twin trick, now with five notes. A minor pentatonic is arguably the most-played scale on Earth, because it sits under the fingers of every guitarist in one famous shape.

Same five notes, darker door

C major pentatonic and A minor pentatonic share every note. Only home changes.

The box

A minor pentatonic on the neck, root A ringed. See the shaded window at frets 5 to 8? Two notes per string, one hand position: 'the box'. It's the first shape every guitarist memorizes.

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Quiz

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A minor pentatonic relates to C major pentatonic how?

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson.Add the blue note