[wasted_dreams]

Hello,

I had a look around the forum but couldn't find anything about this.

I'm beginning to look at Pentatonic Scales but I am really confused by the chord diagrams and don't understand what I am supposed to do with my fingers.
Below are examples that are similar to the ones used in the magazine I am learning from:



Does anyone know where I could maybe get a beginners lesson which explained all of this. As the magazine, and lessons I can find on the internet don't seem to explain what the diagram is trying to show me.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I can see that the numbers are the fingers to use, and the red dots are the root (but i'm not 100% sure what this means).

[LeeB]

Those diagrams are showing pentatonic scales not chords. You play each note seperately when learning. For example..if you take the first diagram and start the scale on the fifth fret the Root is an A note, then you would be playing an Am pentatonic scale.
If you go to YouTube and search pentatonic lesson, you will most likely find a video of someone playing through a pentatonic scale note for note.

[scorpius]

Hi! I'm also new to the pentatonic scales and am sure many will be glad to help you with this. The way I understand it, the R (root note) is the location of the root note. For example, for an A minor pentatonic scale, R will be on the 5th fret of the low E string. So you will be playing on the 5th to 8th frets. Start by picking your #1 finger at the 5th fret, followed by #4 finger at the 8th fret, then change string, #1 finger on 5th fret, #3 finger on 7th fret, and so on.
That is only for a single position of an A minor penta scale and there are still a lot but the trend goes like that.
Hope this helps a little.

[wasted_dreams]

Thanks LeeB and scorpius

I looked on YouTube and found a video from Justin Sandercoe (the website where I got the images in my post) and he walks through it with you.

I think I now understand the top diagram a little better.
I won't know for sure until I have a go, so tonight I will look at the YouTube video again and see if I can match them both up.

[scorpius]

Welcome.
I assume that you already have some finger stretching exercises before starting with it.

[wasted_dreams]

Originally Posted by scorpius

Welcome.
I assume that you already have some finger stretching exercises before starting with it.

Not really.
My uncle suggested I try it as it's "easy" and sounds cool.

[solidwalnut]

Originally Posted by wasted_dreams

Hello,

I had a look around the forum but couldn't find anything about this.

I'm beginning to look at Pentatonic Scales but I am really confused by the chord diagrams and don't understand what I am supposed to do with my fingers.
Below are examples that are similar to the ones used in the magazine I am learning from:



Does anyone know where I could maybe get a beginners lesson which explained all of this. As the magazine, and lessons I can find on the internet don't seem to explain what the diagram is trying to show me.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I can see that the numbers are the fingers to use, and the red dots are the root (but i'm not 100% sure what this means).

Practicing these pentatonic scales will sound cool, by themselves. And they can be used in a lot of different playing situations.

But I think it would be good for you to get that these formations come from chords. I don't know where you are in your learning, but there's some information in that diagram that might help. I've modified it and it's posted below:



Notice that I've painted some of the dots in the top picture red. Now check out that the only difference between the position of the red dot from the top formation to the bottom one is the position of the red dot on the third string from the right (this represents the high e string).

Notes come from chords. These red dots indicate the E barre chord formation. If the red dots at the top of each formation was the third fret, then these would be G chords. The top one would be a Gm and the bottom one would be a G major. The 'R' dots in this case indicate the root note of the formation. So these would be G notes if the top of the formation was located at the third fret.

I know this doesn't help you learn how to play the pentatonic. I figure you'll find something on YouTube that will help. But my whole point is that you might want to realize that all notes come from chords, so look at what notes you're playing and realize that it comes from a chord formation. And I also want to say that learning chords first, or at least at the same time, will take you far.

There's plenty of information about that here at GfB&B whenever you want to dive in.

All the best today,

Steve

[justinthyme]

Nice post, Steve. I remember the first time I looked at one of these diagrams and felt completely lost. Unfortunately I didn't find this site until much later.

wasted_dreams - just one thing to add, if its not already clear - the root note is the first note of the scale - ie the root note of a G major scale is G, the root note of a C minor pentatonic is C, and so on. In a major scale it would be the 'Do' in do-re-mi etc.

Good luck with your playing!

[csason]

whatever you do, don't try Kirk's finger stretching exercise..!!! j/k

it's a real killer

YouTube - The Ultimate Stretching Exercise for Guitar

[justinthyme]

Originally Posted by csason

whatever you do, don't try Kirk's finger stretching exercise..!!! j/k

it's a real killer
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hehe - I was having a go at that yesterday. I think 'flummoxed' is the only word for me on this one - but what a good one to nail!

[wasted_dreams]

Thanks for all your help. I can understand the diagram now and I think I can do the minor pentatonic scale.
I've been using notes on the internet instead of the magazine I have because the magazine uses hammer ons and confusing things like that - the internet lesson doesn't.

I have another question - The skin has came off the top of my index finger, and i'm a little concerned.

I have been (at some points) moving it up and down the fretboard rather quickly while pushing down pretty hard on the strings (stupidly thinking it would speed up the process of hardening my fingertips).

Now the skin has come off, it's more tender to the touch and I don't know whether I should stop playing until it grows back. Not sure whether this is a common thing to happen (though I don't understand why your skin would fall off when it's supposed to be going hard) or whether I have made it happen by moving my finger along the strings too fast?

[csason]

the lyrics to the song " played it till my fingers bled" comes to mind..

After a while you will develop callouses on your fingertips, until then..you might want to take a break at times to prevent damage. It just takes a little time.

I'm not sure there is a way to make callouses occur faster.. I would suggest playing a little everyday, but stop before the skin comes off.