This is the Pentatonic minor scale. This is one of the single most common scales used, particularly in blues and rock. Pentatonic means that the scale has 5 notes.

In the ActionTab, you will hear the open E minor chord play, followed by the E pentatonic minor scale in that position.

The scale is played through from the Low E string to the high E string and back down again. The E pentatonic minor scale contains the following notes: E G A B D

In this scale practice you will be playing through 2 octaves and back down again, note by note:

(E) G A B D (E) G A B D (E)

Root / oactave notes shown here in brackets.

Practicing this scale will help you get better control - particularly if you are new to guitar.

Make sure you pick each note with your strumming hand with the stroke directions as shown in the ActionTab. Constant down / up picking motion will give you extra speed when you start to get the hang of the scale and wish to speed it up. So get the picking directions right from the start.

Next, a B minor chord is played, followed by the B pentatonic minor scale. Practice it in exactly the same way. To get at least as fast as you can hear in the normal speed version.

The B pentatonic minor scale notes are:

B D E F# A - Again, played through 2 octaves, and down again:

(B) D E F# A (B) D E F# A (B)

Notice that the position of the notes are exactly the same as the open E - the places the notes appear in are exactly the same, except this time they start from the B note.

Let's look at this briefly. In the ActionTab you see an open E minor chord played, followed by the E pentatonic minor scale. Next you see the B minor chord, followed by the B pentatonic minor scale. Notice anything? These are exactly the same thing - except they are 7 frets apart (and in the B chord you need your first finger to 'replace' the open notes - doing this is called playing a barre chord).

Your fingers follow exactly the same shape and patterns - all that changes is the note you start from. It's really useful to know this. If you wish to play an A minor chord and A pentatonic minor scale. Simply start with your finger on the 5th fret. This is the 'A' note. Play the same patterns with your fingers and this will give you the A minor chord, and all the A pentatonic minor scale notes. Even if you don't know the note names - you will still play a perfect A pentatonic minor scale!

Once you can play these scales through, Try out the 'B Pentatonic Scale Trick' ActionTab to learn how to make scale practice a little more interesting.