A Pentatonic Pattern Every Guitar Player Must Know
Hey, what’s up y’all? Here’s a pentatonic pattern that everybody must know. The pentatonic scale is the foundation for countless guitar solos across blues, rock, pop, and more. But just practicing the standard “box” shapes can get stale and limit your playing to one position. To truly master the fretboard and create more interesting solos, you need to be able to connect these shapes and move across the neck seamlessly.
The key is to learn how to move diagonally. This approach breaks you out of the vertical box patterns and opens up the entire length of the fretboard. We’re going to do this today with a classic and incredibly useful scale.
Let’s Move Diagonally with the E Minor Pentatonic Scale
So we’re going to start on the open string, and we’re going to play through the E minor pentatonic scale. This diagonal run connects multiple positions of the scale into one fluid motion. Follow along closely.
Ascending the Pattern
We’ll build this pattern string by string, moving up the neck.
- Low E String: Start with the open E string, then use your index finger on the third fret. After that, your index finger slides to the fifth fret on the E. Then you’re going to play the seventh fret on the E string.
- A String: Now, walk up the scale: fifth fret, then the seventh fret on the A string.
- D String: Play the fifth fret on the D string, then slide to the seventh fret. Keep walking up to the ninth fret.
- G String: Play the seventh fret, then the ninth fret on the G string.
- B String: Your index finger goes to the eighth fret on the B string. From there, slide to the 10th fret, then play the 12th fret on the B string.
- High E String: Finally, play the 10th fret and then the 12th fret on the high E string.
When you play this sequence smoothly, you’ll notice you’ve traveled from the open position all the way up to the 12th fret in one continuous melodic line.
Descending the Pattern
Once you get to the top, you want to do it backwards to really lock it into your muscle memory.
- High E & B Strings: Start on the high E at the 12th fret, then 10th. Move to the B string and play 12th, then 10th, and then slide down to the eighth fret.
- G & D Strings: On the G string, play ninth fret, then seventh. On the D string, play ninth, seventh, and then slide down to the fifth fret.
- A & Low E Strings: Play the seventh fret, then the fifth on the A string. Then on the low E, play seventh, fifth, and slide down to the third fret. You can finish it off with an open E and maybe a little Jimi Hendrix chord to resolve it.
Why This Pentatonic Pattern Is So Powerful
Practicing the pentatonic scale in this diagonal fashion is one of the most effective ways to improve your lead guitar playing. It goes far beyond simply building finger speed.
Breaking Out of the “Box”
The most significant benefit is that it trains your brain and fingers to see the fretboard as one interconnected unit. Many guitarists get trapped in the first pentatonic box shape, which limits their melodic options. This diagonal pattern physically forces you to connect different positions, which is the key to creating more dynamic and interesting solos that travel across the neck.
Improving Your Technique
This pattern is a fantastic technical workout. It incorporates slides, position shifts, and string changes, all of which are essential skills for fluid lead playing. The slide from the third to the fifth fret on the low E string, for example, is a classic blues and rock move. Practicing these shifts in a controlled way builds the muscle memory needed to execute them flawlessly during improvisation. It improves the synchronization between your picking and fretting hands, leading to cleaner, more articulate playing.
Building a Foundation for Improvisation
When you internalize this pattern, it becomes more than just a scale; it becomes a roadmap for improvisation. You’ll start to see these pathways naturally when you’re soloing, allowing you to create melodic lines that move up and down the neck with purpose. Legends like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page were masters of using these diagonal runs to create their iconic solos.
How to Practice This Pattern Effectively
To truly master this diagonal pentatonic run, you need to practice it with intention.
- Start Slowly: The goal is not speed, but accuracy. Play through the pattern slowly at first, making sure every note is clean and clear. Pay close attention to the slides and position shifts.
- Use a Metronome: Once you are comfortable with the fingerings, start practicing with a metronome. This will tighten up your timing and help you build speed gradually and cleanly.
- Alternate Picking: As you get faster, focus on using strict alternate picking (down-up-down-up). This is the most efficient way to play patterns like this and is a cornerstone of solid lead guitar technique.
Awesome, try it out. By incorporating this single pattern into your daily guitar practice, you will dramatically improve your fretboard knowledge, technique, and improvisational skills.
FAQ
- What scale is this pattern based on?
We are going to play through the E minor pentatonic scale. - How does the pattern move across the fretboard?
It moves diagonally, starting from the open E string and connecting different scale positions up to the 12th fret. - What is the ascending fingering for this pattern?
- Low E: Open, 3rd fret, slide to 5th fret, 7th fret.
- A String: 5th fret, 7th fret.
- D String: 5th fret, slide to 7th fret, 9th fret.
- G String: 7th fret, 9th fret.
- B String: 8th fret, slide to 10th fret, 12th fret.
- High E String: 10th fret, 12th fret.
- How do you play the pattern backwards? You reverse the sequence:
- High E & B: 12-10 on high E, then 12-10 on B, slide down to 8.
- G & D: 9-7 on G, then 9-7 on D, slide down to 5.
- A & Low E: 7-5 on A, then 7-5 on low E, slide down to 3.
