The Minor Pentatonic Scale On Each String
In a previous lesson we discussed the music theory of the minor pentatonic scale. This scale is the foundation of most blues and classic rock music. Here we’ll take a look at the D minor pentatonic scale on each string. Playing scales horizontally tends to make our lines more melodic and singable. Derek Trucks is a master of this technique.
The 6th, 4th, and 1st strings have the same scale pattern:
(The numbers below each tab, 1-b3-4-5-b7, refer to the scale degrees. For a great explanation on this, check out our lesson on minor pentatonic scale theory.)
The 5th and 2nd strings have the same pattern as each other:
The 3rd string has its own pattern:
As an exercise, focus on playing the minor pentatonic scale on a single string and combining it with a blues progression. You can even combine it with a slick walking bass line and chord progression.
This lesson is based on a chapter from the book Mastering the Fretboard in Open D and the 3+ hour video course Mastering Open D Tuning. If you’re interested in learning more music theory in Open D, check out those great educational resources.
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