The Five Positions of the Minor Pentatonics

The Scale Shapes

	Position 1 - E shape This is the most commonly learnt scale position. It is pretty easy to play. Alternatives Sometimes the notes on the first and second strings are played with the 3rd finger. I often play it that way, particularly further up the neck where it can get a bit cramped. This is also good for doing string bending as you will AWAYS bend with your 3rd finger. But the version shown is better to learn first, especially as this may be the first scale you ever learn. :)
	Position 2 - D shape This shape has many cool blues licks in it, should be the second shape you learn. Alternatives I often see people playing the thinnest two strings with the 2nd and 4th fingers. Makes sense if the idea was just to lay it fast but this scale is mostly used for blues, where you will bend a lot and want good control over the notes, hard to achieve with little finger. I'm confident that this is the best fingering.
	Position 3 - C shape This is sometimes thought to be quite a hard position to solo in... it is until you learn some funky licks from this position, then it will be your friend.. Alternatives Sometimes this one is played with just 1st and 3rd fingers all the way. That can be cool, but harder lower down the neck when the notes are further apart.
	Position 4 - A shape Lots and lots of cool licks in this position... Alternatives The most common alternative is play the two notes on the 2nd string with 1st and 3rd fingers. Not a bad plan but can be hard to play fast. Sometimes first string is also played with 1st and 3rd fingers.
	Position 5 - G shape This is a funky position, can seem hard at first but again it has some cool licks in it if you look around enough. Alternatives I often see this played with the fingering 2,4 / 2,4 / 1,4 / 1,4 / 2,4 / 2,4 which I think is useless. Using the two weakest fingers for two thirds of the scale is ludicrous. Best alternative is to use 1st and 3rd fingers all the way. Or... Use 1st and 3rd for strings 1, 2, 5 and 6 and 1st and 4th for the middle string.

Practice Schedule Change

Day One

Technique
The Crutch
The Butterfly
The Spider
Guitar Aerobics Exercise of the Day

Chords and Rhythm
One Minute Chord Changes
Blues Strumming (12 Bar Blues in E) 63 BPM

Repertoire
Smile (Chords only)

Lead and Improv.
G major Scale

Day Two

Technique
The Crutch
The Butterfly
The Ladder
Guitar Aerobics Exercise of the Day
Finger Gym

Chords and Rhythm
60 bpm 1st beat chord Changes (Major, minor and 7th chords)
Tied rhythm practice (Justin's lesson)

Repertoire
Wish you were here (chords only)

Lead and Improv.
String Bending
Am Pentatonic Scale 72 BPM

Wish You Were Here Strum

Changed my pattern to D DU UD DU Change chord D DU UD DU change and repeat. This is
based on the guitar noise lesson.

Smile Chords

This is a pretty simple song with just 4 chords.
Chords used in this song :
C

e ---|---|---|---|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|---|---|---|
D ---|-x-|---|---|---|
A ---|---|-x-|---|---|
E ---|---|-o-|---|---| 
CM7

e ---|---|---|---|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|-x-|---|---|
D -x-|---|---|---|---|
A ---|---|-x-|---|---|
E ---|---|-o-|---|---| 
Am

e ---|---|---|---|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G ---|-x-|---|---|---|
D ---|-x-|---|---|---|
A ---|---|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---| 
Dm

e -x-|---|---|---|---|
B ---|---|-x-|---|---|
G ---|-x-|---|---|---|
D ---|---|---|---|---|
A ---|---|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---|
Em

e ---|---|---|---|---|
B ---|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|---|---|---|
D ---|-x-|---|---|---|
A ---|-x-|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---| 
F

e -x-|---|---|---|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G ---|-x-|---|---|---|
D ---|---|-x-|---|---|
A ---|---|-x-|---|---|
E -x-|---|---|---|---| 
G

e ---|---|-x-|---|---|
B ---|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|---|---|---|
D ---|---|---|---|---|
A ---|-x-|---|---|---|
E ---|---|-x-|---|---|

Intro/Riff (Comprises most of the song):

C             Cmaj7               C             Cmaj7
e|---------0--0----------0---|---------0--0----------0---|
B|---------1--1----------0---|---------1--1----------0---|
G|---------0--0----------0---|---------0--0----------0---|
D|------2-----2-------2------|------2-----2-------2------|
A|---3-------------3---------|---3-------------3---------|
E|---------------------------|---------------------------|

(Would this do...)


Other Part:

Dm            G                Fmaj7         G
e|---------1--1----------3--3---|---------0--0-------------3--3---|
B|---------3--3----------3--3---|---------1--1----------3--3--3---|
G|------2-----2----------0--0---|------2-----2-------4--------4---|
D|---0-------------------0------|---3-------------5---------------|
A|--------------------2---------|---------------------------------|
E|-----------------3------------|---------------------------------|

(I'll make my getaway...)


There is extensive slide soloing in this song. If you want this effect,
just improvise some slide solos in C on the high e string like this:

e|---3/8---5/7---|---3/5---5/7\3---|

(intro) (C CM7 Am CM7) 2x

C CM7 C CM7

Would this do/ to make it all right

C CM7 C CM7

While sleep has taken you /where I'm out of sight

Dm Em

I'll make my getaway

F G

Time on my own

Dm Em

Search for a better way

F G C-------

To find my way home to your smile

(C CM7 Am CM7) 2x

C CM7 C CM7

Wasting days and days/ on this fight

C CM7 C CM7

Always down, and up/ half the night

Dm Em F G

Hopeless to reminisce /through the dark hours

Dm Em F G

We'll only sacrifice what time will allow us

(C CM7 Am CM7) 2x (F G F G) (not too shure

You're sighing...sighing + solo (slide) (on this part)

(C CM7 Am CM7) (F G F G) ( email me if better)

(C CM7 Am CM7) 2x

C CM7 C CM7

All alone/ though you're right here

C CM7 C CM7

Now it's time to go/ from your sad stare

Dm Em

Make my getaway

Dm G

Time on my own

Dm Em

Leaving's a better way

Dm G C--------

To find my way home to your smile

(C CM7 Am CM7) 4x (Dm Em F G) 2x

(C CM7 Am CM7) (C CM7 Am C------)

Practice Schedule Change

I decided to change my schedule to a two day rotating format as outlined below. I think I will try
this for a while to change things up.

Day One

Technique
The Crutch
The Butterfly
Flexercise #10
The Spider

Chords and Rhythm
One Minute Chord Changes
Blues Strumming (12 Bar Blues in E)

Repertoire
Smile (Chords only)

Lead and Improv.
G major Scale


Day Two
Technique
The Crutch
The Butterfly
The Ladder

Finger Gym

Chords and Rhythm
60 bpm 1st beat chord Changes (Major, minor and 7th chords)
Basic rhythm practice (Justin's lesson)

Repertoire
Wish you were here (chords only)

Lead and Improv.
String Bending
Am Pentatonic Scale

1st Post- Current Practice Schedule :45 to 1:00

Technique

The Crutch
The Butterfly
The Ladder
Finger Gym

Chords and Rhythm

60 bpm 1st beat changes
Basic rhythm practice

Repertoire

Wish you were here (chords only)

Lead and Improv.

String Bending
Am Pentatonic Scale