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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Electric → Why Minor pentatonic?
In all the instructional books I have read, they say the most useful beginning scale is the minor pentatonic. Most of the songs I play or even see around are written in major keys. Why is this? Are you supposed to play the G minor pentatonic in a solo when the song you are playing in is in G major? Please help this is confusing me.
Ssp3
Because it's easy. The five pentatonic patterns fit the hand naturally.
Each major scale has an associated minor with it that you can play all day long over the top of the major. It's the sixth not of the scale.
So for G major, your example, you would play E minor pentatonic. E being the sixth note of the G major scale.
G A B C D E F# G
There are also pentatonic major scale patterns. You should learn them as well.
Learn them scales! Makes playing a ton easier.
oh, ok, i get it. I know about the relative minors and that makes sense, because they have the same notes. Do you try to follow the chord structure of the song and if so do you use the root of the major scale or the minor scale? Thanks for th sesponse by the way, I was confused
Steve
When I'm playing a solo, I prefer to use the entire neck, and only worry about resolving the solo on the chord roots. I don't think in terms of "Well, this song is in C so I'm going to solo in Am" It's more "This song is in C and I can play that scale at these various places on the neck." The pentatonics come out a lot because they are so easy to play, so that's not a conscious decision I make, it's just an artifact of how my mind works in translating the fretboard.
I think it is important to learn scales not just across the neck, but down the neck as well. I want to be able to play any major or mintor scale at any position on the neck. Knowing how the intervals in scales works helps that a great deal. I can play C major, for example, but because I know the interval patterns, I can also play D dorian, E phrigian, F lydian, G mixolidian, Am, and B locrian. It's all the same scale. It's just a matter of where you start playing.
When I'm playing a solo, I prefer to use the entire neck, and only worry about resolving the solo on the chord roots. I don't think in terms of "Well, this song is in C so I'm going to solo in Am" It's more "This song is in C and I can play that scale at these various places on the neck." The pentatonics come out a lot because they are so easy to play, so that's not a conscious decision I make, it's just an artifact of how my mind works in translating the fretboard.
I think it is important to learn scales not just across the neck, but down the neck as well. I want to be able to play any major or mintor scale at any position on the neck. Knowing how the intervals in scales works helps that a great deal. I can play C major, for example, but because I know the interval patterns, I can also play D dorian, E phrigian, F lydian, G mixolidian, Am, and B locrian. It's all the same scale. It's just a matter of where you start playing.
Gotta love those modes huh! My favorite two are Dorian and Mixolidian. Put them together and stringing them around is fun and it sounds awesome. Another reason why I think the minor pentatonics are so cool is because one, they have a lot of full step gaps(come to think of it, there is no half step gaps in any of the patterns, they are all a full step or full step and a half) and two, they are extremely easy to fit into anything and solo around in without thinking at all.
Tone_Obsession
Gotta love those modes huh! My favorite two are Dorian and Mixolidian. Put them together and stringing them around is fun and it sounds awesome. Another reason why I think the minor pentatonics are so cool is because one, they have a lot of full step gaps(come to think of it, there is no half step gaps in any of the patterns, they are all a full step or full step and a half) and two, they are extremely easy to fit into anything and solo around in without thinking at all.
Tone_Obsession
That's how you can build a pentatonic from any modal scale. Remove the half step gaps, and you're left with five notes.
Dorian pentatonic? You got it! 
ok, here's another question, If I am playing a Am pentatonic scale over a song written in C major, should I resolve my phrases on the root chord of the C (which is the 3rd note of the scale or the A? (which is the root of the Am)
Also while we are on the subject I now that I can convert the am pentatonic to a blues scale by adding the half step between the 4th and 5th but should I add the half step between f and g (4th and 5th of the c scale) or between Dand E( 4th and 5th of the Am scale?
I think the answers to my questions above are that I should resolve on the C (3rd note of the Am pentatonic) and put the half step note between F and G because I am playing a song in the key of C. But, I am not sure hence the question. Thank you in advance for anyhelp.
SSP3
at the risk of confusing everyone including myself some thoughts
when you play a minor pentatonic lick over the "relative" major chord progression it will sound fine but it have a bluesy sound. it will sound odd if you use it to accompany upbeat pop songs
you can use the same shapes you learn for the minor pentatonic to play the major pentatonic scale its just the same shapes three frets lower.
in general if you want a bluesy sound use the minor pentatonic and resolve to the A. if you want a major sound use the major pentatonic and resolve to the C.
the blue note for the Am blues scale is the bV which is Eb
There are other blue notes. I never use them but my lead guitar book suggests the II, III and VI of the A major scale which are B C# and F#. Don't ask me why.
at the risk of confusing everyone including myself some thoughts
when you play a minor pentatonic lick over the "relative" major chord progression it will sound fine but it have a bluesy sound. it will sound odd if you use it to accompany upbeat pop songs
This is only true if you start and stay within the minor. You are still playing the major scale, you're just starting from a different spot in the scale. This is why it's important to learn scales all the way across the fretboard. Having a two or three octave range with the scale gives you the flexibility to solo in key.
you can use the same shapes you learn for the minor pentatonic to play the major pentatonic scale its just the same shapes three frets lower.
Sorta. If you move the entire shape down, you're still playing a minor. If you start the pattern three frets down, but keep the shape in the same position, you'll be playing the relative major of that minor. The reason? The minor is the VI of some major scale. Three frets down brings you a step and a half, bringing you to the major key.
in general if you want a bluesy sound use the minor pentatonic and resolve to the A. if you want a major sound use the major pentatonic and resolve to the C.
If you're playing in A minor, or C, sure. Resolving to the A will sound funny if you're playing in B, though. What I think you're trying to express is that you should resolve to the root of the scale. I'd change that a bit, and say you always *can* resolve to the root of the scale. It's handy in a pinch, but you certainly don't have to. 
the blue note for the Am blues scale is the bV which is Eb
There are other blue notes. I never use them but my lead guitar book suggests the II, III and VI of the A major scale which are B C# and F#. Don't ask me why.
You should learn those scales, and how they're built. Then you'll know why. Then you'd know where to hit the II III and VI of whatever key you're in.
Just so you know.
A major
A B C# D E F# G# A
What are the second, third, and sixth notes of that scale?
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