You need to know the pentatonic scales -- especially on the guitar. That's because these patterns are popular in guitar solos and riffs.
But WHY?
Most people just memorize the pentatonic scales and never fully understand the true power they hold. So this video explains exactly how these patterns work ... and why they're so important in music. (And the images below illustrate the main points -- for you to explore at your own pace.)
Major Pentatonic
Using the key of C, for example, one of the most popular patterns is the major pentatonic scale. You can play it in various octaves on the fretboard:
Minor Penatonic
The minor pentatonic also sounds great, like this example (also in the key of C):
Penta vs. Hepta
The term "pentatonic" means "five notes" because each of these scales has five tones. This is fewer notes compared to the major scale, for example -- also known as a "heptatonic" scale, which has seven tones.
