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Hey Ian, all the pentatonic scale forms represent are all the notes in a pentatonic scale within a small area of the neck. So if you can spell all of your major scales all you have to do is choose the key that you would like to play in say G Major. The 5 notes of the major pentatonic scale are just the 1st(root), 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th tones of the regular major scale. So as you can see we just remove the 4th and the 7th from the standard major scale to get major pentatonic. Then all you need to do to play in G Major pentatonic is take the shape built from the root and play it starting on the note G on the six string. That will give you all the G Major pentatonic notes in that area of the neck. Then moving up you would play the shape built from the 2nd starting on the note A on the six string and THAT will give you all the notes in G Major Pentatonic in that area of the neck. You keep going up the scale using all of the scale forms until you eventually cover the entire neck in G Major pentatonic. Hope this helps you understand. Let me know if you still need some help. THANKS!!

Hey T-Dog,

I feel that it is best not to look at scales using the CAGED system. It is true that the scale root notes line up with the root notes of those movable CAGED system chord shapes, but I think it creates a situation in your playing where you are always chasing root notes across the neck. You need to simplify your thinking a little bit because I think you are imagining that everything is much harder than it really is.

In the Major Pentatonic scale system that you learn here on this site, you will use your knowledge of keys to understand where to play the 5 pentatonic shapes. And if you know major pentatonics then you also already know your minor pentatonics, because they are the exact same shapes. No matter what method that you use to figure out how to apply your pentatonic scales, you will always see the exact same 5 pentatonic forms. It really has nothing to do with the CAGED system, people just try to label them with their corresponding CAGED system chord, that is all. But pentatonic is pentatonic no matter what method you use.

In my method here on the site all you need to do to play all of your major pentatonic scale forms in any key you want is be able to visualize the notes of any major pentatonic scale on the 6th string. So if you want to play G Major Pentatonic all you do is visualize that scale up the 6th string which will be G,A,B,D,E at 3rd,5th,7th,10th,12th frets respectively.

Now since G is the root note you would play the shape built from the root starting on the 3rd fret G. Then the shape built from the 2nd from the A of the 6th string and so forth. I feel this system will have you thinking musically and free you up to play any where on the neck quite freely.

After playing the shapes a while you will get used to how they connect to one another. The last note on every string for one shape is always the 1st note on every string for the next. They all fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, and they do it the exact same no matter what key you are playing in.

Hope this helps you understand everything a little but more. Let me know if you need more help. Cheers!! Carl

Wow! I see I’ve been making something far more complex than it actually is.
I’ve just checked to see if different keys work to the same patterns aling the fretboard and, they do! That’s astonishing. I never realised that these patterns are the same. I can see why it’s pattern emphasis rather than note letter names. I used the counting of 1,2,3,4,5 for a Minor pentatonic scale of Am then, tried a G minor penta. Then I looked at a Major Penta pattern.
I can hardly believe how I missed this! I’m assuming it’s Modal based/playing rather than root or CAGED?
It was very reliant on accurate conversion/extraction of the Major to the Penta scales. One mistake at this point really does screw up the system and
reinforces mistakes and confusions.
Well, I just need to go practice this bunch of time consuming patterns and get fluent at ‘em!
Thank you Carl for your understanding and patience.
Tony
UK

Hi Carl,
I’m a bit stuck again! I’m probably causing confusion by inaccuracies of something. Anyway, it’s these shapes/patterns I’m blocked on. If I use the G major scale rooted along the 6th string (G on the 3rd fret, A on the 5th fret, B on the 7th fret, C on the 8th fret) the patterns seem to work until I reach the D on the 10th fret. I read somewhere that there are only 5 patterns because 2 of ‘em are shared/virtually the same but, it didn’t say which ones! I recognise that I’m playing these Modal when rooted from the 6th string. I can see how the G,A,B,C fit the EDCA shapes from the CAGED system too but, this D and F# don’t seem to.
I could work out the D scale notes from the 10th fret but, I’d prefer to know if what pattern to use so I can use it for other keys scales.
Once I understand this area, I’ll be able to concentrate on the leeson you have on keeping within one area of the neck.
Thanks Carl.
Tony
UK

Sorry to message again,
Just to let ‘ya know, I’ve sorted my confusion over the scale pattern positioning. The 7 position way of learning is just as I thought and, easier to understand. I won’t put a URL web link but, here is a small quote that put me on the path of better understanding, taken from Streetmusician:

‘The 5/7 Scale Positions
These minor scales can be chopped up into 5 or 7 easy to manage pieces. Learning one piece at a time is the best way to learn without stressing yourself out. In my opinion, although you might think it is more hassle, I prefer to learn the scale using 7 positions instead of 5. This is because each of the 7 positions slightly overlap one another meaning they are much quicker and easier to learn and form a stronger connection in your mind when moving between them.

Below are two sections of the G minor scale. Start with the first beginning on the G note, and practice until you can move up and down the pattern with ease and fluidity. Remember the position of the orange root notes as they will become important later on in your training’.

(The site then showed fretboard diagrams)

I hope to now put this behind me after applying it to practical expression. I’ll then move on and understand more of your advanced lessons.
Cheers.
Tony
UK

Hey Carl,
Thank you once again for your kindness in replying and helping me try get my tangled up scales unravelled!
I’d sent a message to someone on Youtube too and his answer helped too. Here is his 2 messages:
Hi Topdoginuk,

Let me try to explain. First, A minor pentatonic has A, C, D, E, G. . . but no F. To me different positions are only a crutch to get around the neck with the end goal being to know the notes, intervals, tones, etc. So if you study the patterns closely, what they allow you to do is play that same A, C, D, E, G all over the next. You may start off from different notes other than A, say D for example but, you will always play A, C, D, E, G if you follow the patterns. That’s it really!
There is know real connection to the CAGED that I know of. CAGED is one of the most confusing concepts in music. Perhaps I’ll try to tackle that with a video some time. They “overlap” because, again, it is one continuous pattern if you think more like A, C, D, E, G, A, C, D, E, G, A, C, D, E, G, etc.

The major scale and its associated modes and, the positions that let you play them all over the neck are the same concept I explained to you about the pentatonic, If you play the G major scale starting on the 6th string, 3rd fret, in one octave, how would you play that same G major scale from any G note anywhere on the fretboard? The answer is to know the 7 patterns and, it REALLY helps if you know the names of all the notes on the fretboard, right.
The difference between 7 or 5 patterns . . . there are 7 distinct patterns as I show in the video but, since two are completely “related”, meaning adding a 1/2 step in each case and everything else is the same, you only need to memorize 5 patterns and the other two are sort of given if you look at the difference between ionian and locrian and, between Phrygian and lydian. And once you know the major scale pattern (ionian) and memorize the other patterns (modes), now you can play the major scale and all it’s modes in any key, from any note anywhere on the fretboard . . . pretty powerful. Hope that helps.

Well, I think all the great advice I’m getting from you Masters is fantastic and very appreciated. I now have to continue to unravel my spaghetti infested mind of mixed up scale/mode/CAGED concoction and, slot in place a ordered system. Then apply it to the Guitar!
Thank you Carl and Wayne.

Hmm, I will have to check this out. Thanks for letting me know!!