A Minor Pentatonic Scale

The anhemitonic form of pentatonic scale has no semitones (ex. c–d–f–g–a–c} this is the most commonly used form.

The two basic forms of pentatonic scales are:

Major Pentatonic - Consists of the 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 5th - 6th notes of major scale.

Minor Pentatonic - Consists of the same 5 notes of a major pentatonic scale but its tonic (first note of the scale} is 3 semitones below the tonic of the major pentatonic scale. For example the C major pentatonic (C - D - E - G - A} has the same notes as the A minor pentatonic (A - C - D - E - G} but arranged differently. The first note or tonic of the A minor pentatonic scale (=A) is 3 semitones (half steps) lower than the first note of the C major pentatonic scale (=C). It uses the 1st - minor 3rd - 4th - 5th - minor 7th notes of a scale.

Tablature Legend

A C D etc. are the notes.
1 4 1 etc. suggested fingering

A Pentatonic minor Scale Pattern 1 (A C D E G)

A C D E G A C D E G A C
1 4 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 4 1 4
-------------------------------5--8---------------
-------------------------5--8---------------------
-------------------5--7---------------------------
-------------5--7---------------------------------
-------5--7---------------------------------------
-5--8---------------------------------------------
(also starts at 17th fret)

A Pentatonic minor Scale Pattern 2 (C D E G A)


C D E G A C D E G A C D
2 4 1 4 1 4 1 3 2 4 2 4
-----------------------------------8--10----------
----------------------------8--10-----------------
----------------------7--9------------------------
---------------7--10------------------------------
--------7--10-------------------------------------
-8--10--------------------------------------------
(also starts at 20th fret)


A Pentatonic minor Scale Pattern 3 (D E G A C)


D E G A C D E G A C D E
1 3 1 3 1 3 1 4 1 4 1 3
----------------------------------------10--12----
--------------------------------10--13------------
-------------------------9--12--------------------
-----------------10--12---------------------------
---------10--12-----------------------------------
-10--12-------------------------------------------


A Pentatonic minor Scale Pattern 4 (E G A C D)

E G A C D E G A C D E G
1 4 1 4 1 3 1 3 2 4 1 4
-----------------------------------------12--15---
---------------------------------13--15-----------
-------------------------12--14-------------------
-----------------12--14---------------------------
---------12--15-----------------------------------
-12--15-------------------------------------------


A Pentatonic minor Scale Pattern 5 (G A C D E)

G A C D E G A C D E G A
2 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 2 4 2 4
-----------------------------------------15--17---
---------------------------------15--17-----------
-------------------------14--17-------------------
-----------------14--17---------------------------
---------15--17-----------------------------------
-15--17-------------------------------------------
(also starts at 3rd fret)

Bing Crosby - White Christmas

D sharp
E|-x--x---------------------|
B|-4--5---------------------|
G|-3--4---------------------|
D|-5--6---------------------|
A|-x--x---------------------|
E|-0--0---------------------|


A[D,C# C C# on B string], Bm , D sharp major
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
D E A
Just like the ones I used to know
A A7
Where the treetops glisten,
D Dm
and children listen
A Bm E
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

A[D,C# C C# on B string], Bm , D sharp major
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
D E A
With every Christmas card I write
A A7 D Dm
May your days be merry and bright
A Bm E
And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

John Lennon - Marry Christmas

Because Christmas is approaching i have some songs for you to strum on the guitar!

 [Verse]

 So this is Christmas        And  what have you done
E|-0--0----0--0---0-0---0--0|-2--2---2--2---2--2---2--2--|
B|-2--2----0--0---3-3---2--2|-3--3---2--2---5--5---3--3--|
G|-2--2----2--2---2-2---2--2|-4--4---4--4---4--4---4--4--|
D|-2--2----2--2---2-2---2--2|-4--4---4--4---4--4---4--4--|
A|-0--0----0--0---0-0---0--0|-2--2---2--2---2--2---2--2--|
E|--------------------------|----------------------------|


 Another year over            A new one just begun
E|-0--0----0--0---0-0---0--0|-0--0---0--0---0--0---0--0--|
B|-0--0----0--0---0-0---0--0|-2--2---0--0---3--3---2--2--|
G|-2--2----1--1---1-1---1--1|-2--2---2--2---2--2---2--2--|
D|-2--2----2--2---4-4---2--2|-2--2---2--2---2--2---2--2--|
A|-2--2----2--2---2-2---2--2|-0--0---0--0---0--0---0--0--|
E|--------------------------|----------------------------|


And so this is Christmas       I   hope   you  have fun
E|-2--2----0--0---3-3---2--2|-0--0-----------------0--0--|
B|-3--3----3--3---3-3---3--3|-0--0-----------------0--0--|
G|-2--2----2--2---2-2---2--2|-0--0---0--0---2--2---0--0--|
D|-0--0----0--0---0-0---0--0|-2--2---4--4---4--4---2--2--|
A|--------------------------|-2--2---2--2---2--2---2--2--|
E|--------------------------|----------------------------|


The near and the dear ones     The old and the young
E|-0--0----0--0---0-0---0--0|-2--2---0--0---3--3---2--2--|
B|-3--3----2--2---0-0---2--2|-3--3---3--3---3--3---3--3--|
G|-2--2----2--2---2-2---2--2|-2--2---2--2---2--2---2--2--|
D|-2--2----2--2---2-2---2--2|-0--0---0--0---0--0---0--0--|
A|-0--0----0--0---0-0---0--0|----------------------------|
E|--------------------------|----------------------------|

[D]A      merry          merry        [G]Christmas

  [G]And   a happy        New            [A]Year

  [A]Let's  hope it's     a good         [Em]one

  [G]Without      any          [D]fear

  [E] chord leads to Verse 2