In the Beginner track you played shape 1 of A minor pentatonic at the 5th fret. Today: shape 2, which starts where shape 1 ends.
Shape 1 (reminder)
A minor pentatonic, shape 1 (5th fret)
This is what you already know. Five-note box centered around the 5th-8th frets.
Shape 2
A minor pentatonic, shape 2 (7th fret)
Shape 2 starts at the 7th fret. Same notes (A, C, D, E, G) but at higher positions on the neck. Your fingers cover a different physical box, but the sound is the same minor-pentatonic sound.
How they connect
Look at the overlap: shape 1 ends with notes at the 8th fret on the low E and high e strings. Shape 2 begins with notes at the 8th fret on the low E and high e strings. The two shapes share notes. This is by design. You can slide from one shape into the other through these overlap notes.The connection drill
Practice metronome
70BPM
- Play shape 1 ascending (low E up to high e) at the 5th fret.
- When you hit the 8th fret on the high e (last note of shape 1), slide up to the 10th fret using lesson 8's technique.
- You're now in shape 2. Play shape 2 descending (high e down to low E).
- When you reach the 8th fret on the low E (last note of shape 2), slide down to the 5th fret (back to shape 1).
Apply it
Pull up any 12-bar-blues-in-A backing track on YouTube. Solo using both shapes, moving between them with slides. After a week, you'll feel like the 5th to 10th fret region is your territory.Next: shapes 3, 4, 5. The rest of the neck.