Guitar: A minor pentatonic

Five notes, eight chapters. From the first box at fret 5 to your own solo over a blues.

No	Chapter	Time	Boxes
1	Start here How to read the pages and how to practice. Stand sheet, no text	1 day	__ / 3
2	Box 1 The first shape, at fret 5. Twelve notes, two per string. Stand sheet, no text	1 week	__ / 21
3	Time and picking Alternate picking and eighth notes. Play with the click, not near it. Stand sheet, no text	1 week	__ / 20
4	Sequences Patterns of three and four. The scale stops sounding like a scale. Stand sheet, no text	2 weeks	__ / 22
5	Make it sing Hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bends and vibrato. Stand sheet, no text	2 weeks	__ / 21
6	First licks Five short phrases in box 1. Words for your solos. Stand sheet, no text	2 weeks	__ / 28
7	The five boxes The same five notes, all over the neck. Stand sheet, no text	4 weeks	__ / 16
8	Jam Use it. Solo over a 12-bar blues in A. Stand sheet, no text	Forever	__ / 12

Work top to bottom. Do not skip. The Boxes column counts ticked BPM boxes.

Guitar 1: Start here

How to read these pages

What you need

A guitar in tune. Thick string to thin string: E A D G B e.
A pick, a pencil, and a metronome. Any free app or drum machine works.
10 to 15 minutes a day. Every day beats two hours on Sunday.

e|---------------------|
B|---------------------|
G|---------------------|
D|---------------------|
A|-----------5----7----|
E|-5----8--------------|

Tab. Six lines are six strings, thin string on top. The number is the fret. Read left to right.

Diagram. Same view as tab: thin string on top, fret numbers below. Black dot is A, the home note.

Guitar 1: Start here

How to practice

The rules

Always play with a click. One click is one beat.
Start at the first BPM box. Play the exercise clean four times in a row. Tick the box.
Then set the next tempo. A mistake means you are too fast. Go back one box.
Hands tense? Stop, shake them out, slow down.
End every session with two minutes of free playing. No rules.

The five notes

A minor pentatonic has only five notes: A C D E G. Most rock and blues solos you know live inside them. A is home. Start on A and end on A and it will sound right.

1.1Find home

Play the three A notes of the box. Say A out loud each time. One note per click.

e|---------5-------|---------5-------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----7-------7---|-----7-------7---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-5---------------|-5---------------|
   1   2   3   4     1   2   3   4

BPM

Pass: you hit all three A notes without looking for them.

Guitar 2: Box 1

The shape

Box 1, note names. Two notes on every string.

Box 1, fingers. 1 is index, 3 is ring, 4 is pinky.

One finger per fret

Index plays fret 5, ring plays fret 7, pinky plays fret 8. Middle finger rests over fret 6.
Thumb behind the neck, roughly behind the middle finger.
Press right behind the metal fret, not on top of it. Only as hard as needed.

Guitar 2: Box 1

Up and down

2.1Up

Thick string to thin string. One note per click. Let every note ring until the next one.

e|-----------------|-----------------|---------5---8---|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-5---8-----------|
G|-----------------|---------5---7---|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-5---7-----------|-----------------|
A|---------5---7---|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-5---8-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
   1   2   3   4     1   2   3   4     1   2   3   4

BPM

Pass: every note rings clear, no buzz, four times in a row.

2.2Down

Same notes, from the top back to low A.

e|-8---5-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|---------8---5---|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-7---5-----------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|---------7---5---|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-7---5-----------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|---------8---5---|
   1   2   3   4     1   2   3   4     1   2   3   4

BPM

Pass: you land on low A exactly on the click.

2.3Up and down, no stop

Play 2.1 then 2.2 without a break. Loop it for one minute.

BPM

Pass: one full minute without stopping.

Guitar 2: Box 1

Know it cold

2.4Say the names

Play up and say each note name out loud before you pick it.

e|-----------------|-----------------|---------5---8---|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-5---8-----------|
G|-----------------|---------5---7---|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-5---7-----------|-----------------|
A|---------5---7---|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-5---8-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
   A   C   D   E     G   A   C   D     E   G   A   C

BPM

Pass: you say every name before the click, not after.

2.5Eyes closed

Play 2.3 with your eyes closed. Feel the string change under the pick.

BPM

Pass: up and down twice without looking.

2.6Start anywhere

Pick any dot in the diagram. Go up to the top, down to the bottom, back to your dot.

BPM

Pass: it works from three different starting notes.

Guitar 3: Time and picking

Down, up

Alternate picking

Two notes per click now. Count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. Pick down on the number, up on the and. Never two downs in a row. Keep the pick moving small.

3.1One string

Thin e string only. Down on the number, up on the and.

e|-5--8--5--8--5--8--5--8--|-5--8--5--8--5--8--5--8--|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

Pass: one minute, even volume on down and up strokes.

3.2Every note twice

Walk up the box. Each note gets a down and an up.

e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------5--5--7--7--|
D|-------------------------|-5--5--7--7--------------|
A|-------------5--5--7--7--|-------------------------|
E|-5--5--8--8--------------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

e|-------------5--5--8--8--|
B|-5--5--8--8--------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

Pass: no gap when you change strings.

Guitar 3: Time and picking

Scale in eighths

3.3Up and down in eighths

The whole box, two notes per click. Strict down, up.

e|-------------------------|-------5--8--8--5--------|
B|-------------------------|-5--8--------------8--5--|
G|-------------------5--7--|-------------------------|
D|-------------5--7--------|-------------------------|
A|-------5--7--------------|-------------------------|
E|-5--8--------------------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-7--5--------------------|
D|-------7--5--------------|
A|-------------7--5--------|
E|-------------------8--5--|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

Pass: four loops without a wrong pick direction.

3.4Play two beats, rest two beats

Four notes, then silence for two clicks. Mute the strings with your picking hand. Keep going up the box the same way. Silence is part of the music.

e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------5--7--------------|
D|-------------------------|-5--7--------------------|
A|-------5--7--------------|-------------------------|
E|-5--8--------------------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

Pass: the rests are fully silent and you come back in on beat 1.

Guitar 4: Sequences

Threes up

Why

Up and down is a ladder. Sequences are steps on the ladder: three notes up, go back one, three notes up again. This is how real solos move.

4.1Threes up

Three notes per click. Count 1 and a, 2 and a. Keep strict down, up picking.

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------5-----5--7--|
A|-------5-----5--7--5--7-----7--------|
E|-5--8-----8--------------------------|
   1  &  a  2  &  a  3  &  a  4  &  a

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------5-----5--8--|
G|-------5-----5--7--5--7-----7--------|
D|-5--7-----7--------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|
   1  &  a  2  &  a  3  &  a  4  &  a

e|-------5-----5--8--|
B|-5--8-----8--------|
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|-------------------|
E|-------------------|
   1  &  a  2  &  a

BPM

Pass: you play it from memory, no stops between groups.

Guitar 4: Sequences

Threes down

4.2Threes down

Same idea from the top. Three notes down, back one, three down again. Ends on low A.

e|-8--5-----5--------------------------|
B|-------8-----8--5--8--5-----5--------|
G|-------------------------7-----7--5--|
D|-------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|
   1  &  a  2  &  a  3  &  a  4  &  a

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-7--5-----5--------------------------|
D|-------7-----7--5--7--5-----5--------|
A|-------------------------7-----7--5--|
E|-------------------------------------|
   1  &  a  2  &  a  3  &  a  4  &  a

e|-------------------|
B|-------------------|
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|-7--5-----5--------|
E|-------8-----8--5--|
   1  &  a  2  &  a

BPM

Pass: you play it from memory and land on low A.

Make it harder

Play the first note of every group louder.
Play 4.1 and 4.2 back to back as one long line.
Start with an up stroke instead of a down stroke.

Guitar 4: Sequences

Fours up

4.3Fours up

Four notes up, go back to the second one, four up again. Two notes per click.

e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|----------------------5--|
D|----------------------5--|-------5--7-----5--7-----|
A|-------5--7-----5--7-----|-5--7--------7-----------|
E|-5--8--------8-----------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

e|-------------------------|----------------------5--|
B|----------------------5--|-------5--8-----5--8-----|
G|-------5--7-----5--7-----|-5--7--------7-----------|
D|-5--7--------7-----------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

e|-------5--8--|
B|-5--8--------|
G|-------------|
D|-------------|
A|-------------|
E|-------------|
   1  &  2  &

Pass: from memory, even eighth notes.

Tip

Each group starts one note higher than the last one. If you get lost, say the first note of each group out loud: A, C, D, E, G.

Guitar 4: Sequences

Fours down

4.4Fours down

From the top. Four notes down, back to the second one, four down again.

e|-8--5--------5-----------|-------------------------|
B|-------8--5-----8--5-----|-8--5--------5-----------|
G|----------------------7--|-------7--5-----7--5-----|
D|-------------------------|----------------------7--|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-7--5--------5-----------|-------------------------|
D|-------7--5-----7--5-----|-7--5--------5-----------|
A|----------------------7--|-------7--5-----7--5-----|
E|-------------------------|----------------------8--|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

e|-------------|
B|-------------|
G|-------------|
D|-------------|
A|-7--5--------|
E|-------8--5--|
   1  &  2  &

Pass: from memory, even eighth notes.

4.5Mix

Threes up, then fours down, no break. Then fours up and threes down.

BPM

Pass: both mixes clean at the same tempo.

Guitar 5: Make it sing

Hammer and pull

New signs in the tab

5h8: hammer-on. Pick fret 5, then slam a finger onto fret 8. Do not pick again.
8p5: pull-off. Pick fret 8, then flick that finger off so fret 5 sounds.
5/7: slide. Pick fret 5 and slide the same finger to fret 7.
7b9: bend. Pick fret 7 and push the string up until it sounds like fret 9.
7~: vibrato. Hold the note and wobble it with small quick bends.

5.1Hammer-ons

One pick per string. The second note comes from the fretting hand only.

e|-------------------|-------------5h8---|
B|-------------------|-------5h8---------|
G|-------------------|-5h7---------------|
D|-------------5h7---|-------------------|
A|-------5h7---------|-------------------|
E|-5h8---------------|-------------------|

BPM

Pass: the hammered note is as loud as the picked one.

5.2Pull-offs

Put both fingers down first. Pick, then flick the higher finger off, slightly sideways.

e|-8p5---------------|-------------------|
B|-------8p5---------|-------------------|
G|-------------7p5---|-------------------|
D|-------------------|-7p5---------------|
A|-------------------|-------7p5---------|
E|-------------------|-------------8p5---|

BPM

Pass: the second note rings clear on all six strings.

Guitar 5: Make it sing

Slide and bend

5.3Slides

Keep the pressure on while you slide. Use the ring finger.

e|-------------------|-------------------|
B|-------------------|-------------------|
G|-------------5/7---|-7/5---------------|
D|-------5/7---------|-------7/5---------|
A|-5/7---------------|-------------7/5---|
E|-------------------|-------------------|

BPM

Pass: you hear the note arrive, not just a scrape.

5.4Bends

First play fret 9 on the G string and remember the sound. Then bend fret 7 up to match it. Ring finger bends, index and middle help push. Same on the B string: 8 up to the sound of 10.

e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-10----8b10--10----8b10--|
G|-9-----7b9---9-----7b9---|-------------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|

BPM

Pass: the bent note matches the target note five times in a row.

Guitar 5: Make it sing

Shake and combine

5.5Vibrato

Hold A on the D string, fret 7. Small, even wobbles in time with the click. Let it ring four beats.

e|-------------------------|
B|-------------8~----------|
G|-------7~----------------|
D|-7~----------------7~----|
A|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|

BPM

Pass: the note sings for four full beats without dying.

5.6All five in one line

Slide, hammer-on, bend, pull-off, vibrato. One note per click, then let the last A ring.

e|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-------------7b9---7p5---------|
D|-------5h7---------------7~----|
A|-5/7---------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|

BPM

Pass: every technique is clear and the line sounds like one phrase.

Tip

These five moves are the difference between playing notes and playing guitar. From now on, add at least one of them to every exercise you repeat.

Guitar 6: First licks

Licks 1 to 3

6.1The classic

Bend, two high notes, then walk back home. You have heard this a thousand times.

e|---------5---------------|
B|-----5-------8---5-------|
G|-7b9-----------------7~--|
D|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|

Pass: you can play it without the page.

6.2Waterfall

Three pull-offs falling down the strings. End on A.

e|-8p5-------------|
B|-----8p5---------|
G|---------7p5-----|
D|-------------7~--|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|

Pass: all three pull-offs are even and clear.

6.3Climb and cry

Two hammer-ons up, a bend at the top, then home.

e|-------------------------|
B|---------5---------------|
G|-----5h7-----7b9-5-------|
D|-5h7-----------------7~--|
A|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|

Pass: the bend is in tune and the last A has vibrato.

Guitar 6: First licks

Licks 4 and 5

6.4Top string talk

Stay on the two thin strings. Bend the B string at fret 8.

e|-5-------5------------------------|
B|-----8-------8b10-5---------------|
G|----------------------7---5-------|
D|------------------------------7~--|
A|----------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------|

Pass: you can play it without the page.

6.5Low riff

Thick strings. Pick hard. Works as a riff under a singer.

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-----------------5-------------------|
A|---------5---7-------7---5-----------|
E|-5---8-----------------------8---5---|

Pass: four loops, tight with the click.

6.6Chain them

Play lick 1. Rest for four clicks. Play lick 2. Rest. Go through all five. Then change the order.

BPM

Pass: all five licks in a row from memory, with the rests.

Guitar 7: The five boxes

The whole neck

A minor pentatonic from fret 3 to fret 17. Black dots are A.

How the boxes fit

There are five boxes. The right side of one box is the left side of the next. After box 5 comes box 1 again, twelve frets higher.

Learn one new box per week. Do not rush. Box 1 and box 2 together already cover most solos.

7.1Each box up and down

Take one box from the next sheets. Play it up and down like exercise 2.3. Tick a box here when all five shapes work at that tempo.

BPM

Pass: all five boxes from memory.

Guitar 7: The five boxes

Boxes 1, 2, 3

Box 1. Frets 5 to 8.

Box 2. Frets 7 to 10.

Box 3. Frets 9 to 13.

Guitar 7: The five boxes

Boxes 4 and 5

Box 4. Frets 12 to 15.

Box 5. Frets 14 to 17. The same shape also sits at frets 2 to 5.

7.2One string, all boxes

The scale along the thin e string. One finger, slide between the notes. Then back down.

e|-5----8----10---12---15---17---|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|

BPM

Pass: up and down, saying the note names: A C D E G A.

Guitar 7: The five boxes

Connect the boxes

Find home in every box

Before you play a new box, find its black dots. Start and end on them.

7.3Box 2 up and down

Middle finger starts on fret 8 of the thick string.

e|-------------------------|-------8--10-10-8--------|
B|-------------------------|-8--10-------------10-8--|
G|-------------------7--9--|-------------------------|
D|-------------7--10-------|-------------------------|
A|-------7--10-------------|-------------------------|
E|-8--10-------------------|-------------------------|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &    1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-9--7--------------------|
D|-------10-7--------------|
A|-------------10-7--------|
E|-------------------10-8--|
   1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &

BPM

Pass: from memory, four loops.

7.4Slide from box 1 to box 2

Go up box 1. On the G string, slide from fret 7 to fret 9. You are now in box 2. Finish there.

e|-------------------------|-----------------8---10--|
B|-------------------------|---------8---10----------|
G|-------------------------|-5---7/9-----------------|
D|-----------------5---7---|-------------------------|
A|---------5---7-----------|-------------------------|
E|-5---8-------------------|-------------------------|

BPM

Pass: the slide is in time and you do not look for box 2.

Guitar 8: Jam

12-bar blues in A

A7	A7	A7	A7
D7	D7	A7	A7
E7	D7	A7	E7

Twelve bars, four clicks each, then start again. Record these chords with a looper or find a backing track: 12 bar blues in A.

Rules for a good solo

Start on A. End on A.
Play a short idea. Stop. Leave as much silence as sound.
Repeat your idea. Repeating is not boring, it is how a melody is made.
Few notes with good rhythm beat many notes with none.
Bends and vibrato on long notes. That is your voice.

Guitar 8: Jam

Solo steps

8.1One note solo

Solo for 12 bars using only A, fret 7 on the D string. Only rhythm, loud and soft, long and short.

BPM

Pass: 12 bars that still sound like music.

8.2Three note solo

Now use A, C and D only: D string fret 7, G string frets 5 and 7.

BPM

Pass: you played at least two ideas twice.

8.3Question and answer

Bar 1: play a short question that ends high. Bar 2: answer it and end on A. Bars 3 and 4: silence. Repeat through the 12 bars.

BPM

Pass: every answer ends on A.

8.4Full chorus

Whole box, all licks, all techniques. Two rounds of 12 bars. Record it and listen back.

BPM

Pass: you would play the recording to a friend.

What next

Move everything two frets down: G minor pentatonic. Three frets up: C minor. Same shapes.
Learn one solo you love by ear. It is made of these notes.