Pentatonic Scale Exercises
Stepwise Motion
Simple stepwise motion - just an ascending or descending scale. Although these exercises ascend and descend then terminate, you can repeat them as many times as you like. I find 1 repeat is usually enough, but when starting out try 3 or 4 repeats. When repeating, don't play the last note or it will be doubled. Try for a seamless transition from ascending to descending and descending to ascending. Concentrate on getting every note to have equal dynamics, duration, and clean technique. Go slow and only start building up speed as you can play the entire exercise cleanly in rhythm without making any mistakes.
C Position
E---------------------0-3-0--------------------- B-----------------1-3-------3-1----------------- G-------------0-2---------------2-0------------- D---------0-2-----------------------2-0--------- A-----0-3-------------------------------3-0----- E-0-3---------------------------------------3-0-
repeat in 12th position:
E-------------------------------12-15-12------------------------------- B-------------------------13-15----------15-13------------------------- G-------------------12-14----------------------14-12------------------- D-------------12-14----------------------------------14-12------------- A-------12-15----------------------------------------------15-12------- E-12-15----------------------------------------------------------15-12-
A Position
E---------------------3-5-3--------------------- B-----------------3-5-------5-3----------------- G-------------2-5---------------5-2------------- D---------2-5-----------------------5-2--------- A-----3-5-------------------------------5-3----- E-3-5---------------------------------------5-3-
G Position
E---------------------5-8-5--------------------- B-----------------5-8-------8-5----------------- G-------------5-7---------------7-5------------- D---------5-7-----------------------7-5--------- A-----5-7-------------------------------7-5----- E-5-8---------------------------------------8-5-
E/G Position
E-------------------------8-10-8------------------------- B--------------------8-10--------10-8-------------------- G----------------7-9------------------9-7---------------- D-----------7-10--------------------------10-7----------- A------7-10------------------------------------10-7------ E-8-10----------------------------------------------10-8-
D Position
E------------------------------10-12-10------------------------------ B------------------------10-13----------13-10------------------------ G-------------------9-12----------------------12-9------------------- D-------------10-12--------------------------------12-10------------- A-------10-12--------------------------------------------12-10------- E-10-12--------------------------------------------------------12-10-
Stepwise Motion, Reverse Direction Every Other String
C Position
E---------------------------------------------------------0-3-0-------0-3- B-----------------------------------------1-3-1-------1-3-------3-1-3----- G-------------------------0-2-0-------0-2-------2-0-2--------------------- D---------0-2-0-------0-2-------2-0-2------------------------------------- A-----0-3-------3-0-3----------------------------------------------------- E-0-3--------------------------------------------------------------------- E-3-0--------------------------------------------------------------------- B-----3-1-------1-3-1----------------------------------------------------- G---------2-0-2-------2-0-------0-2-0------------------------------------- D-------------------------2-0-2-------2-0-------0-2-0--------------------- A-----------------------------------------2-0-2-------2-0-------0-2-0----- E---------------------------------------------------------3-1-3-------3-1-
A Position
E---------------------3-5-3--------------------- B-----------------3-5-------5-3----------------- G-------------2-5---------------5-2------------- D---------2-5-----------------------5-2--------- A-----3-5-------------------------------5-3----- E-3-5---------------------------------------5-3-
G Position
E---------------------5-8-5--------------------- B-----------------5-8-------8-5----------------- G-------------5-7---------------7-5------------- D---------5-7-----------------------7-5--------- A-----5-7-------------------------------7-5----- E-5-8---------------------------------------8-5-
E/G Position
E-------------------------8-10-8------------------------- B--------------------8-10--------10-8-------------------- G----------------7-9------------------9-7---------------- D-----------7-10--------------------------10-7----------- A------7-10------------------------------------10-7------ E-8-10----------------------------------------------10-8-
D Position
E------------------------------10-12-10------------------------------ B------------------------10-13----------13-10------------------------ G-------------------9-12----------------------12-9------------------- D-------------10-12--------------------------------12-10------------- A-------10-12--------------------------------------------12-10------- E-10-12--------------------------------------------------------12-10-
Intervalic Motion
These exercises practice playing intervals within a scale. You ascend or descend through the scale in a ratchet-like motion, skipping some x number of notes, then jumping back a smaller amount, skipping only x-1 notes interval and repeating. This ensures all notes are played, while traversing the scale in a way that usually hits a few targeted intervals.
Although these are written almost like two separate exercises, you can play them one into the other. When doing so, note that the highest and lowest notes will be doubled. You can play them doubled, or drop one so your transitions only hit the high and low notes once.
4ths
Ascend through the scale stepwise, but skip every other note then return to it. Note that with the pentatonic scale, every third note is closest to a P4 interval, but not necessarily a P4 - there is one M3 in there per octave. So we're ascending up a P4 or M3, then descending a M2 or m3, then repeat. Descending we're doing the same - down a P4/M3, up a M2/m3.
C Position
E-----------------------------------0---3- B---------------------------1---3-1---3--- G-------------------0---2-0---2----------- D-----------0---2-0---2------------------- A---0---2-0---2--------------------------- E-0---3----------------------------------- E-3---0----------------------------------- B---3---1-3---1--------------------------- G-----------2---0-2---0------------------- D-------------------2---0-2---0----------- A---------------------------3---0-3---0--- E-----------------------------------3---0-
A Position
E-----------------------------------3---5- B---------------------------3---5-3---5--- G-------------------2---5-2---5----------- D-----------2---5-2---5------------------- A---3---5-3---5--------------------------- E-3---5----------------------------------- E-5---3----------------------------------- B---5---3-5---3--------------------------- G-----------5---2-5---2------------------- D-------------------5---2-5---3----------- A---------------------------5---3-5---3--- E-----------------------------------5---3-
G Position
E-----------------------------------5---8- B---------------------------5---8-5---8--- G-------------------5---7-5---7----------- D-----------5---7-5---7------------------- A---5---7-5---7--------------------------- E-5---8----------------------------------- E-8---5----------------------------------- B---8---5-8---5--------------------------- G-----------7---5-7---5------------------- D-------------------7---5-7---5----------- A---------------------------7---5-7---5--- E-----------------------------------8---5-
E/G Position
E-----------------------------------------8----10- B--------------------------------8---10-8---10---- G-----------------------7----9-7---9-------------- D-------------7----10-7---10---------------------- A---7----10-7---10-------------------------------- E-8---10------------------------------------------ E-10----8----------------------------------------- B----10---8-10---8-------------------------------- G--------------9---7-9----7----------------------- D----------------------10---7-10----7------------- A--------------------------------10---7-10----7--- E------------------------------------------10---8-
D Position
E--------------------------------------------------10----12- B--------------------------------------10----13-10----13---- G----------------------------9----12-9----12---------------- D----------------10----12-10---12--------------------------- A----10----12-10----12-------------------------------------- E-10----12-------------------------------------------------- E-12----10-------------------------------------------------- B----12----10-13----10-------------------------------------- G----------------12----9-12----9---------------------------- D---------------------------12---10-12----10---------------- A--------------------------------------12----10-12----10---- E--------------------------------------------------12----10-
5ths
Ascend through the scale by skipping 2 notes then returning to the first skipped note and repeat. Note that with the pentatonic scale, every 4th note is closest to a P5 interval, but not necessarily a P5 - there is one a5 (or m6) in there per octave. So we're ascending up a P5 or a5, then descending a P4 or M3, then repeat. Descending we're doing the same - down a P5/a5, up a P4/M3.
C Position
E-------------------------------0---3- B-----------------------1---3-----1--- G---------------0---2-----0---2------- D-------0---2-----0---2--------------- A---3-----0---3----------------------- E-0---3------------------------------- E-3---0------------------------------- B---1-----3---1----------------------- G-------2---0-----2---0--------------- D---------------2---0-----2---0------- A-----------------------3---0-----3--- E-------------------------------3---0-
C/A Position
E-------------------------------3---5- B-----------------------3---5-----3--- G---------------2---5-----2---5------- D-------2---5-----2---5--------------- A---5-----3---5----------------------- E-3---5------------------------------- E-5---3------------------------------- B---3-----5---3----------------------- G-------5---2-----5---2--------------- D---------------5---2-----5---2------- A-----------------------5---3-----5--- E-------------------------------5---3-
G Position
E-------------------------------5---8- B-----------------------5---8-----5--- G---------------5---7-----5---7------- D-------5---7-----5---7--------------- A---7-----5---7----------------------- E-5---8------------------------------- E-8---5------------------------------- B---5-----8---5----------------------- G-------7---5-----7---5--------------- D---------------7---5-----7---5------- A-----------------------7---5-----7--- E-------------------------------8---5-
E/G Position
E-------------------------------------8---10- B----------------------------8---10-----8---- G-------------------7---9------7----9-------- D---------7---10------7---10----------------- A---10------7----10-------------------------- E-8----10------------------------------------ E-10---8------------------------------------- B----8-----10---8---------------------------- G--------9----7------9---7------------------- D-----------------10---7------10---7--------- A--------------------------10----7------10--- E------------------------------------10----8-
D Position
E--------------------------------------------10----12- B---------------------------------10---13-------10---- G----------------------9----12-------9----12---------- D----------10----12------10----12--------------------- A----12-------10----12-------------------------------- E-10----12-------------------------------------------- E-12----10-------------------------------------------- B----10-------13---10--------------------------------- G----------12----9-------12----9---------------------- D---------------------12----10------12----10---------- A--------------------------------12----10-------12---- E--------------------------------------------12----10-
Grouped Motion
Grouped motion has ascending or descending (usually stepwise) motion in groups of x notes. Each group starts on the next stepwise or intervalic note in the scale. For example, the most basic group is a group of 3 in stepwise motion, which would look like (A B C) (B C D) (C D E). A group of 6 in 4ths would look like (A2 B2 C3 D3 E3 F3) (D3 E3 F3 G3 A3 B3) (G3 A3 B3 C4 D4 E4). Groups can be more complex - for example a group of 3 3rd's in stepwise motion would be all the diatonic triads from the scale - (A C E) (B D F) (C E G).
Stepwise Group of 3
Groups of 3 notes each with stepwise motion, and each group starting on the next stepwise note in the scale. (A B C) (B C D) (C D E).
C Position
E-----------------------------------------------------0---0-3- B-----------------------------------------1---1-3-1-3---3----- G-----------------------------0---0-2-0-2---2----------------- D-----------------0---0-2-0-2---2----------------------------- A-----0---0-3-0-3---3----------------------------------------- E-0-3---3----------------------------------------------------- E-3-0---0----------------------------------------------------- B-----3---3-1-3-1---1----------------------------------------- G-----------------2---2-0-2-0---0----------------------------- D-----------------------------2---2-0-2-0---0----------------- A-----------------------------------------3---3-0-3-0---0----- E-----------------------------------------------------3---3-0-
C/A Position
E-----------------------------------------------------3---3-5- B-----------------------------------------3---3-5-3-5---5----- G-----------------------------2---2-5-2-5---5----------------- D-----------------2---2-5-2-5---5----------------------------- A-----2---3-5-3-5---5----------------------------------------- E-3-5---5----------------------------------------------------- E-5-3---3----------------------------------------------------- B-----5---5-3-5-3---3----------------------------------------- G-----------------5---5-2-5-2---2----------------------------- D-----------------------------5---5-2-5-2---2----------------- A-----------------------------------------5---5-3-5-3---3----- E-----------------------------------------------------5---5-3-
G Position
E-----------------------------------------------------5---5-8- B-----------------------------------------5---5-8-5-8---8----- G-----------------------------5---5-7-5-7---7----------------- D-----------------5---5-7-5-7---7----------------------------- A-----5---5-7-5-7---7----------------------------------------- E-5-8---8----------------------------------------------------- E-8-5---5----------------------------------------------------- B-----8---8-5-8-5---5----------------------------------------- G-----------------7---7-5-7-5---5----------------------------- D-----------------------------7---7-5-7-5---5----------------- A-----------------------------------------7---7-5-7-5---5----- E-----------------------------------------------------8---8-5-
E/G Position
E---------------------------------------------------------------8----8-10- B-------------------------------------------------8---8-10-8-10---10------ G------------------------------------7----7-9-7-9---9--------------------- D---------------------7----7-10-7-10---10--------------------------------- A------7----7-10-7-10---10------------------------------------------------ E-8-10---10--------------------------------------------------------------- E-10-8----8--------------------------------------------------------------- B------10---10-8-10-8---8------------------------------------------------- G---------------------9---9-7-9-7----7------------------------------------ D---------------------------------10---10-7-10-7----7--------------------- A------------------------------------------------10---10-7-10-7----7------ E---------------------------------------------------------------10---10-8-
D Position
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------10----10-12- B----------------------------------------------------------10----10-13-10-13----13------- G-------------------------------------------9----9-12-9-12----12------------------------- D-------------------------10----10-12-10-12---12----------------------------------------- A-------10----10-12-10-12----12---------------------------------------------------------- E-10-12----12---------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-12-10----10---------------------------------------------------------------------------- B-------13----13-10-13-10----10---------------------------------------------------------- G-------------------------12----12-9-12-9----9------------------------------------------- D-----------------------------------------12---12-10-12-10----10------------------------- A----------------------------------------------------------12----12-10-12-10----10------- E----------------------------------------------------------------------------12----12-10-
Stepwise Group of 4, Groups Skip Every Other Note
C Position
E-------------------------------------0-3- B-----------------------------1-3-1-3----- G---------------------0-2-0-2------------- D-------------0-2-0-2--------------------- A-----0-3-0-3----------------------------- E-0-3------------------------------------- E-3-0------------------------------------- B-----3-1-3-1----------------------------- G-------------2-0-2-0--------------------- D---------------------2-0-2-0------------- A-----------------------------3-0-3-0----- E-------------------------------------3-0-
- Stepwise Group of 5
- Stepwise Group of 6