A Minor Pentatonic (Right Hand)

Five notes that carry most of blues, rock and folk soloing.

Level:
3 of 6
Hands:
Right hand
Key:
A minor pentatonic
Notes:
11
Range:
A4 to A5
One run:
about 9 seconds at 80 bpm

The notes, in order

11 notes, one at a time.

  1. A4
  2. C5
  3. D5
  4. E5
  5. G5
  6. A5
  7. G5
  8. E5
  9. D5
  10. C5
  11. A4

How to practise it

  1. A-C-D-E-G: no half steps anywhere
  2. Fingering: 1-2-3-1-2-3
  3. Improvise with these notes over an A minor chord afterwards

The scale behind it

This one is built on the A Minor Pentatonic scale: A C D E G (no sharps or flats). Its right-hand fingering runs 1-2-3-1-2-3, and the scale page has the full diagram if you want to hear the shape on its own first.

How to play it here

Play along on the keys with your mouse, your computer keyboard, a touch screen, or a MIDI keyboard you have plugged in. Every key can show its own name, and the metronome will hold the tempo while you work through the 11 notes.

What it trains

  • scale
  • pentatonic
  • improvisation

More minor scales

Natural, harmonic and melodic minor, with the fingering that each shape asks for.

All piano exercises