A minor Pentatonic scale using the 4th position (open string position)

[Rickey]

I was wondering if people use the 4th position A minor pentatonic scale (above the 5th position) That uses the open strings.I was making a video while doing a solo in Aminor pentatonic scales and putting the video of the positions during the Aminor backing track to all the different positions (there are 7 of them 5 regular ones and another of the fith and another of the 4th)..I figure if I can target the notes eventually seeing them on video I will be able to remember them in all the 7 positions in time! I was reading when doing a solo it sounds nice if you end your lick or your passing notes on the chord it is in.. A chord ends in A , D chord ends in D.. You know.. Knowing all the 5 positions I came across a picture that had the forth position up past the neck using the open strings so I decided to put this one on the video (to be) as well.. I am wondering if people actually use this Aminor pentatonic scale in 4th position using the open strings.. It is nice playing in G or E minor when you have all the open notes to pull off.. I did not know you could do it in Aminor as well! Hey , what do you want , I am a newbie at 47, but this theory part intrigues me.. I look at MODES and I still can’t get my head around them yet, but have been only playing seriously for a year or so.. Was just wondering what you seasoned guitarists think..
Thanks for looking, and be sure to comment!
I am making the videos to help me learn, but if anyone else is interested, I could post them in Youtube.. Remember though, they are for beginners who want to play the blues but just can’t remember all the licks or where to end them.

Craig

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[Rickey]

hmmm obviously you have fingers,cuz u play guitar…
No one plays A minor pentatonic scale 4th position using the open strings?

[bluesbird]

Your diagram is just showing the 4th position (Box 4) of the A minor pentatonic scale which can be played either at the 12th fret (going up the fretboard) or an octave lower at the open E position which allows you to incorporate open strings. Either way is fine.

Regarding modes, they are simply the same notes as the major scale but played with a different starting note which produces different intervals from the WWHWWWH of the major scale and a different sound. They are called modes because they use the same notes as the major scale so are not really a different scale. I haven’t paid much attention to them yet as I am still working on the major and minor scales and their pentatonic equivalents. But more experienced players make use of them, particularly certain ones.

[Author]

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