# The 5 minor pentatonic positions

> The minor pentatonic scale has five positions, or boxes, that cover the guitar neck. In A minor they sit at frets 5–8, 7–10, 9–13, 12–15 and 2–5, then position 1 comes back 12 frets higher. Each box has two notes on every string, and neighbouring boxes share notes, so the five join into one map of the neck.

Page: https://pickfret.com/cheat-sheets/minor-pentatonic-positions/ · Printable PDF: https://assets.pickfret.com/cheat-sheets/minor-pentatonic-positions/minor-pentatonic-positions-a4.1c8cc96d0b.pdf (A4), https://assets.pickfret.com/cheat-sheets/minor-pentatonic-positions/minor-pentatonic-positions-letter.a8311eebcf.pdf (US Letter) · Phone image: https://assets.pickfret.com/cheat-sheets/minor-pentatonic-positions/minor-pentatonic-positions-phone.99e889ad91.png · Updated 2026-10-09

## The 5 positions

Dots show each note’s place in the scale: R is the root, A. Cream dots are the roots, the notes to start and finish on. Fret numbers run under each box.

| Position | Frets | Roots (A) on |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Position 1 | 5–8 | low E fret 5, D fret 7, high e fret 5 |
| Position 2 | 7–10 | D fret 7, B fret 10 |
| Position 3 | 9–13 | A fret 12, B fret 10 |
| Position 4 | 12–15 | A fret 12, G fret 14 |
| Position 5 | 2–5 | low E fret 5, G fret 2, high e fret 5 |

## All five on one neck

Here are all five on one neck. Each bracket is a position; where two brackets overlap, the boxes share those notes. That overlap is how you slide from one box to the next in a solo.

| Note | A | C | D | E | G |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Degree | R | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭7 |

## How to practise it

1. Play position 1 from the low E string to the high e and back, one note per click at 60 BPM. Start and end on a root.
2. Learn position 2 the same way, then move between the two through the notes they share.
3. Put on a slow backing track in A minor and improvise inside one box. End each phrase on a cream root.

Hear each position in the scale tool: https://pickfret.com/play/tools/scales?scale=minor-pentatonic&root=A&position=1 (Opens in your browser. No account needed.)

## Questions

### What notes are in the A minor pentatonic scale?

A, C, D, E and G: the root, flat third, fourth, fifth and flat seventh. It is the A natural minor scale without its second and sixth notes, which leaves no half steps.

### Which pentatonic position should I learn first?

Position 1. Its root sits under your first finger on the low E string, and most rock and blues licks are written in it. Learn position 2 next, then join them.

### How do I play the minor pentatonic in another key?

Move every box so the root lands on the new key. Position 1 starts on the low E string at the key’s note: fret 3 for G minor, fret 8 for C minor, fret 0 or 12 for E minor.

### Is A minor pentatonic the same as C major pentatonic?

They use the same five notes, so the boxes are the same. What changes is the root you start and finish on: A for A minor, C for C major.