CHAPTER 2

6th String Scales, Pentatonics and Arpeggios

To improvise on the guitar, you need to have command of a few basic

musical tools. These tools are the major and minor scales, major and
minor pentatonic scales and major and minor arpeggios.
These basic tools exist all over the guitar, but for now we will focus
on a single vertical position for each of the shapes. You will, throughout
the course of this book, learn the entire neck, but for now you can make
music in a single position. Before you begin to explore the rest of the
book, make sure you are very comfortable with these essential scale,
pentatonic and arpeggio fingerings.

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34 THE EFFICIENT GUITARIST

G Minor Pentatonic, 6th String Root

 







Scale Formula: R  3 4 5  7

1 4

1 4

1 3
Fingerings 1 3

1 3

1 4

R
3

5
7

3 4
Intervals
7 R

4 5

R
3

Notes on the 6th String

E String F G A B C D E F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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CHAPTER 2. 6T H STRING SCALES, PENTATONICS AND ARPEGGIOS 35

G Major Pentatonic, 6th String Root

 

Scale Formula: R 2 3 5 6

2 4

2 4

1 3
Fingerings 1 4

1 4

2 4

R 2

5 6

2 3
Intervals 6 R

3 5

R 2

Notes on the 6th String

E String F G A B C D E F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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36 THE EFFICIENT GUITARIST

G Minor Scale, 6th String Root

 








Scale Formula: R 2  3 4 5  6  7

1 3 4

1 2 4

1 2 4
Fingerings 1 3

1 3 4

1 3 4

R 2
3

5
6
7

2
3 4
Intervals
7 R

4 5
6

R 2
3

Notes on the 6th String

E String F G A B C D E F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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CHAPTER 2. 6T H STRING SCALES, PENTATONICS AND ARPEGGIOS 37

G Major Scale, 6th String Root

 



Scale Formula: R 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 4

2 4

1 3 4
Fingerings 1 3 4

1 2 4

2 4

7 R 2

5 6

2 3 4
Intervals 6 7 R

3 4 5

R 2

Notes on the 6th String

E String F G A B C D E F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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Marc Schonbrun
38 THE EFFICIENT GUITARIST

G Minor Arpeggio, 6th String Root

 





Arpeggio Formula: R  3 5

1 4

1
Fingerings 3

1 4

R
3

3

Intervals R

R
3

Notes on the 6th String

E String F G A B C D E F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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CHAPTER 2. 6T H STRING SCALES, PENTATONICS AND ARPEGGIOS 39

G Major Arpeggio, 6th String Root

 

Arpeggio Formula: R 3 5

2
Fingerings 4

1 3

3
Intervals R

3 5

Notes on the 6th String

E String F G A B C D E F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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40 THE EFFICIENT GUITARIST

Theory Review
We should review some of the theory you just played. We model
everything after the full seven-note (eight including the octave) major
and minor scales. The full major and minor scales give you just about
every tone you could want to use in any given key. However, you may
not want such a complete sound.
The pentatonic scale takes its five tones (penta is Greek for five)
from its corresponding major or minor scale. Every pentatonic scale
is a full scale that excludes two tones. The tones they leave out are
are the hardest notes in the major or minor scale to deal with as an
improviser. For many players, the pentatonic scale just sounds right.
It’s just another version of full major or minor scale, just slightly more
focused.

Narrowing down one more level, an arpeggio is the first, third and
fifth notes of the major or minor scales that share the same root.
Arpeggios are the clearest and most focused sound we have in music.
You get the essence of the scale/chord and nothing else. Because these
are all derived from the same stuff (everything comes from the major or
minor scale), major scales, pentatonics, and arpeggios are interchange-
able based on what you the improviser feels. The same of course holds
true for minor scales, pentatonics, and arpeggios in minor keys.

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CHAPTER 2. 6T H STRING SCALES, PENTATONICS AND ARPEGGIOS 41

Let’s look at the theory numerically so we can see how these scales
and arpeggios are derived from each other. The numbers shown here
represent the intervals of each scale or arpeggio.

Major Sounds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 : Major Scale
1 2 3 5 6 : Major Pentatonic
1 3 5 : Major Arpeggio
Minor Sounds
 
1 2 3 4 5 6  7 : Minor Scale
 
1 3 4 5 7 : Minor Pentatonic

1 3 5 : Minor Arpeggio

Note that the major arpeggio (1 3 5) or minor arpeggio (1 3 5) is

always present when you choose a full scale, a pentatonic scale or an
arpeggio. This is not a coincidence.

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42 THE EFFICIENT GUITARIST

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Marc Schonbrun