Pentawhat scale? Huh? Josh, you’re not gonna be one of those poofy-hair teachers who goes off on diminish 9th scales are you?

Relax. Pentatonics is a big word, but it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it. The awesome players like Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and B.B. King used it all the time.

If you’re young and haven’t heard of these guys, check ’em out. Your dad’s music isn’t so bad once you give it a chance. (Don’t worry I won’t tell him.)

So here’s how you play a scale. (If the diagram looks scary, don’t fret. haha It’s not played all at once like a chord.)

• Play the first note in the diagram with the first finger on the lowest string on the bottom of the diagram right above where it says “5fr.” Then play the next note with the fourth finger. That would be the circled “4” right above and to the left of “7fr.”
• Next, play the next string where it shows a circled “1” above the last one. Then “3” with the third finger at the 7th fret.
• Continue all the way up. Then make your way down.

That’s it! Now you can play a B.B. King scale. Enjoy.