Jered McKenna

Adding the 4 One of the most important notes in the scale is the 4. Let’s add it to our C major pentatonic pattern. How to find the 4: It’s 2 frets below the 5. (So if you’re playing 1–2–3–5–6, just drop down two frets from the 5.) You can also find it 1 fret above the 3 (E). Practice: Play 1–2–3–5, then drop down to the 4. And, try to other version: 1-2-3, then step right up to the 4 that is one fret above the 3 (E). Say both the note names and the scale numbers out loud as you play, for BOTH versions. Do this for 7 minutes at a time, as often as you can throughout the day until it feels natural.

Reading Music with the Pentatonic The sliding pentatonic gives you quick access to the most important scale tones. In C major, we’ve been working with 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, and we just added the 4. Example: “Auld Lang Syne” Look at the lyrics or melody and identify which chord notes you need. For this song, you’ll need C, G, A, and F. Notice: no D or E required here. Why this works: C is the 1 (our “home base”). G is the 5. A is the 6. F is the 4. This is why we’ve been practicing both note names and scale degrees: The numbers (1, 4, 5, 6) tell you the feel and function of each chord tone. The note names (C, F, G, A) tell you exactly where to play it on the fretboard. Practice: Play through “Auld Lang Syne,” singing the chord notes along with the melody as you play. First, say the note names out loud. Then, play again while saying the scale numbers. The Magic of Numbers: Once you start thinking in numbers instead of only notes, you can instantly change keys. For example: move your hand so that your 1 is D (remember we memorized where D is earlier). Now you can play the whole song in D major—same shapes, same numbers, new key.

The Minor Pentatonic To play the minor version of the sliding pentatonic, here’s the formula. Find the Root Note Start with the name of the chord root. Example: if the chord is A minor (Am), your root note is A. This root becomes your “home base” for the minor pentatonic pattern. The Pattern (in A minor, 5th fret on the E string): Play the root (1) on the 5th fret of the E string. Drop down two frets lower on the same string for the ♭7. Move to the next string, 5th fret, for the ♭3. Skip a fret for the 4. Skip another fret for the 5. That’s your five-note minor pentatonic scale. Pro Tip: If your root is very low on the neck (like fret 1), move up to a higher octave of the same note. This gives you space to slide around the pattern without running out of frets.

Soloing and Adding Style As you’ve seen, the 1 (root) is your strongest note—the one that defines the sound. The 3 and 5 are also strong anchor tones. The 2 and 6 act as passing tones, helping you connect smoothly to the stronger notes. Here’s the idea: Hold the 1, 3, and 5 a little longer. Pass quickly over the 2 and 6 to create little melodies and riffs. This instantly makes your bass lines more interesting and musical. Notice: I’m not really using the 4 when improvising riffs. That’s part of what makes the pentatonic scale so smooth and easy—it avoids the 4 and the 7. Try these simple exercises to start improvising your own bass lines: Play 1–3–5 on quarter or half notes (try it with “Auld Lang Syne”). Walk from the 1 to the 3 by way of the 2. Add the 5 to the end of that run. Try touching the 6 as a passing note. Key Reminder: Always play each note cleanly. Lock in with the beat—quarter notes, half notes, or eighth notes. Rhythm is the most important element underneath everything you play. Taking It Further: Once you’ve got the basics down, start experimenting. Add: Octave jumps Slides Syncopated rhythms Any other tricks from your “bag” This is how you build your own style and turn simple patterns into expressive, musical bass lines.