Inspiration For Guitarists

Welcome to my newsletter, Presence! My aim is simple: to share insights and techniques that have helped me grow as a musician, offering something valuable for players at every stage of their journey.

Lost on the Fretboard? Master the Neck with 2 Simple Pentatonic Landmarks!

Have you ever wondered how pro guitarists navigate the neck so effortlessly when soloing? Do you struggle with memorizing a bunch of scale shapes and figuring out how they connect?

Over 30 years of teaching, I’ve seen one major mistake that makes guitarists work way harder than they need to.

👉 The solution? Learning just the 2 “LANDMARK” Pentatonic Shapes. These two shapes are the key to unlocking the fretboard, helping you connect ideas and solo freely in any key.

This week I want to show you the method I’ve shared with so many students that really leveled up their playing instantly.

But first—why is the Pentatonic scale so important?

1️⃣ The Theory is Easy
The Pentatonic is a 5-note scale, unlike most other scales that have 7 notes. That means:
✅ It works over almost any song
✅ 99% of the time, you can just find the first chord and use that Pentatonic scale
With other scales, you’d need to analyze every chord in the song.

2️⃣ The Shapes are Easy
Unlike other scales, the Pentatonic has a simple 2-notes-per-string pattern across all 6 strings.
And today, I’ll show you the two easiest, most powerful shapes.

3️⃣ The Sound is Easy
No matter what style you play—Rock, Reggae, Metal, Country, Funk, Math Rock or even Appalachian Murder Ballads (yes, that’s a real thing)—almost every guitar solo is based in the Pentatonic scale.

The “Landmark” Pentatonic Shapes

Most players waste time learning all 5 Pentatonic shapes when just learning two key shapes gets you 90% of the results.

📌 These two shapes—Shape #1 and Shape #4—are what the pros rely on.
Mastering these first will let you move across the entire fretboard effortlessly.

Shape #1: Root on the Low E String

This shape is by far the most used by pros. Let’s break it down.

👉 Shape #1 has its root notes on the Low E string.
Let’s play it at the 5th fret.

Here’s something most guitarists don’t realize:
Every Pentatonic scale is two scales in one.

If your index finger starts the shape, it’s the minor pentatonic.
If your pinky starts it, it’s the major pentatonic.

So at the 5th fret:

My index is on A → A minor Pentatonic
My pinky is on C → C major Pentatonic

Moving Shape #1 to Different Keys

One of the best things about guitar? Scale shapes are movable.

💡 Want to play in a different key?
Just slide the shape up or down and start on a different root note.

For example:

If a song starts on a D major chord, find D on the Low E string (10th fret).

Since it’s major, put your pinky on the root and play Shape #1.

If a song starts on D minor, put your index on the 10th fret instead.

(Quick tip: Memorizing the notes on the Low E and A strings makes this process way faster!)

Making Shape #1 Sound More Musical

When improvising, avoid sounding like you're just running a scale.

✅ Don’t spend too much time on the lowest strings – the higher strings are where melodies shine
✅ Repeat notes – melodies use repetition, not just constant motion
✅ Focus on small sections – break the scale into 2-3 string "mini-shapes"
✅ Use guitar techniques – slides, bends, hammer-ons, and vibrato add expression

Shape #4: Root on the A String

Now, let’s talk about Shape #4, which has its root notes on the A string.

We’ll start at the 12th fret.

A minor - C Major Pentatonic Scale

Shape #4

Just like Shape #1, this scale works for both Major and minor:

Index finger = Minor
Pinky finger = Major

👉 The two things to watch out for:

A 3-fret span on the A string
A 1-fret shift on the B string

Connecting the Two Shapes & Unlocking the Neck

Here’s where it all comes together.

Once you find Shape #1 and Shape #4, take note of what fret your index finger is on for each.

🛠 Pro Trick: These shapes repeat 12 frets higher on most electric guitars.
For example, in A minor/C Major, we have:

Shape #1 at the 5th fret
Shape #4 at the 12th fret
Shape #1 again at the 17th fret
When you jump between all three positions it will give you so many options on the neck using only the two “Landmark” shapes of the Pentatonic Scale.

You can see how these two Landmark shapes let you move freely across the neck in any key.

Your next step? Practice these two shapes over backing tracks.
Start with C Major/A minor, then expand to other keys once you feel comfortable.

At first, you’ll need to calculate the locations, but soon, you’ll start memorizing them in your go-to keys.

Once you start getting comfortable with these two shapes it is easy to take the next step of diagonally extending these two shapes. I’ll be exploring that in a future newsletter. Have fun exploring!

—Dustin

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