Minor pentatonic string bending for beginners

The minor pentatonic scale is without doubt one of the most common scales guitarists use - and A minor is one of the easiest keys in which to learn it.

Learning the A minor pentatonic scale will really help you to craft some solos, especially when you're starting out. And, if you're able to use some string bends with the scale too, you'll be creating solos like pentatonic scale legends Angus Young, Slash and Zakk Wylde before you know it.

The easiest bends to use in the scale are those where the two notes in the bend are two frets apart (this is called a 'tone'). The notes in the scale are A C D E G. C and D are a tone apart, as are D and E, and G and A, so try bending between these notes.

Next page: the video example tabbed

Example: minor pentatonic string bend solo

(Click tab to enlarge)

Our example uses string bends between D and E in bar 1, G and A in bar 2 and a high C to D bend in bar 3. If you want to make up your own solos using the minor pentatonic scale, these are the easiest string bends to use.