Advanced 2s & 3s
The full neck “A” minor pentatonic scale. Look for the 2s & 3s.
The formula for the usual (natural) minor pentatonic scale is:
1 + b3 + 4 + 5 + b7
The “A” minor pentatonic scale consists of “A” as the root, which is the 1 or 1st note of the scale. “C” is the flat 3rd. “D” is the 4th. “E” is the 5th & “G” is the flat 7th.
Once you are comfortable with the pentatonic "2s & 3s", you can create other more exotic scales by merely altering this primary template. Whatever you change in the 1st "2 & 3" is repeated as you go through the entire sequence.
The next chart adds the “blue note” ( the #4 or b5 ) which can be found in between the 2nd & 3rd note of the set of notes we refer to as the “3”.
The natural minor formula is: 1 + 2 + b3 + 4 + 5 + b6 + b7
In the key of A minor, the “B” or 2 & “F”, the flat 6, are on either end & attached to the set of notes we call the “3”. They are shown as the green squares on either side of the “3”.
The harmonic minor formula is: 1 + 2 + b3 + 4 + 5 + b6 + 7 (natural)
For the key of “A” harmonic minor, the “G”, which was the flat 7, becomes “G#”, the natural 7 for the key of “A” Major. It is shown as the orange “7” that is now right in front of the root tone or second note of the set of notes we refer to as the “2”. The combination of the natural 7th with a minor 3rd makes for a bit of tension within the scale. A great set of chords to jam over with the “A” harmonic minor would be:
Am7 | Am7 | Dm7 | E7 :||
One more idea. To create the Hungarian or Gypsy minor scale, you just insert the "blue note" into the harmonic minor pattern.