Am Extended Pentatonic

Extending our A minor scale above and below the fifth position creates some very useful symmetry on the neck.  Our scale in this form allows us to get underneath our low A root which can help out a lot melodically speaking.  It also ascends in a very symmetrical pattern which makes it easier to learn, apply and remember–I generally play this using my index and ring fingers.  Since it gets halfway above the second octave there’s plenty of room to try upper-end ideas and cycle them in the lower registers.  You’ll cover a lot of ground with this, plus shifting as you play makes the mind view scales differently–good times, that’s for sure.  As a scale exercise I suggest running this scale from the low A root (5th fret, E string) up to the highest note, then back down passing the root, then ending back on our A.  Click the scale image below to see it full size; the white notes are the roots, our A notes

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