A minor pentatonic scale — working the descent
Same position 1 of the A minor pentatonic scale as the initiation sheet, but worked exclusively in the descending direction.
Tips
Repeat only the descending direction several times before connecting ascent and descent: the muscle memory for descending builds up separately from ascending.
Understanding this type of exercise
Why isolate the descent
Most players climb a scale confidently and hesitate coming down, simply because they've never worked it separately. This sheet takes position 1 of the minor pentatonic in the descending direction only.
Practical tips and common mistakes
- Start each repetition on the high root and finish on the low root — not "somewhere in the middle".
- Alternate picking on the way down too: the tendency is to use only downstrokes.
- Keep fingers down behind the one that's playing and lift them one by one as the descent goes.
- Once the descent is fluent, connect ascent and descent straight away with no pause at the hinge.
Fretboard position
root note other scale note
The same exercise in other keys
Related sheets
- syncopation power riff — D (Level 3)
- String skipping — low E string to D string (Level 3)
- Three-note rolling lick riff — A minor (Level 3)