Pattern I repeats itself an octave higher in frets 17-20. As before, it has root notes on the 6th string, the 4th string, and the 1st string.
Pattern 1 (High)
Fingering
One of the beautifully mathematical things about the neck of the guitar--and about music in general--is that patterns of all sorts repeat. Our exploration of the A Minor Pentatonic scale started out with Pattern 1. When we saw this shape the first time, it was in 5th position (i.e., frets 5-8). Here, we see it again, one octave higher, in 17th position (i.e., frets 17-20), a distance of 12 frets.
That pattern holds for any note on the guitar. For any note on any given string, you'll find the same note an octave higher if you go up 12 frets on the same string (or an octave lower if you go down 12 frets on the same string). Of course, you can quickly run out of frets, which is why the guitar has multiple strings tuned in a predictable ratios. An array of strings means you can play in multiple octaves. And the close proximity of the stings allows you to play chords.
Connections
Everything we said about Pattern 1 applies here, to Pattern 1 (High). It's the same pattern, just shifted up an octave.
Last Update
This page was last updated on 07/07/2026.