E Minor Pentatonic Superhighway for Riffs and Rhythm

Building on the open position E minor pentatonic from beginner level, this lesson connects two shapes together across the lower strings, taking the scale from the open position up through the octave at frets 5 and 7. The result is a connected, flowing pathway up the neck that is the foundation for a huge number of classic rock and soul riffs.

What You'll Learn

•       How to connect two E minor pentatonic shapes across the lower strings

•       How to use slides to link positions smoothly

•       Classic riffs that live in this scale position

•       How the same notes produce different feels depending on rhythm and technique

•       A jam track to practise the scale in a musical context

Connecting the Shapes

Starting from the open E string, the scale runs 0, 3, 5, 7 — the same notes you learned at beginner level. This lesson extends that by sliding from fret 5 to fret 7 on the E string and then continuing up onto string 5, connecting to the next shape at frets 5 and 7 there. The key moment is that slide: it physically takes you from one position to the next and starts to make the neck feel like one continuous instrument.

Riffs That Live Here

Some of the most iconic riffs in rock and soul are built in this exact area of the neck — Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, Superstition by Stevie Wonder, Black Night by Deep Purple, and the bassline feel of Midnight Hour. Getting these notes under your fingers gives you immediate access to some of the best riff writing territory on the guitar.

The Jam Track

The jam track for this lesson has a funky, vintage feel and gives you a musical context to start exploring the scale. The goal is to get frets 5 and 7 feeling like home — knowing that you're in the key of E and starting to instinctively reach for those notes when you're improvising or playing along.