the pentatonic scale(or just about any scale) is used to be played against certain chords. learn the Eminor pentatonic scale positions(all 5 of them) and then play those sclaes along with an E minor chord and you will see how is pleases the ear. and also keep in mind that these scales can be modified many different ways as well.. and that's pretty much the whole game behind them. it's how YOU adjust them to create something cool to listen to. you can also apply different techniques to those scales like hammer ons , pull offs, legato and staccato,etc. experiment a bit.

good stuff there bach. There are lots of scales and modes out there, i got a poster on my wall that has 6 major and 6 minor pentatonics, so don't limit your self to the simple ones, learn the patterns verbatum, so you can play em any where on the neck. You can approach using the scales and modes many different ways, some people just splatter the scales over what they are playing keeping in mind to stay in key others(like my self) will employ them over the notes in a riff. Find your self a book on the matter even just to have the patterns in front of you to learn, once you get em under your fingers they will be easier to use down the road. After a year of playing from what you posted it sounds like your where you should be, Keep working on the rythms ( they are just as important as leads) and try writing a couple riffs you can record and play with scales and modes over, while learning covers is good for building chops its much more fun to write your own material.

Can you explain or provide a chart for the 6 pentatonic positions? I haven't heard of this and I'm curious.

Maybe I misunderstood. I thought blackout was saying that there are 6 positions to the pentatonic scale. I know of only 5.

Penta means 5, as you all know there are 5 notes = 5 positions, just start on a differnt note, same goes for major 7 notes = 7 positions. simple really.

here not a clear pic but there it is, some of the patterns look similar but the roots are different

Since you have been playing for a year its time to start getting familiar with guitar theory. For example, instead of just memorizing minor pentatonic shapes and positions in a certain key, its important to know how the scale is built. It is just a natural minor scale without the 2nd and 6th degrees. And a natural minor scale is a major scale with flat 3rd, 6th, and 7th degrees. This way you can play the scale you want in any key, anywhere on the fretboard. Once you understand theory you will not only be able to play your guitar, but you'll know how it works.

My recommendation is based more on observation than experience. My eight-year-old son starting taking lessons in october 2007, once -a-week, 30 minutes per lesson. He's learned more in the last four and a half months than I learned in three years of playing and trying to learn on my own and from books. Formal lessons can't hurt.

Go to Richardlloyd.com. His web page is a little dated, but his teaching style is down to Earth kind of like the Carl Sagan of guitar teachers.

"the Carl Sagan of guitar teachers"

You mean he writes scales on the shower wall with soap while he's stoned?

(Carl used to write out formulas on the shower wall and then quick copy them down before they washed off. And yes, he was high when he'd do it. In fact, he was pretty much high all the time!)

Gotta love the man!

Yeah, but he made more sense than any other scientific mind out there. Most of them just fill you with scientific garble, and send you kicking and screaming throughout the chapters. My favorite book of his is "Dragons of Eden." Richard Lloyd I'm sure has had his share of "Hey bro, pass that dube here man!", but he's a good teacher. I did not know about the wall scriblings though. Where did you read that stuff?