Zakk Wylde on his affinity for the pentatonic scales: “They’re the most lyrical, so just stick with the pentatonic!”

Zakk Wylde
(Image credit: Scott Legato/Getty Images)

Being able to break out of the pentatonic box and shake off the shackles of the entry-level scale is a power that every guitar player strives for in the quest for ultimate fretboard knowledge. It is a tiresome task that requires patience, as well as a keen eye – and ear – for detail. 

It will make for comforting reading, then, that electric guitar god Zakk Wylde isn’t afraid to embrace the basics, having recently voiced his admiration for everyone’s five-note scale and revealing he spends most of his time circumnavigating the pentatonic box.

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Matt Owen
Senior Staff Writer, GuitarWorld.com

Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.