WOW,
there's so much push toward scales, theory and formality that I'd almost mistake this as a Music Teacher chat group.
C.V. time:
I took three bass lessons back in 73, (they were free with my purchase of a bass).
I was shown five guitar chords in 76, (they were all my room mate figured I could cope with and two of them were cheat chords).
I did two years of once a week cello lessons in the early 2000s. This required me to learn to read tenor clef on top of the bass clef I'd absorbed over time, which isn't useful in the wider scope of things.
From 73 until now I've played, written & listened.
I know I don't write songs that please many people but they often please me. At other times they don't please me but I learn from the doing.
I've learnt a few more chords along the way but more usefully have learnt to move chord shapes around to find a sound.
Many of the "exotic" scales are simply retrofitted academic justifications for something having sounded good in context.
Pentatonic is melody made easy, melody made lazy & melody made cliche for very obvious reason - using it can lead one that way. At other times it's a brilliant way to express & work within limitations.
It is useful to hear and accept that something sounds good in context when playing & writing.
Having fun will lead to learning along the way.
The more one looks to formality to guide the way the more one will be inclined to go that way.

Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe