What this effectively means is that the major and minor pentatonic scales use the same shape, but start on different notes. The minor pentatonic scale has the same interval structure as the major pentatonic scale but they are in a different order from the root note. There are the 5 moveable major pentatonic positions on the guitar fretboard.

Which ever root note you start on will be the key that the scale is in. I won’t put them in a particular key just yet. Let’s now have a look at the 5 positions along the guitar neck. To understand how to use it, as with any scale, we need to know what scale tones it contains. (the root note is) C (up a tone to) D (up a tone to) E (up a minor 3rd to) G (up a tone to) A (up a minor 3rd back to the root note) CĪbove is an intervalic analysis of the major pentatonic scale. (from the root note) Tone – Tone – minor 3rd – Tone – minor 3rdįor example, in the key of C, the major pentatonic scale would look like this: If we look at a major pentatonic in terms of intervals, we get the following: If you are not familiar with major scales, I recommend reading the lesson, what is a major scale?Īssuming you have at least a basic understanding of major scales, we can analyze what a major pentatonic is. To understand any scale, you need to understand major scales and how they are constructed. If the theory gets a bit much a digest, have a go at playing the scales and come back to the theory when you are ready. In this lesson, we are going to discuss the theory behind pentatonic scales and look at how to play them up and down the neck.

The two most common pentatonic scales are the major pentatonic and minor pentatonic scales. This means that they are often one of the first scales that guitarists learn and use in their playing.Īs the name suggests, a pentatonic scale is a 5-note scale. Used in the right context, it’s almost impossible to make them sound bad or unusual.

Something about pentatonic scales just ‘sounds good’. They are hugely popular mainly because they are quite easy to play and are very easy to use in a musical situation right from the start. Pentatonic scales are widely used scales on the guitar.

E flat minor pentatonic scale