Minor pentatonic scale

The Minor Pentatonic scale is often the first scale that people learn. This is because it is easy to play, very very useful and is the basis of much blues and rock improvisation.

The Major pentatonic scales have the same fingerings, only the root note is different, usually I just teach the Minor Pentatonic and then just use them in a different way to get the Major variety, but certainly get these ones down first.

Scale Formula

The scale forumula for the major scale must be memorised, as you will use it often to work out chord tones. The formula describes the interval distances between each note of the scale.

TS ^ T ^ T ^ TS ^ T
(T=Tone, TS= Tone+Semitone, or 1.5 Tones, or min 3rd interval)

Comparison With Major Scale

C Major = C D E F G A B C (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1)
C Minor Pentatonic = C Eb F G Bb C (1 b3 4 5 b7 1)

5 shapes

E

D

C

A

G