Scales and modes
Major pentatonic scale
The major pentatonic scale is a five-note scale, 1 2 3 5 6 (A B C# E F# in A), with a bright sound used in country, pop, rock and major blues.
What is the major pentatonic scale?
The major pentatonic keeps five notes of the major scale: 1 2 3 5 6. It drops the 4 and the 7, the two notes that sit a half step from a note of the major chord.
In A: A B C# E F#. In C: C D E G A. Notice that C major pentatonic has exactly the same notes as A minor pentatonic (A C D E G): it is the same relationship as between a key and its relative minor. Only the note you lean on changes.
How do you play the major pentatonic on guitar?
The most useful shortcut: take the minor pentatonic box and move it down three frets. The A minor box at the 5th fret becomes A major pentatonic at the 2nd fret:
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2, 5 | F# A |
| 5 | 2, 4 | B C# |
| 4 | 2, 4 | E F# |
| 3 | 2, 4 | A B |
| 2 | 2, 5 | C# E |
| 1 | 2, 5 | F# A |
The A roots are on the low E string 5th fret, the G string 2nd fret and the high E string 5th fret. To see the other positions and keys, display it on the fretboard with the guitar scales tool.
A country lick in A major to play now
In the 2nd-fret position:
- G string 4th fret (B), bend up a whole step to C#.
- B string 2nd fret (C#), then 5th fret (E).
- Finish on A, high E string 5th fret.
That B to C# bend moves from the 2 to the 3 of the A chord: it is the signature move of the major pentatonic in country and Southern rock.
Which chords do you play the major pentatonic over?
Use it over simple major progressions: A D E, A E F#m D (I-V-vi-IV), or a happy-sounding blues in A. To make your lines fit each chord, aim for its target notes:
- over A: C# (B string 2nd fret) and A;
- over D: F# and A (D itself is not in the scale, F# does the job);
- over E: E and B (G#, the third of E, is missing from the scale).
In blues, mix them: major pentatonic over A7, minor pentatonic over D7. That blend is at the heart of B.B. King's sound.
Key takeaways
- Formula: 1 2 3 5 6, the major scale without the 4 and 7.
- A major pentatonic: A B C# E F#, the same notes as F# minor pentatonic.
- Shortcut: the minor box moved down three frets.
- Target the third of each chord to sound clearly major.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between major and minor pentatonic?
The formula: 1 2 3 5 6 for major, 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 for minor. A major pentatonic and its relative minor (A major and F# minor, for example) share the same notes; what changes is the tonic and the chords under your fingers.
How do I switch from minor to major pentatonic?
Keep the same shape and move it down three frets. Box 1 of A minor at the 5th fret becomes A major pentatonic at the 2nd fret. Move up three frets to get back to minor.
What styles use the major pentatonic?
Country, pop, Southern rock, major blues and many folk melodies. It sounds bright and open, with no half step rubbing against the major chord.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.