Guitar UpscaleMajor Pentatonic scale on guitar
The major pentatonic is a five note scale with a bright, open sound used in country, folk, pop and rock solos.
| Notes in A | A B C# E F# |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1 2 3 5 6 |
| Steps | W W W+H W W+H (W whole step, H half step) |
| Note count | 5 |
| Style in the app | Major, scale "Pentatonic Major" |
Play the A Major Pentatonic scale on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale
About the Major Pentatonic scale
It takes the major scale and drops the 4th and the 7th. With no half steps left, the scale sounds open and happy.
It has the same notes as the minor pentatonic three frets lower. G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic share every note, so the same boxes work for both.
Country and southern rock solos, and many folk melodies, use it. Over a major chord it is the safest scale to start soloing with.
Intervals from the root
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | In A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | A |
| 2 | Major 2nd | 2 | B |
| 3 | Major 3rd | 4 | C# |
| 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 | E |
| 6 | Major 6th | 9 | F# |
Same notes, another starting note
Start the A Major Pentatonic scale on another of its notes and you get these scales:
- From degree 2 (B): B Egyptian scale
- From degree 5 (E): E Yo Scale
- From degree 6 (F#): F# Minor Pentatonic scale
Major Pentatonic scale in every key
| Key | Notes | Play it |
|---|---|---|
| C | C D E G A | Open |
| Db | Db Eb F Ab Bb | Open |
| D | D E F# A B | Open |
| Eb | Eb F G Bb C | Open |
| E | E F# G# B C# | Open |
| F | F G A C D | Open |
| F# | F# G# A# C# D# | Open |
| G | G A B D E | Open |
| Ab | Ab Bb C Eb F | Open |
| A | A B C# E F# | Open |
| Bb | Bb C D F G | Open |
| B | B C# D# F# G# | Open |