A pentatonic scale is a five-note scale, derived from a diatonic (seven-note) major or minor scale.
A major pentatonic scale contains five of the seven notes in a major scale; a minor pentatonic scale contains five of the seven notes in a minor scale.
This post will cover how to construct a minor pentatonic scale. It will also provide a common fingering for the scale, along with instruction on how to play it on a guitar in any key.
The Minor Pentatonic Scale: Theory
The scale formula for a minor pentatonic scale is 1, b3, 4, 5, b7.
A minor pentatonic scale contains the first, flatted third, fourth, fifth and flatted seventh degrees of the major scale with the same root note.
A Minor Pentatonic Scale
For example, an A minor pentatonic scale contains the notes A, C, D, E and G — the first, flatted third, fourth, fifth and flatted seventh notes in an A major scale (fig.1).
Fig.1
D Minor Pentatonic Scale
A D minor pentatonic scale contains the notes D, F, G, A and C — the first, flatted third, fourth, fifth and flatted seventh notes in a D major Scale (fig.2).
Fig.2
Relationship to a Minor Scale
While a scale is always compared to the major scale with the same root note to determine its numerical formula, it’s often useful to compare a scale to another, similar scale.
For example, a minor pentatonic scale contains five of the seven notes in a natural minor scale with the same root note.
The scale formula for a natural minor scale is 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7.
The scale formula for a minor pentatonic scale is 1, b3, 4, 5, b7.
So a minor pentatonic scale contains the same notes as the minor scale with the same root note, but without the minor scale’s second and flatted sixth scale degrees.
Constructing a Minor Pentatonic Scale
So we can construct a minor pentatonic scale by omitting the second and flatted sixth scale degrees from the minor scale with the same root note.
A Minor Pentatonic Scale
For example an A minor pentatonic scale contains the same notes as an A minor scale, but without the minor scale’s second and flatted sixth scale degrees — the B and the F (fig.3).
Fig.3
D Minor Pentatonic Scale
A D minor pentatonic scale contains the same notes as a D minor scale, but without the D minor scale’s second and flatted sixth scale degrees — the E and the Bb (fig.4).
Fig.4
All 12 Minor Pentatonic Scales
All 12 minor pentatonic scales are shown in fig.5, along with their corresponding natural minor scales.
Fig.5
Minor Pentatonic Scales: On a Guitar
Fig. 6 shows common fingering for a minor pentatonic scale.
Fig.6
This fingering will allow you to play a minor pentatonic scale starting on any note:
- To play an A minor pentatonic scale, start the pattern on the A on the sixth string, fifth fret (fig.7a).
- To play a D minor pentatonic scale, start the pattern on the D on the sixth string, 10th fret (fig.7b).
Fig.7
Application
Pentatonic scales contain no half steps in their construction and, therefore, sound more open than their major and minor counterparts.
Like the minor scale, the minor pentatonic scale can be used to solo over minor chords and minor key chord progressions.
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