Major Pentatonic Scales

Just like in the Minor Pentatonic Scales, there are 5 fingerings:

E-|--|X-|--|X-|   
B-|--|X-|--|X-|      
G-|X-|--|--|X-|
D-|X-|--|--|X-|
A-|--|X-|--|X-|
E-|--|X-|--|X-|                             

E-|X-|--|--|X-|
B-|X-|--|--|X-|
G-|X-|--|X-|--|
D-|X-|--|X-|--|
A-|X-|--|X-|--|
E-|X-|--|--|X-|                                

E-|--|X-|--|X-|
B-|--|X-|--|X-|
G-|X-|--|X-|--|
D-|X-|--|--|X-|
A-|X-|--|--|X-|
E-|--|X-|--|X-|                               

E-|--|X-|--|X-|--|
B-|--|X-|--|--|X-|
G-|X-|--|--|X-|--|
D-|--|X-|--|X-|--|
A-|--|X-|--|X-|--|
E-|--|X-|--|X-|--|

E-|X-|--|--|X-|
B-|--|X-|--|X-|
G-|X-|--|X-|--|
D-|X-|--|X-|--|
A-|X-|--|--|X-|
E-|X-|--|--|X-|

The list of Major Pentatonic Scales:

A Major Pentatonic
e-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
B-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
G-|--|2-|--|4-|--|6-|--|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|18|--|--|21|--|23|--|
D-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|23|--|
A-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
E-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|

B Major Pentatonic
e-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|23|--|
B-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
G-|1-|--|--|4-|--|6-|--|8-|--|--|11|--|13|--|--|16|--|18|--|20|--|--|23|--|
D-|1-|--|--|4-|--|6-|--|--|9-|--|11|--|13|--|--|16|--|18|--|--|21|--|23|--|
A-|--|2-|--|4-|--|6-|--|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|18|--|--|21|--|23|--|
E-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|23|--|

C Major Pentatonic
e-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|24|
B-|1-|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|
G-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
D-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
A-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|7-|8-|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
E-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|24|

D Major Pentatonic
e-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
B-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
G-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|23|--|
D-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
A-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
E-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|

E Major Pentatonic
e-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
B-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
G-|1-|--|--|4-|--|6-|--|--|9-|--|11|--|13|--|--|16|--|18|--|--|21|--|23|--|
D-|--|2-|--|4-|--|6-|--|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|18|--|--|21|--|23|--|
A-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|11|--|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|23|--|
E-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|

F Major Pentatonic
e-|1-|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|
B-|1-|--|3-|--|--|6-|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|--|18|--|20|--|22|--|--|
G-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
D-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
A-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|24|
E-|1-|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|--|13|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|--|

G Major Pentatonic
e-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
B-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|--|8-|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|--|20|--|22|--|24|
G-|--|2-|--|4-|--|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|16|--|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
D-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|9-|--|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|21|--|--|24|
A-|--|2-|--|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|14|--|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|
E-|--|--|3-|--|5-|--|7-|--|--|10|--|12|--|--|15|--|17|--|19|--|--|22|--|24|

Comments

[metal4all]

good for reference? i guess. not much of a lesson though.

[blackmetal619]

its not supposed to be an in depth lesson, unless i want to sit here and describe how to play these scales, it should be obvious..but yea it mainly is a reference, which is still very helpful

[Ghost Dog]

Man, i don't get one thing... i've learned one fingering (B in your lesson) and kept using that in whatever key i'm playing it and it seems to sound ok but... how the hell do you combine fingerings? Or you don't? You just learn and use one fingering and that's it? Pls explain, i'd be grateful. Tx. Oh, same question for the minor pentatonic thing too.

[zeetech]

good scale men.... it's a big help =)

[recklessftw]

Good for reference for sure if someone had an idea of how to read that... which I do so it's all good. I like how you connected them as well, not many guitarists really understand that I've found.

[Bleeding_me]

vrey nice this scales, it will be very helpful in the future =D

[bigjdog21]

it sucks to me

[blackmetal619]

Ghost Dog wrote:

Man, i don't get one thing... i've learned one fingering (B in your lesson) and kept using that in whatever key i'm playing it and it seems to sound ok but... how the hell do you combine fingerings? Or you don't? You just learn and use one fingering and that's it? Pls explain, i'd be grateful. Tx. Oh, same question for the minor pentatonic thing too.

Well to combine them, you can play any of the notes that are in that scale and it will fit always, for any scale whether it be minor or not. And all of those numbers represent every note in that particular scale....so just play all of those notes and they will all fit

[Vman666]

could you tell us which X's are the root notes in those fingerings...eg...in fingering B...the root note would be the second X on the low E string...am I right or am I putting way too much thought into this...

[Vman666]

btw...could u send me a message back...Im probably never guna check this again...lol...not in a bad way...just...y would I...

[matt \,,/]

???im confused.....i understand what you mean by playing the notes in a certain order so they sound good, its jst that every lesson about scales i go onto its always got a different bunch of notes in the same part of the neck..jst dont know what one to practice an i end up mixing them up....

[Octtwe88]

I dont see a difference between this and the minor scales. Unless the roots are different but THAT ISNT SHOWN! haha the roots would be nice... Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[arctic_army_16]

thanks very very much ive only learned the first major A scale and i found it very easy to read and learn so thanks a bunch and im lookin forward to mastering them all lol
cheers

[EmoKiller361]

Scales are too damn confusing

[floydfanben]

in a song, lets say the chords are a-e-c-f, key of a right? whould you switch to the e scale when that chord is being played, then c, then f, or would you just continue playing the a scale????,,
thanks

[2Briffin]

Is this a scale one would use for playing lead guitar as in rock? If so, how does it differ from a blues scale?

[Jaykib]

To those that want to know the root note - find it yourself by learning the fretboard, or in context; learn guitar.

[Creature5]

hmmmm how the hell do read that..?

[guitar r0ck3r]

man i just see chinesse

[draezar]

can someone please explain the difference between the major and minor pentatonic. The fingering seems to be exactly the same except that all the minor scales start like a few notes behind the major???

[hackett1991]

cheers mate big help

[SGstriker]

What guitarists use this scale??

[Dreams]

^All of them.

[xacks_03]

I hve a question.. if im gonna memorize all of this pentatonic scales.. how can i use this to improvising or soloing??

[jammer-91]

how do you read scales???
Please respon to this e-mail:
[e-mail]

[metalgodlee]

this is good stuff for all you 1st year guitar students to start practicing on.

[Orange~Love]

wow that helped a lot thanks

[Broken-pick]

Damn,they sound like ol skool chinese music

[MegaKarl]

hmmm i should probably ask my guitar teacher this but i cant be ****ed, how do you know where to start on? like on A Maj. how do you figure out that it starts on that 2nd fingering things?

[ragflesh]

a sucks scale!

[Fredde_]

it was good

[skater762]

i dont get it????!!!?!

[Mario Augusto]

Nice... very nice. Now I just need to study a litle bit more... cheers

[shinedown98]

well i was on a search for easy to learn guitar scales, funny i shoulda just checked here because ive been usin a lot of the tabs here. But as far as those scales, i found it super easy, in fact already memorized A and B majors in about 25 mins. If you just look for the pattern and remember every 12th fret the pattern repeats like in the A scale 544455 repeats higher @ 17,16,16,16,17,17 then it becomes real easy forwards and backwards...im sure im being mr. obvious by the 12th fret pattern thing, but maybe some people dont see it. anyhow thanks, ima get back to work on the last 4!

[shinedown98]

make that last 5, lol...

[olyfanman99]

how do you read these scales??!!!

[olyfanman99]

how do you read these scales??!!!
PLEASE respond to [e-mail]

[watto]

Hi
I am a novice like so many others on this site trying to figure out the fretboard. I have noticed that a lot of folks can't seem to figure out how the fingering patterns relate to the fretboard. Here is my interpretation
http://www.racingbrothers.com/boxshapes.htm

[scottlet]

ty these scales helpd me quite a bit
i've been playin for a few years and know nothing about scales

[sTx]

Awesome for references! Good job!

[guitarpunk8]

wtf

[dryh2o_podz11]

just like minor scale T_T

[CobenBlack]

how do u not get it people? if the song is in the key of A, then you use the notes that are in the scale of A. it doesn't matter which ones. you improvise your solo from the notes that are there. by learnin this, you are learning which notes not to hit. the impro's are down to you

[Sk8trpunk977]

your third scale down (in the 5 fret frames) is the actual major pentatonic scale with the root on the 6th string. I think you should reorder them to make it more accurate. The first scale you put up has the root on 5th string. I reccomend ordering them different or specifying which note is the root.

[Sk8trpunk977]

Oh and these are the PENTATONIC scales, not the major pentatonic scales. Seriously you have the minor pentatonic scales in there also. The only difference is the root. The root is just 1 1/2 steps down from major pent. to minor pent.

[Daniel Pearce]

I'm a noob - I don't understand any of this - and where's the writing?

[St. Angry]

WHERE IS THE B FLAT MAJOR SCALE!!! I HAVE TRIED FOR AN HOUR TO FIND THE B FLAT MAJOR SCALE!!!! DOES ANYONE KNOW IT!!!! WHY CANT I FIND IT!!!!!

[lester2215]

nice lay out..but one question will this help me solo for metal?

[bahaminb]

yes, in any style of music, as long as its in a pentatonic scale

[dcookie87]

for those who r confused or just want to know how to work scales better.... combine this reference with the HOPSCOTCH METHOD lessons and u will see what good can come from this...

[Perforator]

What's the difference between major and minor pentatonic? Do you just use one for major chords and the other one for minor chords or something?
And then what to use for 5th chords like powerchords? I don't understand...

[Kalas]

nice job, u gave everyone the wrong set of scales.

[nickbalura]

this is a wicked tab as well

[kaalplaysguitar]

root notes would help a lot

[hyphensprint]

if you cant figure out how to read scales try
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/
and go to scales and pick the scale u want in the key u want it's quite simple to understand...so is this though!

[hyphensprint]

And then what to use for 5th chords like powerchords?

those are neither major nor minor play whatever (in the proper key of course)

[toby1988]

i have a question
i have here a song in G major with the chords G D C a
can i play the notes of the g major penta through whole song or must i look at the chord changes?? please help me

[Hotwar]

I thought it was helpful!

[bluesteelmojo]

toby1988 wrote:

i have a question
i have here a song in G major with the chords G D C a
can i play the notes of the g major penta through whole song or must i look at the chord changes?? please help me

Toby what you are going to want to do is stay in that scale. Just because the chords are changing doesn't mean you also must change scales. I hope that helps.

Checked.

[CBA28]

bluesteelmojo wrote:

toby1988 wrote:

i have a question
i have here a song in G major with the chords G D C a
can i play the notes of the g major penta through whole song or must i look at the chord changes?? please help me


Toby what you are going to want to do is stay in that scale. Just because the chords are changing doesn't mean you also must change scales. I hope that helps.

well your half right, you dont have to change keys when the chords do, but you can, it just gives the solo a more....smooth feel?...i dont know how ot explain it, you just get a more powerful solo if you change keys with the chords, but beware, its not a easy thing to do, so when in doubt play all in one key, but if your feeling adentureous change it up

[CowboyFromHell5]

the fingering pattern is exactly the same as the minor pentatonics. so how is this different?

[QuietVortex]

So... how do i use those? hehehehe

[Shabalaba]

Really good lesson, really usefull. This doesnt affect me mind you but on your diagram it goes up to 24 and alot of people have only got 21 frets.

[SuperColossal]

I may be way off on this, but I beleive the only difference is what key its called. For instance C Major and A minor for box 1 are the same thing. But you'd have to know the difference bewteen the two, say, if you were soloing over chords in C. Cuz if someone told you, I'm playing in C, solo in Am, it wouldn't make sense. Dunno if that helps anyone, or if its even right.

[EXishere]

Great referance! For those who can't read it go here...

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/scales/sca les_made_easy.html

Good luck, have fun.

[acousticman1]

Ok so I learnt minor pentatonics and can see all the shapes are the same but the roots are different for each one? e.g Shape 1 in major is the same shape as 4 in minor but with the root of 1
im not sure i worded that very well

[acousticman1]

oooo instead of 4 i meant 2!!

[boreddumb86]

This may sound stupid but I've been playing about a year and I just decided I wanna play lead so I started learning the minor pentatonic but It can be kinda frustrating to memorize...does anybody know of a way to remember them easier and quicker. Oh and i can play lead pretty well for about a year and not focusing on it. To me it just kinda comes naturally.

[boreddumb86]

Shabalaba wrote:

Really good lesson, really usefull. This doesnt affect me mind you but on your diagram it goes up to 24 and alot of people have only got 21 frets.

Don't u mean 22 frets

[degete_mici]

hey , the lesson is good , but not every body understands it, because it is not explained well. you can find difrent scales in guitar pro.

[leoprodz]

Very good lesson. There's a little mistake in Major Pentatonic C.
There's an F note, 5th.string, 8th fret, that doesn't belong here, since pentatonics don't have IV grade.
Useful website!! congrats

[adikt87]

surely this is meant to be an introduction to major pentatonics?
hoped for some kind of explanation

[joshpride367]

lol no one knows how to read it

[joshpride367]

but people who know at least one scale

[mitch311]

Thanks for this man

[alicia63871]

thanx is a helpful

[F'Lix Ka'at]

E-|X-|--|--|X-| This pattern, as with all of them, is
B-|X-|--|--|X-| both major & minor depending on
G-|X-|--|X-|--| where it is rooted. Let's assume that
D-|X-|--|X-|--| this pattern is being played across the
A-|X-|--|X-|--| first four frets. It is both
E-|X-|--|--|X-| F Minor and Af/G# Major. If you move it
fret 1 2 3 4 up the neck and play it across the 5th
fret 5 6 7 8 to the 8th frets it is either A Minor
or C Major. They're interchangeable.

[Pizzavenger]

Thanks bro.
This helped a lot.
Can never find all the major's on one page.
Very easy to read if you have a mind.
Thanks again.

[guitaman]

good job coudnt have done it better

[HxG]

who needs an explination today? no one...
well it's easy to understand if you know what is meant but otherwise it's a kind of a problem