Scales reference
Minor Pentatonic Scale
The minor pentatonic scale is a five-note minor collection built around the tonic, minor third, fourth, fifth, and minor seventh.
Developing reference
Browser PLAY
Explore Minor Pentatonic Scale
The concept is loaded from the authoritative browser export. Change root, instrument, labels, and handedness freely without leaving this reference page.
Open in PLAYBrowser PLAY is ready.
Current selection
C Minor Pentatonic Scale
- Theory
- Scale
- Written root
- C
- Instrument
- 6-string Guitar
- Tuning
- E Standard
- Labels
- Notes
- Handedness
- Right handed
| String, low to high | Fret | Current label | Note | Degree | Interval | Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 1 | 3 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 1 | 6 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 1 | 8 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 1 | 11 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 1 | 13 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 1 | 15 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 1 | 18 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 1 | 20 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 1 | 23 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 1 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 2 | 3 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 2 | 6 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 8 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 2 | 10 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 2 | 13 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 2 | 15 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 2 | 18 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 20 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 2 | 22 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 1 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 3 | 3 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 3 | 5 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 8 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 3 | 10 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 3 | 13 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 3 | 15 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 3 | 17 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 20 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 3 | 22 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 0 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 4 | 3 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 4 | 5 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 8 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 4 | 10 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 4 | 12 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 4 | 15 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 4 | 17 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 20 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 4 | 22 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 4 | 24 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 1 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 5 | 4 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 5 | 6 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 5 | 8 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 11 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 5 | 13 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 5 | 16 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 5 | 18 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 5 | 20 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 23 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 6 | 1 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 6 | 3 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 6 | 6 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 6 | 8 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 6 | 11 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
| 6 | 13 | F | F | 3 | 4 | No |
| 6 | 15 | G | G | 4 | 5 | No |
| 6 | 18 | Bb | Bb | 5 | b7 | No |
| 6 | 20 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 6 | 23 | Eb | Eb | 2 | b3 | No |
Overview
Minor pentatonic retains several defining notes of natural minor while omitting its second and sixth degrees. The resulting gaps make a compact collection with a strong minor centre and no semitone steps.
Construction
The authoritative formula identifies five distinct degrees. Adding a chromatic passing tone between the fourth and fifth produces the six-note collection commonly called the blues scale.
Characteristics
The minor third and minor seventh establish its minor colour, while the fourth and fifth provide strong melodic anchors. Its larger gaps invite bends, slides, approach notes, and other expressive connections without prescribing a particular style.
Applications
Minor pentatonic supports improvisation, melodic writing, ear training, phrasing, and fretboard mapping. Comparing it with natural minor and the blues scale clarifies which tones create each collection's distinct behaviour.