The Major Pentatonic Scale
Andrew Cockburn
Jul 6 2007, 12:01 AM
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Posts: 10.459
Joined: 6-February 07
From: CT, USA
The Major Pentatonic Scale



Introduction

Our next scale is the Major Pentatonic scale. Closely related to the Minor Pentatonic scale, it can be regarded as a Minor scale with a couple of notes missing.

The Major Pentatonic Scale

The Major Pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale, built using the formula: 2 2 3 2 3

Lets have a look at how we would build a scale of G Major Pentatonic. Our root note is G, and building up from the formula we get the following notes:

G + 2 semitones = A
A + 2 semitones = B
B + 3 semitones = D
D + 2 semitones = E
E + 3 semitones = G

Giving us the notes G, A, B, D, E, G, and as usual you can apply this formula with any other root note to get the exact scale that you want.

On the Fretboard

How do we play this on the guitar? Well, sticking with our G Major scale, we can construct 5 different boxes, one for each note of the scale.

Here they are:

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I give you the Major Pentatonic scale!

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This post has been edited by Andrew Cockburn: Jul 9 2007, 06:25 PM


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Posts in this topic
- Andrew Cockburn   The Major Pentatonic Scale   Jul 6 2007, 12:01 AM
- - redwing   Andrew, Thanks for sharing your knowledge. One qu...   Jul 9 2007, 05:59 PM
|- - muris   QUOTE (redwing @ Jul 9 2007, 06:59 PM) An...   Jul 9 2007, 06:07 PM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   D'oh Thank guys - fixed now (those dots drive ...   Jul 9 2007, 06:26 PM
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- - sb81   More Theory, yay! Andrew, what genres of musi...   Jul 9 2007, 06:39 PM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (sb81 @ Jul 9 2007, 01:39 PM) More ...   Jul 9 2007, 07:18 PM
|- - Eat-Sleep-andJam   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Jul 9 2007, 10:1...   Jul 14 2007, 11:44 PM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (Eat-Sleep-andJam @ Jul 14 20...   Jul 15 2007, 12:12 AM
|- - bryant   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Jul 15 2007, 12...   Sep 30 2013, 03:13 PM
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- - Eat-Sleep-andJam   Ok Thanks. This is helping so much ! - Joh...   Jul 15 2007, 05:21 AM
|- - Jeffrey   Hey andrew, First off, I love your lesson on...   Jul 17 2007, 04:44 PM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (Jeffrey @ Jul 17 2007, 11:44 AM) H...   Jul 17 2007, 05:09 PM
|- - ReverandFender   How do I know when to use the Minor Pentatonic or ...   Aug 23 2007, 05:19 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (ReverandFender @ Aug 23 2007, 12:1...   Aug 23 2007, 05:32 AM
|- - ReverandFender   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Aug 22 2007, 09...   Aug 25 2007, 04:11 AM
|- - fatstrat   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Aug 23 2007, 12...   Sep 2 2007, 03:48 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (fatstrat @ Sep 1 2007, 10:48 PM) s...   Sep 3 2007, 04:20 AM
|- - fatstrat   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Sep 2 2007, 11:2...   Sep 3 2007, 04:41 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (fatstrat @ Sep 2 2007, 11:41 PM) i...   Sep 3 2007, 06:01 AM
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- - bart m   ok...let me throw something at ya' so assumin...   Sep 7 2007, 02:41 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (bart m @ Sep 6 2007, 09:41 PM) ok....   Sep 7 2007, 03:05 AM
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- - bart m   Thanks Andrew...i didn't find you dismissive a...   Sep 7 2007, 05:53 AM
|- - eddiecat   Hello Andrew, my name is Eddie. Thank you so very ...   Sep 20 2007, 11:48 PM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (eddiecat @ Sep 20 2007, 06:48 PM) ...   Sep 21 2007, 01:35 AM
|- - eddiecat   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Sep 21 2007, 02...   Sep 21 2007, 02:06 AM
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- - Mrblomme   I have a question. Ok the patterns for the minor...   Dec 18 2007, 11:19 PM
|- - Muris   These boxes might confuse sometimes. Deal is to s...   Dec 18 2007, 11:50 PM
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- - Mrblomme   So you're telling me they're completely th...   Dec 19 2007, 12:06 AM
|- - Muris   QUOTE (Mrblomme @ Dec 19 2007, 12:06 AM) ...   Dec 19 2007, 12:12 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (Muris @ Dec 18 2007, 06:12 PM) Roo...   Dec 19 2007, 12:33 AM
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- - coffeeman   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Dec 18 2007, 06...   Dec 19 2007, 12:37 AM
- - PlayAllDay   They SOUND different.   Dec 19 2007, 01:24 AM
|- - Kapto   QUOTE (PlayAllDay @ Dec 19 2007, 02:24 AM...   Dec 19 2007, 01:41 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (PlayAllDay @ Dec 18 2007, 07:24 PM...   Dec 19 2007, 02:25 AM
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- - PlayAllDay   QUOTE (Kapto @ Dec 19 2007, 09:41 AM) Lol...   Dec 19 2007, 02:32 AM
|- - Kapto   QUOTE (PlayAllDay @ Dec 19 2007, 03:32 AM...   Dec 19 2007, 11:33 AM
|- - Muris   QUOTE (Kapto @ Dec 19 2007, 11:33 AM) Of ...   Dec 19 2007, 12:06 PM
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- - Mrblomme   Hi Andrew, I have a question If I play this box ...   Jan 7 2008, 07:41 PM
|- - Muris   Since Andrew is ofline I'll try help If you ...   Jan 7 2008, 09:32 PM
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- - Mrblomme   Yes but it's quite hard to play that low on my...   Jan 7 2008, 09:36 PM
|- - Muris   That low,from 9th to 12th fret?   Jan 7 2008, 09:38 PM
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- - Mrblomme   I dont see any dot on the 9th fret I think its mo...   Jan 7 2008, 09:50 PM
|- - Muris   QUOTE (Mrblomme @ Jan 7 2008, 09:50 PM) ...   Jan 7 2008, 09:56 PM
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- - Mrblomme   Oh so in fact you have to move it UP your neck? ...   Jan 7 2008, 10:01 PM
|- - Muris   It's DOWN 3 steps, down means lower, up means ...   Jan 7 2008, 10:04 PM
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- - Mrblomme   Hehe ok I was wrong. Thx for the help Muris   Jan 7 2008, 10:05 PM
|- - Muris   QUOTE (Mrblomme @ Jan 7 2008, 10:05 PM) H...   Jan 7 2008, 10:18 PM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (Muris @ Jan 7 2008, 04:18 PM) You...   Jan 7 2008, 10:20 PM
|- - Muris   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Jan 7 2008, 10:2...   Jan 7 2008, 10:36 PM
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- - Mrblomme   QUOTE (Muris @ Jan 7 2008, 10:18 PM) You...   Jan 7 2008, 11:22 PM
|- - Muris   QUOTE (Mrblomme @ Jan 7 2008, 11:22 PM) I...   Jan 7 2008, 11:39 PM
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- - [email protected]   So are Major Pentatonics the same as Minor Pentato...   May 15 2008, 03:51 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   Yes, the patterns are the same offset by one, but ...   May 15 2008, 12:58 PM
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- - girard   Is the reason they "sound" different eve...   May 17 2008, 05:50 PM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   Thats exactly right - and you have to train yourse...   May 17 2008, 09:26 PM
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- - MESHUGGAH   What is the first box in major and in minor? The ...   Jul 1 2008, 06:55 PM
|- - kaznie_NL   QUOTE (MESHUGGAH @ Jul 1 2008, 07:55 PM) ...   Jul 1 2008, 07:15 PM
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- - MESHUGGAH   but if i start with the secnd pattern it becomes G...   Jul 1 2008, 07:19 PM
|- - DeepRoots   QUOTE (MESHUGGAH @ Jul 1 2008, 07:19 PM) ...   Jul 5 2008, 12:39 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   Couldn't have said it better myself   Jul 6 2008, 02:28 PM
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- - The Professor   Good question about major and minor sounds. It is ...   Sep 30 2013, 09:27 PM
|- - bryant   QUOTE (The Professor @ Sep 30 2013, 09:27...   Sep 30 2013, 11:48 PM
|- - klasaine   QUOTE (bryant @ Sep 30 2013, 03:48 PM) Ok...   Oct 1 2013, 04:15 AM
|- - The Professor   QUOTE (bryant @ Sep 30 2013, 11:48 PM) Ok...   Oct 1 2013, 07:43 AM
|- - bryant   QUOTE (The Professor @ Oct 1 2013, 07:43 ...   Oct 1 2013, 12:19 PM
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- - The Professor   That's it, C minor and Eb major pent have the ...   Oct 1 2013, 12:47 PM
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