5-note scale · also called pentatonic minor

The minor pentatonic scale on guitar

Five notes, no wrong ones: the most-played lead guitar scale in rock and blues.

Formula

1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7

Step pattern

W+H – W – W – W+H – W

Sounds

bluesy, gritty and open

The minor pentatonic scale takes the natural minor scale and removes its two most tense notes, the 2nd and the ♭6. What is left, 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7, has no half steps at all, so any note sounds acceptable over a minor chord. That forgiveness is why it is usually the first lead scale guitarists learn.

On the fretboard the scale falls into five interlocking “box” positions that cover the whole neck. Box 1 starts with the root on the 6th string; each next box starts on the next note of the scale. Learn them one at a time and connect neighbouring boxes by sliding between shared notes.

The minor pentatonic is also the heart of the blues. Add a ♭5 “blue note” and it becomes the blues scale. Played over a major or dominant 7th blues, its ♭3 rubbing against the chord’s major 3rd is exactly the tension blues players want.

A minor pentatonic by scale degree

Here is A minor pentatonic across the neck, labelled by scale degree instead of note name. Because guitar shapes are movable, this same pattern works in every key: slide it so the red root lands on the note you want.

Minor Pentatonic scale in all 12 keys

Pick a key for its notes, chords and fretboard diagrams.

When to use it

Use the minor pentatonic scale over rock and blues solos, minor-key songs, and over dominant 7th chords in a blues.

Practice tip: Start with the “box 1” shape with the root on the 6th string. Bend the 4th degree up a whole step to the 5th: it is the most-used move in rock guitar.