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Major pentatonic scale
How to play the major pentatonic scale
C major pentatonic is C D E G A C. The formula, 1 2 3 5 6, works from any starting note.
With no half steps between neighbouring notes, any of them sound fine together, which is why this scale is the usual first step into improvising.
There is no single standard fingering for this scale. Keep the thumb on the white keys, and let fingers 2 and 3 take the black keys.
Major pentatonic scale in all 12 keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C major pentatonic | C D E G A C |
| D♭ major pentatonic | D♭ E♭ F A♭ B♭ D♭ |
| D major pentatonic | D E F♯ A B D |
| E♭ major pentatonic | E♭ F G B♭ C E♭ |
| E major pentatonic | E F♯ G♯ B C♯ E |
| F major pentatonic | F G A C D F |
| F♯ major pentatonic | F♯ G♯ A♯ C♯ D♯ F♯ |
| G major pentatonic | G A B D E G |
| A♭ major pentatonic | A♭ B♭ C E♭ F A♭ |
| A major pentatonic | A B C♯ E F♯ A |
| B♭ major pentatonic | B♭ C D F G B♭ |
| B major pentatonic | B C♯ D♯ F♯ G♯ B |