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G major pentatonic scale

The G major pentatonic scale is G A B D E: five notes, bright and open. Its formula is 1 2 3 5 6.

Make a beat in G major

Opens the free editor with a pop beat in G major to play G major pentatonic over. No account needed to start.

The notes of G major pentatonic

From G up to G: whole, whole, step and a half, whole, step and a half. Tap a key to hear it.

G A B D E G

GABDEG
The notes of G major pentatonic scale by scale degree
DegreeNoteFrom the root
1GRoot
2AMajor second
3BMajor third
5DPerfect fifth
6EMajor sixth

How G major pentatonic is built

Take the G major scale and leave out C and F♯: what is left has no half steps, so no two notes clash. The same five keys, started from E, are E minor pentatonic.

The major scale without its fourth and seventh: five notes with no half steps between them, so no two clash. It is the sound of folk, country and pop melodies, and of guitar solos in major keys. The major pentatonic scale in every key.

Chords to play G major pentatonic over

It is built from the G major scale, so it fits over the chords of G major:

G Am Bm C D Em F♯dim

Every chord of G major, with its key signature and progressions.

Play G major pentatonic over a beat

A beat on the chords of G major. Play the scale over it on the keyboard above, then open it in the editor and add your melody as its own part.

Hear it as

Questions about G major pentatonic

What notes are in the G major pentatonic scale?

G, A, B, D and E. Its formula is 1 2 3 5 6, counted from the major scale on G, and its steps from G up to G are: whole, whole, step and a half, whole, step and a half.

What is the difference between G major pentatonic and G major?

G major has seven notes, G A B C D E F♯. The pentatonic leaves out C and F♯, the two notes a half step from their neighbours, so what is left never clashes with the chords under it.

Is G major pentatonic the same as E minor pentatonic?

They use the same keys on the piano: E G A B D is G A B D E from another note. What changes is home. Over G major chords the notes sound bright and major.

Major pentatonic scale in every key

C major pentatonicD♭ major pentatonicD major pentatonicE♭ major pentatonicE major pentatonicF major pentatonicF♯ major pentatonicG major pentatonicA♭ major pentatonicA major pentatonicB♭ major pentatonicB major pentatonic

More scales on G

G major (major scale)G minor (natural minor scale)G major pentatonicG minor pentatonicG bluesG harmonic minorG melodic minorG dorianG phrygianG lydianG mixolydianG locrianG phrygian dominant
Scales and modes
Major and minor keysMajor pentatonic scaleMinor pentatonic scaleBlues scaleHarmonic minor scaleMelodic minor scaleDorian modePhrygian modeLydian modeMixolydian modeLocrian modePhrygian dominant scaleWhole tone scale

Build a song in G major pentatonic

Start with the beat, then add chords, a melody and your voice in the editor, part by part.

Make a beat in G majorAll music scales

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