Skip to content

Minor pentatonic scale

The natural minor scale without its second and sixth: five notes with no half steps between them. It is the first scale most guitarists solo with, and the backbone of rock, blues and hip hop melodies.

Its formula is 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7: five notes, bluesy and open.

Make a beat in A minor

Opens the free editor with a trap beat in A minor to play A minor pentatonic over. No account needed to start.

Hear the minor pentatonic scale

Here on A, A minor pentatonic. From the root up to the root: step and a half, whole, whole, step and a half, whole. Tap a key to hear it.

A C D E G A

ACDEGA
The minor pentatonic scale by scale degree, on A
DegreeOn AFrom the root
1ARoot
♭3CMinor third
4DPerfect fourth
5EPerfect fifth
♭7GMinor seventh

The minor pentatonic scale in every key

The same steps from each of the twelve notes. Open one for its keyboard, its chords and a beat to play it over.

The minor pentatonic scale on all twelve notes
ScaleNotes
C minor pentatonicC E♭ F G B♭
C♯ minor pentatonicC♯ E F♯ G♯ B
D minor pentatonicD F G A C
D♯ minor pentatonicD♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ C♯
E minor pentatonicE G A B D
F minor pentatonicF A♭ B♭ C E♭
F♯ minor pentatonicF♯ A B C♯ E
G minor pentatonicG B♭ C D F
G♯ minor pentatonicG♯ B C♯ D♯ F♯
A minor pentatonicA C D E G
B♭ minor pentatonicB♭ D♭ E♭ F A♭
B minor pentatonicB D E F♯ A

Questions about the minor pentatonic scale

What is the minor pentatonic scale?

The natural minor scale without its second and sixth: five notes with no half steps between them. It is the first scale most guitarists solo with, and the backbone of rock, blues and hip hop melodies.

What is the formula of the minor pentatonic scale?

1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7: 5 notes, counted from the major scale on the same root. Its steps from the root up to the root are: step and a half, whole, whole, step and a half, whole.

How do I play the minor pentatonic scale in any key?

Start on any note and follow the steps above. A minor pentatonic: A C D E G; C minor pentatonic: C E♭ F G B♭; E minor pentatonic: E G A B D. Every key is on this page, each with its own page and keyboard.

More scales and modes

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 on the minor pentatonic scale

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

Make a beat in A minorAll music scales

Keep going