Major Pentatonic Scale Patterns →

The Major Pentatonic is heavily used in Blues, Rock, and Country Music. The Major Pentatonic will be very familiar to those that already know the Minor Pentatonic Scale as the notes and shapes are the same, but the Roots are different. This difference accounts for the change in sound.

In this Example, we’re using the G Major Pentatonic Scale so it’s easily compared to the G Minor Scale in my last post. As with the Minor Scale, learn Pattern 1 first, get used to the sound and then branch out to the other patterns.

For those interested in Scale Construction the Major & Minor created as follows;

The Major Pentatonic Scale is comprised of the 1-2-3-5-6- of the Major Scale.

The Minor Pentatonic Scale is made of the 1-b3-4-5-b7- of the Major Scale. Note the flat 3rd in the minor scale verses the natural, or major 3rd in the Major Scale. In Addition, the Minor includes the flat 7th seen in Dominant 7th chords.