Minor Pentatonic

Five notes, no semitones — the essential minor melodic scale

The minor pentatonic is a five-note scale formed by adding the 4 and ♭7 to the minor triad. It is a mode of the major pentatonic and shares its properties, but its sweet sound makes it the most common scale for melodic soloing.

It contains the minor triad and is contained by aeolian, dorian, and phrygian — the three minor major modes, which therefore differ only in their 2nd and 6th degrees.

3579121517192145♭7C♭345♭7C♭7C♭345♭7C♭34♭345♭7C♭345♭75♭7C♭345♭7C♭3C♭345♭7C♭34545♭7C♭345♭7C
The instrumentTap a note to hear it.
C minor pentatonic
CCD♭D♭3E♭E♭ major pentatonicE4FF suspendedF♯5GG blues minorA♭A♭7B♭B♭ blues majorB
C0E♭3F5G7B♭10
Circle of fifthsInside, the twelve notes by semitone — the wheel every set on this site is drawn on. Outside, the same twelve by fifths. 5 fifths from E♭ — E♭ B♭ F C G. From C, the minor pentatonic: C E♭ F G B♭.

On your instrument, in your key

OnguitarbassukulelemandolinpianoInCD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B

Related

ContainsMinor TriadContained byMinor Major ModesMajor ModesPentatonicsParallel toMajor PentatonicReferenced byNestingMinor 7thAeolian (Natural Minor)DorianMinor 7thPhrygian

Practiced in

Minor Pentatonic AnchoredPentatonic AnchoredPentatonic Full RangeExplore PentatonicsMinor Pentatonic Melodies (Range Shifting)Minor Pentatonic Melodies (Root Shuffling)Minor Pentatonic Melodies (Untimed)Sing Minor Pentatonic MelodiesSing Minor Pentatonic Intervals (Untimed)