About the C Major Pentatonic scale
C Major Pentatonic is used for folk, country, pop, gospel and countless melodies and solos. Think of it as the five-note major scale, open and singable with no notes that clash. It is C Dorian Pentatonic with the third raised.
Its notes are C, D, E, G, and A. The formula is W W 1½ W 1½.
Also called Bhoopali and Mohanam.
The mode shares E, A, D, and G with the guitar's open strings. On guitar, the deepest C within reach is the 3rd fret of the A string. C Major Pentatonic sits in true open position, with a complete octave of the scale inside the first three frets.
Positions
Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.
Pentatonic boxes
The five shapes blues and rock are built on, the first scale most guitarists ever solo with, one box per note up the neck.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | CC | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | DD | Major 2nd |
| 3 | EE | Major 3rd |
| 4 | GG | Perfect 5th |
| 5 | AA | Major 6th |
| Steps | W W 1½ W 1½ |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-2-3-2-3 |
| Degrees | 1 2 3 5 6 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Major Pentatonic in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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