A pentatonic scale is a scale with five notes ("penta" means five). It is based on the major scale, but we leave out the 4th and 7th notes. That means the pentatonic scale keeps:
1st (the root)
2nd
3rd
5th
6th
So instead of a 7-note major scale, we get a 5-note scale that sounds smooth, open, and very common in music all over the world.
Start with the C Major Scale:
C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C
Take out the 4th note (F) and the 7th note (B):
C – D – E – G – A
This is the C Major Pentatonic Scale.
We can build pentatonic scales starting on every note. Each time, we just take the major scale and remove the 4th and 7th notes.
C – D – E – G – A
C♯ – D♯ – F – G♯ – A♯
D – E – F♯ – A – B
E♭ – F – G – B♭ – C
E – F♯ – G♯ – B – C♯
F – G – A – C – D
F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – C♯ – D♯
G – A – B – D – E
A♭ – B♭ – C – E♭ – F
A – B – C♯ – E – F♯
B♭ – C – D – F – G
B – C♯ – D♯ – F♯ – G♯
Easier to play: Only 5 notes!
Sounds great: No clashing notes (the 4th and 7th sometimes sound tense, so we skip them).
Used everywhere: Pop, jazz, blues, rock, folk, and even world music.
Think of the pentatonic scale as the major scale with two notes missing (the 4th and 7th). That’s it! This makes it easier to play solos, improvise, and create music that always sounds good.
C: C – D – E – G – A
C♯/D♭: C♯ – D♯ – F – G♯ – A♯
D: D – E – F♯ – A – B
E♭: E♭ – F – G – B♭ – C
E: E – F♯ – G♯ – B – C♯
F: F – G – A – C – D
F♯/G♭: F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – C♯ – D♯
G: G – A – B – D – E
A♭: A♭ – B♭ – C – E♭ – F
A: A – B – C♯ – E – F♯
B♭: B♭ – C – D – F – G
B: B – C♯ – D♯ – F♯ – G♯
updated Aug 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49vjcguE35s
Band Directors can purchase at https://www.jwpepper.com/jazzy-joe-11538745-972197/p#viewer-tab