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C Major pentatonicScale

Open C Major pentatonic in the scale libraryDownload the C Major pentatonic chart (PDF)

Formula

W W 1½ W 1½ 1 2 3 5 6
The family

C Major pentatonic on the chromatic circle

C Major pentatonic is one of the pentatonic & blues scales. Pick another note on the circle to open the scale that starts there.

W W 1½ W 1½ 1 CI Major pentatonic 2 DII 3 EIII 5 GIV 6 AV Minor pentatonic C Major pentatonic
Minor pentatonicMajor pentatonic
The whole neck

C Major pentatonic across the fretboard

Every note of the scale up to the 16th fret, named by its degree. The root is a ring. Step through the five CAGED positions one at a time in the scale library.

3 5 7 9 12 15 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5
Context

Where C Major pentatonic fits

Country, pop and soul lines over major chords. In a blues it is the sweeter sound over the I chord.

Major pentatonic scale in every key

C Major pentatonic scale questions

What notes are in the C Major pentatonic scale?

C D E G A. As degrees from the root: 1 2 3 5 6.

What is the C Major pentatonic scale formula?

1 2 3 5 6, or in steps between the notes, W W 1½ W 1½ (W is a whole step of two frets, H a half step of one fret, 1½ three frets).

How do you play the C Major pentatonic scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of C Major pentatonic up to the 16th fret, each named by its degree with the root as a ring. To learn it a few frets at a time, open it in the scale library and step through its five CAGED positions, from the C shape to the A shape to the G shape to the E shape to the D shape.

When is the C Major pentatonic scale used?

Country, pop and soul lines over major chords. In a blues it is the sweeter sound over the I chord.