Scale Library
Tip meOpen App →

E Major pentatonicScale

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

Formula

W W 1½ W 1½ 1 2 3 5 6
The family

E Major pentatonic on the chromatic circle

E 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 EI Major pentatonic 2 F♯II 3 G♯III 5 BIV 6 C♯V Minor pentatonic E Major pentatonic
Minor pentatonicMajor pentatonic
The whole neck

E 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 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 5 6 1 2 3 5 1 2 3 5 6 1 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2
Context

Where E 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

E Major pentatonic scale questions

What notes are in the E Major pentatonic scale?

E F♯ G♯ B C♯. As degrees from the root: 1 2 3 5 6.

What is the E 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 E Major pentatonic scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of E 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 E shape to the D shape to the C shape to the A shape to the G shape.

When is the E Major pentatonic scale used?

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