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Scales

B minor pentatonic scale

The B minor pentatonic scale notes: B – D – E – F♯ – A. Five notes: 1, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭7. The first scale most guitarists learn for rock and blues solos.

Notes and steps

B1D♭3E4F♯5A♭7

Steps: W+H – W – W – W+H – W · W = whole step, H = half step

B minor pentatonic scale on guitar

Standard tuning, frets 0–12. Filled circles are the root.

B minor pentatonic scale on the guitar fretboardEF♯ABDEABDEF♯ADEF♯ABDABDEF♯BDEF♯ABEF♯ABDE357912

B minor pentatonic scale on piano

B minor pentatonic scale on the piano keyboardDEABDEABF♯F♯

Other scales from B

The same scale from other notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B minor pentatonic scale?

B, D, E, F♯, A. Step formula: W+H–W–W–W+H–W (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do I practise it on guitar?

Every circle on the fretboard is a note of the scale up to fret 12; the filled circles mark the root (B). Start in one position (within 4–5 frets), root to root, slowly, with a metronome.

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Photos: Isak Photography, 42 North, Rachel Loughman, Vitaly Gariev, Vitaly Gariev, Isaac Martin / Unsplash