GuitarManac

B♭ major pentatonic scale

Notes in the scaleTap one to hear it and find it on the neck

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 5
  5. 6
Key
CD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B
Scale

Every B♭ major pentatonic note on the neck. Pick a position to learn it one shape at a time.

3579121517FGB♭CDFGCDFGB♭CDGB♭CDFGB♭CDFGB♭CDFGB♭CDFGB♭CDFGB♭CDFG
B♭ major pentatonic scale guide

The B♭ major pentatonic scale

The major pentatonic drops the 4th and 7th from the major scale, which removes both half steps. With no notes that clash, it is hard to hit a wrong note, so it is a common first scale for soloing in country, pop and rock.

Its relative minor is G minor pentatonic, which uses the same notes starting from G.

Notes
B♭ C D F G
Formula
1 2 3 5 6
Steps
W W W+H W W+H
W is two frets, H is one fret

B♭ major pentatonic scale positions

Five boxes cover the whole neck. Each one fits under your hand without shifting. They overlap: the top of one box is the bottom of the next.

  1. 3579121517GB♭DFB♭CFGCDGB♭

    Position 1

    Frets 3 to 6. Starts on G, the 6, on the lowest string. Same shape as G minor pentatonic box 1. Learn this one first.
  2. 3579121517B♭CFGCDGB♭DFB♭C

    Position 2

    Frets 5 to 8. Starts on B♭, the root, on the lowest string. Same shape as G minor pentatonic box 2.
  3. 3579121517CDGB♭DFB♭CFGCD

    Position 3

    Frets 7 to 11. Starts on C, the 2, on the lowest string. Same shape as G minor pentatonic box 3.
  4. 3579121517DFB♭CFGCDGB♭DF

    Position 4

    Frets 10 to 13. Starts on D, the 3, on the lowest string. Same shape as G minor pentatonic box 4.
  5. 3579121517FGCDGB♭DFB♭CFG

    Position 5

    Frets 12 to 15. Starts on F, the 5, on the lowest string. Same shape as G minor pentatonic box 5.

Chords in B♭ major

The B♭ major pentatonic scale works over the chords of B♭ major.