C minor pentatonic scale
Notes in the scaleTap one to hear it and find it on the neck
- 1
- ♭3
- 4
- 5
- ♭7
Every C minor pentatonic note on the neck. Pick a position to learn it one shape at a time.
The C minor pentatonic scale
The minor pentatonic is the most used soloing scale on guitar. Its five notes fit in simple two-notes-per-string boxes, and it works over minor chords and over blues and rock progressions in the same key.
Its relative major is E♭ major pentatonic, which uses the same notes starting from E♭.
- Notes
- C E♭ F G B♭
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7
- Steps
- W+H W W W+H W
- W is two frets, H is one fret
C minor 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.
Position 1
Frets 8 to 11. Starts on C, the root, on the lowest string. Learn this one first.Position 2
Frets 10 to 13. Starts on E♭, the ♭3, on the lowest string.Position 3
Frets 12 to 16. Starts on F, the 4, on the lowest string.Position 4
Frets 3 to 6. Starts on G, the 5, on the lowest string.Position 5
Frets 5 to 8. Starts on B♭, the ♭7, on the lowest string.
Chords in C minor
The C minor pentatonic scale works over the chords of C minor.