The major pentatonic scale on guitar
Major with the 4th and 7th taken out. With no half steps left, it's hard to hit a sour note, which is why country, pop and rock solos lean on it.
A Major Pentatonic
A1B2C#3E5F#6
Formula: 1 2 3 5 6 · Steps: W · W · W+H · W · W+H (W = whole step, H = half step) · 5 notes
Where it sits on the neck
Every A Major Pentatonic note from the open strings to the 12th fret, standard tuning. Gold dots are the root. Above the 12th fret the pattern repeats.
On a phone, swipe the diagram sideways to see the whole neck.
Songs that use it
- My Girl (The Temptations). That famous opening riff is major pentatonic.
In Fretdle
It's the daily board's scale on Tuesdays. The scale's notes are hidden on the board: you only see the roots, so knowing this pattern is the whole game.