explained for players

Let’s dive deeper into Intervals and figure out what the scales are. Scales are a selection of notes, out of the chromatic scale (12 notes). They are constructed using steps.

The Major Pentatonic scale is a five-note scale that is widely used in various genres, including country, folk, and pop. It has a bright, happy, and uplifting sound that is both simple and pleasing to the ear. This scale is often the first one musicians learn due to its straightforward structure and versatility.

Musicians use the Major Pentatonic scale to create melodies and solos that are both catchy and memorable. It's particularly effective in conveying a sense of joy and optimism, making it a popular choice for upbeat and celebratory pieces. This scale is a favorite among guitarists and other instrumentalists looking to add a bright and cheerful touch to their playing.

Harmonically, the Major Pentatonic scale allows for the creation of chords and progressions that have a distinctive and pleasing sound. These progressions are often used in country and folk music to create a sense of movement and harmony. Whether you're playing a simple folk song or a catchy pop tune, the Major Pentatonic scale is an essential tool for any musician.

The relative steps of the major pentatonic scale are: w-w-wh-w-wh (w=whole step, h=half step, w=whole and half step).
Let’s explore how that exactly works:

major pentatonic scale in chromatic intervals

To explain the the major pentatonic scale best, take a look at the piano. Especially to the highlighted notes. Those are the notes in the major pentatonic scale.

123456789101112

Notice the numbers of the highlighted notes.
Schematically they look like this:

1X3X5XX8X10XX
Chromatic intervals for highlighted notes
CC♯DD♯EFF♯GG♯AA♯B
Note names in chromatic scale (in key of C)

major pentatonic scale in diatonic intervals

If we would re-number the highlighted notes (instead of using the absolute numbers of the chromatic scale) we create a new interval (scale) that looks like this.

12356

Notice again the numbers of the highlighted notes.
Schematically they look like this:

1X2X3XX5X6XX
Diatonic intervals in the major pentatonic scale
CC♯DD♯EFF♯GG♯AA♯B
Notes names for the major pentatonic scale (in key of C)

What does diatonic mean?

The term "diatonic" refers to a scale that uses a mix of whole steps and half steps. When we say "diatonic," we mean notes that belong to the scale. For example, if you're playing in the key of Bâ™­ major and using Bâ™­ major notes, those notes are diatonic.

In the piano example above, you saw that only the notes from the scale are used. This means they only include notes "of the scale." Knowing about diatonic notes is important for understanding music theory and making melodies that sound good.

Using diatonic notes helps musicians keep their music in key, making it sound smooth and pleasant. Understanding diatonic notes will improve your musical skills and creativity.

Musical Step names

The steps (also known as conjunct motion) of a diatonic scale are known by these names:
  • 1st – Tonic (key note)
  • 2nd – Supertonic
  • 3rd – Mediant
  • 4th – Subdominant
  • 5th – Dominant
  • 6th – Submediant
  • 7th – Leading tone
  • 8th – Tonic (Octave)

Scale degree

The scale degree tells how the scale is transformed.

The scale degree of major pentatonic scale is 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.
There are no flats or sharps in this scale. If you scroll back to the piano above, you’ll notice the white keys correspond to this.

The on the in key of

Back to the banjo! You might wonder how this all translates back to your instrument and that might be a bit confusing at first, but please stay tuned. As you just seen, the chromatic intervals for major pentatonic scale are {1, 3, 5, 8 and 10}. To most people, this is not very useful information. The diatonic steps 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 are more important to know. Try to learn see the difference between those and learn that by heart. From there it is way more interesting and practical to look at diatonic scale intervals.

Switch between chromatic/diatonic/notes below to see/learn the relations between them. For convenience, the root note (Bâ™­) is highlighted.

012345678910111213141516171819
Exercise Try to play all the highlighted root notes (1) on your instrument! Tap on the fretboard to see if it matches.
Display total frets:

The following table contains overview of the most used scales and its intervals.
Scale nameIntervalDegreeSteps
Major scale1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 121, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7w-w-h-w-w-w-h
Minor scale1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 111, 2, â™­3, 4, 5, â™­6, â™­7w-h-w-w-h-w-w
Melodic minor scale1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 121, 2, â™­3, 4, 5, 6, 7w-h-w-w-w-w-h
Harmonic minor scale1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 121, 2, â™­3, 4, 5, â™­6, 7w-h-w-w-h-wh-h
Minor blues scale1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 111, â™­3, 4, â™­5, 5, â™­7wh-w-h-h-wh-w
Major blues scale1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 111, 2, â™­3, 3, 5, 6wh-w-h-h-wh-w
Minor pentatonic scale1, 4, 6, 8, 111, â™­3, 4, 5, â™­7wh-w-w-wh-w
Major pentatonic scale1, 3, 5, 8, 101, 2, 3, 5, 6w-w-wh-w-wh
Overview of more scales
Musical Scale Degree
♭=half step down, ♯=half step up, ♯♯=whole step up
Musical Steps
w=whole step, h=half step, wh=whole and half step

As you might notice, the scales have 7 notes, except for the blues and pentatonic scales.