A Minor Pentatonic Scale
The A minor pentatonic scale contains A – C – D – E – G. It is A minor without its 2nd (B) and 6th (F), so it is usually written in the key signature of A minor: no sharps or flats. On the piano, A minor pentatonic uses only white keys.
A minor pentatonic scale chart
Pentatonic and blues scales have no standard book fingering, so none is shown here. Pick fingers that keep your thumb off the black keys.
A minor pentatonic vs A minor
| Degree | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
| Pentatonic | A | – | C | D | E | – | G |
B and F are the two notes of A minor that sit a half step from a neighbour. Without them the scale has no half steps at all. Its relative is C major pentatonic, which uses the same five keys starting from C. Add one note and it becomes A blues.
What A minor pentatonic is used for
This is the first scale most rock and blues players learn to solo with. It fits over Am and Am7, over a minor song in the key of A minor, and over a blues in A, where its C rubs against the major 3rd of the A chord on purpose.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from A | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | root | 0 |
| C | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| D | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| E | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| G | b7 | minor 7th | 10 |
Step pattern
The minor pentatonic scale is built from the pattern W+H – W – W – W+H – W (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same scale in a different key.
Key signature
A minor has no sharps or flats. The pentatonic plays A, C, D, E and G, so B and F simply never sound.
Chords using only these notes
Five notes leave room for few chords, so each of these can be played with A minor pentatonic alone.
| Chord | Notes |
|---|---|
| Am | A C E |
| Am7 | A C E G |
| Asus4 | A D E |
| C | C E G |
| Csus2 | C D G |
| Cmaj6 | C E G A |
| Dsus2 | D E A |
| Dsus4 | D G A |
| Gsus2 | G A D |
| Gsus4 | G C D |
More scales on A
Minor Pentatonic scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A minor pentatonic scale?
The A minor pentatonic scale contains A, C, D, E, G, then returns to A an octave higher.
Which notes does A minor pentatonic leave out of A minor?
The 2nd, B, and the 6th, F. What remains is A, C, D, E, G.
What is the relative major pentatonic of A minor pentatonic?
C major pentatonic. It uses the same five keys, with C as its tonic.
What is the step pattern of the minor pentatonic scale?
It follows the pattern W+H – W – W – W+H – W, where W is a whole step (two semitones), H is a half step (one semitone) and W+H is three semitones.