C major pentatonic scale
C major pentatonic scale is C – D – E – G – A, all naturals. Formula 1 2 3 5 6. Hit play and watch it light up on both instruments.
C major pentatonic scale, note by note
The step pattern is W W W+H W W+H (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = a step and a half). With no half steps, any two notes of it sound fine together. The wide steps are E–G and A–C.
| Degree | Note | Interval from C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | root | |
| 2 | D | major second | |
| 3 | E | major third | |
| 5 | G | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | A | major sixth |
What C major pentatonic sounds like
C major pentatonic drops the two notes of C major that create half steps, the 4th and the 7th. What's left can't clash with itself, which is why it's the first scale many guitarists improvise with over a C chord.
Its relative minor pentatonic starts on A: same five notes, different home.
C major pentatonic scale is C major scale without F and B. Hear C major scale and compare.
Playing C major pentatonic
On the piano it uses only white keys.
The guitar box starts with the root at the 8th fret of the low E string and spans frets 6–12: 12 notes, low string to high, two per string.
Chords to play under C major pentatonic scale
These chords are built only from the scale's notes, so it sits over any of them: C, Csus2, C6, Cadd9, Am, Am7, Dsus2, Gsus2, Dsus4, Gsus4, Asus4.
C major pentatonic scale shares all its notes with A minor pentatonic (starting on the 5th note, A). Which one you hear depends on which note the music treats as home.
Finding C major pentatonic on the neck
The root, C, sits at fret 8 on the low E string and 3 and 15 on the A string. Box positions begin at frets 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 on the 6th string. Learn the first, then connect it to its neighbor. With no half steps there are no clashing notes to avoid, which is why it is the first scale many guitarists improvise with.
On the piano, C major pentatonic scale uses no black keys at all.
Thirds make the scale sound musical instead of step-by-step: C–E, D–G, E–A, G–C, A–D.
Three ways to practise C major pentatonic
Once C major pentatonic is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 5 notes.
- Groups of three: C D E · D E G · E G A · G A C.
- Land on A: C A C A C: the 6th keeps it sweet, with no half steps anywhere.
Close relatives of C major pentatonic scale
Major pentatonic scale in every key
C major pentatonic scale: questions
What are the notes of the C major pentatonic scale?
C, D, E, G, A, C. As degrees: 1 2 3 5 6.
How many sharps or flats are in the C major pentatonic scale?
None at all.
What's the difference between C major pentatonic scale and C major scale?
It leaves out F and B.
What chords go with the C major pentatonic scale?
Any chord built only from its notes, for example C, Csus2, C6, Cadd9, Am and Am7.
Generated from the step pattern 2-2-3-2-3 and checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.