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E major pentatonic scale

The E major pentatonic scale is made of the notes E, F♯, G♯, B, C♯. It has 5 notes; compared with the major scale its formula is 1 2 3 5 6.

Pentatonic · 5 notes

Note names
  1. 1E
  2. 2F♯
  3. 3G♯
  4. 5B
  5. 6C♯

PatternW – W – W+H – W – W+H(W = whole step, H = half step)

Five notes with no half steps: easy to use and found in every genre. Degrees are shown relative to the major scale: ♭3 is the third lowered by a half step, ♯4 the fourth raised.

Open in the scale finder

Mode and chords

The major scale without the 4th and 7th: five notes and no half steps. It sounds open and free of tension, which is why it is found in folk, country, pop and many traditional musics.

Used overE6E

Put it into practice

The scale played in thirds over one octave: one of the exercises MEG generates from this scale.

This scale is not part of the demo: in the MEG app you will find it in every key, with 24 patterns.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the E major pentatonic scale?
The notes are E, F♯, G♯, B, C♯.
What is the pattern of the E major pentatonic scale?
The sequence of steps is W – W – W+H – W – W+H (W = whole step, H = half step); compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 3 5 6.
Which chords is the E major pentatonic scale used over?
It is used over E6, E: the chords on the tonic made of the notes of the scale.

Texts and tools by , professional musician and developer. Last updated: October 9, 2026.