D Major vs D Major Pentatonic
D major and major pentatonic drawn on one neck. They differ by 2 notes.
Tap any note on the neck.
Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.
D major is D major pentatonic with the 4 and 7 added — G and C#.
D major vs D major pentatonic: what is different
D major pentatonic is D major with 2 notes left out. Every note of major pentatonic is also in major; major adds:
- G, the 4
- C#, the 7
Shared by both: D E F# A B.
When to use which
The bigger scale has more colour and more ways to go wrong; the smaller one is safer and plainer. Start solos in the smaller scale and add the extra notes as a passing tone, on the way to a note that belongs to the chord. Live on the extra note and it stops sounding like colour and starts sounding like a mistake.
Hear the difference
- Both scales on one neck, the differing notes highlighted
- D major on its own, with positions and chords
- D major pentatonic on its own
- Loop D major position 1, then the same position in major pentatonic — listen for where the shapes part ways.
Free, no account needed. Change the key and both scales follow.
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