D Natural Minor vs D Minor Pentatonic
D natural minor and minor 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 natural minor is D minor pentatonic with the 2 and b6 added — E and Bb.
D natural minor vs D minor pentatonic: what is different
D minor pentatonic is D natural minor with 2 notes left out. Every note of minor pentatonic is also in natural minor; natural minor adds:
- E, the 2
- Bb, the b6
Shared by both: D F G A C.
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
Free, no account needed. Change the key and both scales follow.
Find out what you should learn next. Five questions and Guitar Theory Studio builds you a four-week plan through the fretboard, chords, scales, arpeggios and ear training — week one free.
Build my free plan →