A Major Pentatonic Scale
The A major pentatonic scale — A B C# E F# — with its intervals, the chords it makes and every position on the guitar neck.
Tap any note on the neck.
Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.
A major pentatonic is A major without the 4 or 7 — no D, no G#.
A major pentatonic scale notes and intervals
A major pentatonic has 5 notes. Each is named by its distance from the root, which is the same in every key — learn the numbers once and every major pentatonic scale reads the same.
Step pattern from the root: W – W – W+H – W – W+H (W is a whole step, two frets; H is a half step, one fret; W+H is three frets).
Scales it shares notes with:
- F# minor pentatonic — relative minor pentatonic — the same five notes
- A major — the full major scale it comes from
A major pentatonic scale positions on guitar — all 5
A major pentatonic is played in five box shapes that tile the neck between frets 2 and 14. Each box shares frets with the next, so you change shape without stopping. Position 5 sits lowest.
Position 1 — frets 4–7
Starts on the 1 (A) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 1 on its own page
Position 2 — frets 6–10
Starts on the 2 (B) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 2 on its own page
Position 3 — frets 9–12
Starts on the 3 (C#) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 3 on its own page
Position 4 — frets 11–14
Starts on the 5 (E) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 4 on its own page
Position 5 — frets 2–5
Starts on the 6 (F#) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 5 on its own page
Each box on its own page, with how it joins its neighbours →
Chords to play A major pentatonic over
A major pentatonic is the major scale with the 4 and the 7 left out — the notes most likely to clash — so it works across the chords of A major. It is not an equally good fit on every one of them: over each chord, aim for that chord’s own notes and let the rest pass.
How to practice the A major pentatonic scale
- Start with position 5 at frets 2–5, slowly, until every note lands on the click. The loop keeps the shape and the tempo for you.
- Add five beats a minute each time it feels easy. When straight runs get dull, play the same position in thirds — the pattern that turns a scale into lines.
- See every A major pentatonic note across the whole neck on the Fretboard, and find each box again an octave up.
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