The formation of each minor and major pentatonic scale position is pretty much the exact same except for the starting point or root notes. A Minor Pentatonic Scale: Bb Minor Pentatonic Scale: B Minor Pentatonic Scale: C Minor Pentatonic Scale: C# Minor Pentatonic Scale: D Minor Pentatonic Scale: Eb Minor Pentatonic Scale: E Minor Pentatonic Scale: F Minor Pentatonic Scale: F# Minor Pentatonic Scale: G Minor Pentatonic Scale: G# Minor Pentatonic Scale: Tips and tricks The black dots in each diagram below indicate the scale root notes. It’s comprised of the 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 notes of the natural minor scale. There are no fret numbers because this diagram can be seated at any fretboard position.The minor pentatonic scale is made up of five notes per octave as opposed to a seven note (heptatonic) scale like the major and minor scales. The gray are other additional diatonic notes.

(The “blue” notes, which are not part of those scales but often used in blues and rock music, are shown in blue.) The red notes are major roots. The diagram below shows the spacing between the notes of the major and natural minor scales. You could then play that scale with any tonic note by shifting it up and down the fretboard. It would be beneficial if you learned the shape of the scales on the guitar. B♭ is by far more common because it’s more practical in standard notation. Note that there are other minor scales besides natural minor.Ī♯ and B♭ are enharmonic notes, keys, and chords, so you would play them the exact same way. If you want to end with B♭, don’t play the last two notes.

Assuming you want the natural minor scale, this is one example of how to play it, shown in standard tablature: -6-8-9. There are many ways to play the B♭ minor scale on the guitar.

B flat minor pentatonic scale guitar