About the E Minor Pentatonic Scale
The E minor pentatonic scale is a 5-note scale. The most popular scale for rock and blues soloing. Its notes are E, G, A, B and D, built from the formula 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7.
- Notes
- E – G – A – B – D
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7
- Steps
- W+H W W W+H W (3–2–2–3–2 semitones)
- Root
- E
E Minor Pentatonic Scale degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | Root |
| ♭3 | G | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | A | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | B | Perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | D | Minor 7th |
Where to play the E Minor Pentatonic Scale on ukulele
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (G C E A), lowest string first. Root notes (E) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| G4 | 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12 |
| C4 | 2, 4, 7, 9, 11 |
| E4 | 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 |
| A4 | 0, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12 |
How to practice the minor pentatonic scale
- Play ascending and descending across all strings
- Practice bending the ♭3 up to the major 3rd
- Try the "box pattern" starting from the root
- Jam over a 12-bar blues backing track
- Connect to neighboring pentatonic positions
Scales with the same notes as E Minor Pentatonic Scale
These scales share every note with the E minor pentatonic scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Minor Pentatonic scale in other keys
Other scales in E
- E Major Pentatonic
- E Mixolydian Pentatonic
- E Natural Minor
- E Major (Ionian)
- E Blues
- E Dorian
- E Mixolydian
- E Phrygian
- E Harmonic Minor
- E Lydian
- E Locrian
- E Diminished (Half-Whole)
- E Diminished (Whole-Half)
- E Whole Tone
- E Augmented (Hexatonic)
- E Altered (Super Locrian)
- E Phrygian Dominant
- E Lydian Dominant
- E Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- E Bebop Dominant
- E Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- E Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)