Pentatonic
Minor Pentatonic Scale
The 5-note minor scale — the foundation of blues, rock, and virtually all guitar soloing. Extremely common and instantly recognisable.
Hear the Minor Pentatonic Scale
How to Identify It
The sound of rock guitar solos. Every blues lick, every classic rock riff lives here. It's the most-played scale in popular music by a massive margin.
Famous Examples
- Virtually all blues and rock guitar solos
- Smoke on the Water — Deep Purple
- Back in Black — AC/DC
- Johnny B. Goode — Chuck Berry
Minor Pentatonic in All 12 Keys
Often Confused With
About the Minor Pentatonic Scale
The minor pentatonic scale is a pentatonic scale built from the interval pattern 3, 2, 2, 3, 2 (in whole and half steps). The 5-note minor scale — the foundation of blues, rock, and virtually all guitar soloing. Extremely common and instantly recognisable.
To recognise the minor pentatonic scale reliably by ear, focus on its characteristic mood — bluesy, rock, soulful, expressive. Use the player above to hear it in all 12 keys, and the recognition trainer to test yourself against a mixed set of scales.