B major pentatonic scale
B major pentatonic scale is B – C♯ – D♯ – F♯ – G♯, with C♯, D♯, F♯ and G♯. Formula 1 2 3 5 6. Press play and follow the keys.
The notes, one step at a time
Counted in steps it goes W W W+H W W+H (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = a step and a half). With no half steps, any two notes of it sound fine together. The wide steps are D♯–F♯ and G♯–B.
| Degree | Note | Interval from B | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | root | |
| 2 | C♯ | major second | |
| 3 | D♯ | major third | |
| 5 | F♯ | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | G♯ | major sixth |
The sound of B major pentatonic scale
Country licks, folk melodies and a lot of bright rock solos come from this shape. Over a B major chord every note of B major pentatonic is safe to land on.
Drop E and A♯ from B major and this is what's left. The five notes spell B6 and Badd9 at the same time, which is why it sounds so open.
B major pentatonic scale is B major scale without E and A♯. Hear B major scale and compare.
Where your hands go
C♯, D♯, F♯ and G♯ are on black keys; the rest are white.
12 notes fit in the box between frets 5 and 11, with B at the 7th fret of the low E string.
What to play it over
These chords are built only from the scale's notes, so it sits over any of them: B, Bsus2, B6, Badd9, G♯m, G♯m7, C♯sus2, F♯sus2, C♯sus4, F♯sus4, A♭sus4.
Same notes, different home: G♯ minor pentatonic (starting on the 5th note, G♯). Play any of them over a drone on its first note and the mood changes, even though the keys you press don't.
B major pentatonic scale across the fretboard
The root, B, sits at fret 7 on the low E string and 2 and 14 on the A string. The five pentatonic boxes start on the low E string at frets 2, 4, 7, 9 and 11; each box overlaps the next, and together they cover the whole neck. With no half steps there are no clashing notes to avoid, which is why it is the first scale many guitarists improvise with.
On the piano, B major pentatonic scale uses 4 black keys (C♯, D♯, F♯ and G♯) and 1 white.
Try it in thirds to stop it sounding like an exercise: B–D♯, C♯–F♯, D♯–G♯, F♯–B, G♯–C♯, then back down.
Drills for B major pentatonic
Try these after the plain scale. Tap to hear each pattern at a steady speed, then play along.
- Up in threes: B C♯ D♯ · C♯ D♯ F♯ · D♯ F♯ G♯ · F♯ G♯ B.
- Lean on G♯: B G♯ B G♯ B: the 6th keeps it sweet, with no half steps anywhere.
Scales to compare with B major pentatonic
Major pentatonic scale in every key
B major pentatonic scale: questions
What are the notes of the B major pentatonic scale?
B, C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯, B. As degrees: 1 2 3 5 6.
How many sharps or flats are in the B major pentatonic scale?
Four: C♯, D♯, F♯ and G♯.
What's the difference between B major pentatonic scale and B major scale?
It leaves out E and A♯.
What chords go with the B major pentatonic scale?
Any chord built only from its notes, for example B, Bsus2, B6, Badd9, G♯m and G♯m7.
Notes and fingering generated from the scale formula and checked automatically against the step pattern. Updated September 2026.