E minor pentatonic scale
E minor pentatonic scale is E – G – A – B – D, all naturals. Formula 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7. Play it, then slow the tempo until every note is clear.
E minor pentatonic scale, note by note
From E upward the gaps are W+H W W W+H W (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = a step and a half). Not one half step, so no two notes rub against each other. The wide steps are E–G and B–D.
| Degree | Note | Interval from E | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root | |
| ♭3 | G | minor third | |
| 4 | A | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | B | perfect fifth | |
| ♭7 | D | minor seventh |
What E minor pentatonic sounds like
Guitarists learn the minor pentatonic "box" first because it falls under four fingers at one position. E minor pentatonic has the same five notes as G major pentatonic, just starting somewhere else.
The notes E, G, A, B and D are Em7 plus the 4th, so the scale sits over a Em7 chord like a glove.
E minor pentatonic scale is E natural minor scale without F♯ and C. Hear E natural minor scale and compare.
On piano and on guitar
All white keys on the piano.
The guitar box starts with the root open on the low E string and spans frets 0–5: 13 notes, low string to high, two per string.
Chords to play under E minor pentatonic scale
These chords are built only from the scale's notes, so it sits over any of them: Em, Em7, Esus4, G, Gsus2, Asus2, Dsus2, Asus4, Dsus4, G6, Gadd9.
If you know E minor pentatonic scale, you already know the notes of G major pentatonic (starting on the 2nd note, G).
E minor pentatonic scale across the fretboard
Anchor points for E: low E string fret 0 and 12, A string fret 7 (0 = open string). Starting frets for the five shapes: 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12. Each shape shares its top notes with the next one up. The first box sits under one hand with two notes per string, the shape most rock and blues solos start from.
On the piano, E minor pentatonic scale uses no black keys at all.
Try it in thirds to stop it sounding like an exercise: E–A, G–B, A–D, B–E, D–G, then back down.
Three ways to practise E minor pentatonic
Once E minor pentatonic is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 5 notes.
- Groups of three: E G A · G A B · A B D · B D E.
- Lean on A: E A E A E: the 4th and ♭7 give the rock and blues sound.
Scales to compare with E minor pentatonic
Minor pentatonic scale in every key
E minor pentatonic scale: questions
What are the notes of the E minor pentatonic scale?
5 notes: E, G, A, B and D.
How many sharps or flats are in the E minor pentatonic scale?
None. Every note is a natural (white key on the piano).
What's the difference between E minor pentatonic scale and E natural minor scale?
It leaves out F♯ and C.
What chords go with the E minor pentatonic scale?
Any chord built only from its notes, for example Em, Em7, Esus4, G, Gsus2 and Asus2.
Notes and fingering generated from the scale formula and checked automatically against the step pattern. Updated September 2026.