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A major pentatonic scale on bass guitar
A major pentatonic contains A, B, C♯, E, and F♯. Box 1 places the root on string 4, fret 5 and string 1, fret 2.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
How do you play the A major pentatonic scale on bass?
A major pentatonic in box 2 runs from fret 2 to fret 5, 8 notes across 4 strings, from F♯ on the E string at fret 2 up to B on the G string at fret 4. The root falls on the E string at fret 5 and the G string at fret 2.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 2, 5 | F♯, A |
| 3 (A) | 2, 4 | B, C♯ |
| 2 (D) | 2, 4 | E, F♯ |
| 1 (G) | 2, 4 | A, B |
Box 5 · frets 9–12
A major pentatonic in box 5 runs from fret 9 to fret 12, 8 notes across 4 strings, from C♯ on the E string at fret 9 up to F♯ on the G string at fret 11. The root falls on the A string at fret 12.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 9, 12 | C♯, E |
| 3 (A) | 9, 12 | F♯, A |
| 2 (D) | 9, 11 | B, C♯ |
| 1 (G) | 9, 11 | E, F♯ |
Why it sounds like that
A major pentatonic drops the fourth and seventh degrees from A major, leaving 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. The intervals are 0, 2, 4, 7, and 9 semitones, producing steps of W, W, 1½, W, 1½. This five-note structure avoids half-step dissonance.
When to use it
A major pentatonic fits A major and A 5th chords. It works over A major progressions and is common in country, rock, and pop bass lines.
Which position to practise
Practise Box 1 first. It keeps the root under your first finger on string 4, fret 5 and covers frets 2–5.
Common questions
What notes are in A major pentatonic?
A major pentatonic contains A, B, C♯, E, and F♯. These are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th degrees of A major. The scale omits the 4th and 7th degrees.
Which chords does A major pentatonic fit?
A major pentatonic fits A major and A 5th chords. It also works over A major progressions. Use it for bass lines in major keys.
How do I practise A major pentatonic?
Start with Box 1 and play the notes ascending and descending. Use a metronome at 60 bpm and gradually increase speed. Connect to Box 2 by shifting to the next root position.