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F♯ major pentatonic scale on bass guitar
F♯ major pentatonic contains F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯, and D♯. Box 1 places the root on string 4, fret 2 and string 2, fret 4.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
How do you play the F♯ major pentatonic scale on bass?
F♯ major pentatonic in box 3 runs from fret 6 to fret 9, 8 notes across 4 strings, from A♯ on the E string at fret 6 up to D♯ on the G string at fret 8. The root falls on the A string at fret 9.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6, 9 | A♯, C♯ |
| 3 (A) | 6, 9 | D♯, F♯ |
| 2 (D) | 6, 8 | G♯, A♯ |
| 1 (G) | 6, 8 | C♯, D♯ |
Box 5 · frets 11–14
F♯ major pentatonic in box 5 runs from fret 11 to fret 14, 8 notes across 4 strings, from D♯ on the E string at fret 11 up to G♯ on the G string at fret 13. The root falls on the E string at fret 14 and the G string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 11, 14 | D♯, F♯ |
| 3 (A) | 11, 13 | G♯, A♯ |
| 2 (D) | 11, 13 | C♯, D♯ |
| 1 (G) | 11, 13 | F♯, G♯ |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ major pentatonic drops the fourth and seventh degrees from F♯ 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
F♯ major pentatonic fits F♯ major and F♯ 5th chords. It works over F♯ major progressions and is common in metal and progressive bass lines.
Which position to practise
Practise Box 1 first. It keeps the root under your first finger on string 4, fret 2 and covers frets 6–9.
Common questions
What notes are in F♯ major pentatonic?
F♯ major pentatonic contains F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯, and D♯. These are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th degrees of F♯ major. The scale omits the 4th and 7th degrees. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Which chords does F♯ major pentatonic fit?
F♯ major pentatonic fits F♯ major and F♯ 5th chords. It also works over F♯ major progressions. Use it for bass lines in major keys.
How do I practise F♯ 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.