C Major Pentatonic Scale (C D E G A)
C major pentatonic is C D E G A. The riff in My Girl walks straight up it. The same five notes answer to A minor pentatonic, and the low root sits at the eighth fret.
Fretboard diagram
Every C major pentatonic note from the open strings to fret 22. At fret 12 the map starts over an octave up.
Notes in this scale
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | C |
| 2 | major second | D |
| 3 | major third | E |
| 5 | perfect fifth | G |
| 6 | major sixth | A |
Where to land
A lead that never touches its root is an exercise. In the first twelve frets C sits on the low E string at fret 8, the A string at fret 3, the D string at fret 10, the G string at fret 5, the B string at fret 1, and the high E string at fret 8. End phrases on one of them until it's automatic, then start aiming for whichever chord tone the band is sitting on instead.
Over a C major chord, C, E, and G are chord tones and land clean anywhere in the bar. The A sits close enough to the fifth to resolve down into it, which is the classic country move.
Keep exploring
Same root
Same notes
A minor pentatonic is these five notes with A as home. Same frets, different landing spots.
Chords it fits over
C, Cmaj7, and C7 when the song is country or major-key blues.
Nearby keys
C major pentatonic FAQ
What notes are in the C major pentatonic scale?
C major pentatonic contains C, D, E, G, and A. That's the root, the major second, the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major sixth.
What fret does C major pentatonic start on?
The lowest root is C at fret 8 on the low E string, and most players anchor there. The scale itself covers the whole neck, and everything repeats twelve frets higher.
What is the difference between C major and C minor pentatonic?
C major pentatonic is C D E G A. C minor pentatonic is C E♭ F G B♭. They share only the root and the fifth, and major-key country and minor-key blues split along exactly that line.