D Major Pentatonic Scale (D E F♯ A B)
D major pentatonic is D E F♯ A B, and four of the five ring as open strings. Country players work it around the open D chord for exactly that reason.
Fretboard diagram
Every D 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 | D |
| 2 | major second | E |
| 3 | major third | F♯ |
| 5 | perfect fifth | A |
| 6 | major sixth | B |
Where to land
A lead that never touches its root is an exercise. In the first twelve frets D sits on the low E string at fret 10, the A string at fret 5, the D string open and at fret 12, the G string at fret 7, the B string at fret 3, and the high E string at fret 10. 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 D major chord, D, F♯, and A are chord tones and land clean anywhere in the bar. The B sits close enough to the fifth to resolve down into it, which is the classic country move.
Keep exploring
Same root
Same notes
B minor pentatonic is these five notes with B as home. Same frets, different landing spots.
Chords it fits over
D, Dmaj7, and D7 when the song is country or major-key blues.
Nearby keys
D major pentatonic FAQ
What notes are in the D major pentatonic scale?
D major pentatonic contains D, E, F♯, A, and B. That's the root, the major second, the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major sixth.
What fret does D major pentatonic start on?
The lowest root is D at fret 10 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 D major and D minor pentatonic?
D major pentatonic is D E F♯ A B. D minor pentatonic is D F G A C. They share only the root and the fifth, and major-key country and minor-key blues split along exactly that line.