F♯ Major Pentatonic Scale (F♯ G♯ A♯ C♯ D♯)
F♯ major pentatonic reads as six sharps on paper and sits fine in the hand. F♯ G♯ A♯ C♯ D♯, the same notes as E♭ minor pentatonic spelled the other way.
Fretboard diagram
Every F♯ 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 | F♯ |
| 2 | major second | G♯ |
| 3 | major third | A♯ |
| 5 | perfect fifth | C♯ |
| 6 | major sixth | D♯ |
Where to land
A lead that never touches its root is an exercise. In the first twelve frets F♯ sits on the low E string at fret 2, the A string at fret 9, the D string at fret 4, the G string at fret 11, the B string at fret 7, and the high E string at fret 2. End phrases on one of them until it's automatic, then start aiming for whichever chord tone the band is sitting on instead.
Over an F♯ major chord, F♯, A♯, and C♯ are chord tones and land clean anywhere in the bar. The D♯ sits close enough to the fifth to resolve down into it, which is the classic country move.
Keep exploring
Same root
Same notes
E♭ minor pentatonic is these five notes with E♭ as home. Same frets, different landing spots.
Chords it fits over
F♯, F♯maj7, and F♯7 when the song is country or major-key blues.
Nearby keys
F♯ major pentatonic FAQ
What notes are in the F♯ major pentatonic scale?
F♯ major pentatonic contains F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯, and D♯. That's the root, the major second, the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major sixth.
What fret does F♯ major pentatonic start on?
The lowest root is F♯ at fret 2 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 F♯ major and F♯ minor pentatonic?
F♯ major pentatonic is F♯ G♯ A♯ C♯ D♯. F♯ minor pentatonic is F♯ A B C♯ E. They share only the root and the fifth, and major-key country and minor-key blues split along exactly that line.