G Major Pentatonic Scale (G A B D E)
G major pentatonic is country's home scale. G A B D E, every one of them available as an open string. Ramblin' Man solos almost entirely inside it.
Fretboard diagram
Every G 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 | G |
| 2 | major second | A |
| 3 | major third | B |
| 5 | perfect fifth | D |
| 6 | major sixth | E |
Where to land
A lead that never touches its root is an exercise. In the first twelve frets G sits on the low E string at fret 3, the A string at fret 10, the D string at fret 5, the G string open and at fret 12, the B string at fret 8, and the high E string at fret 3. 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 G major chord, G, B, and D are chord tones and land clean anywhere in the bar. The E 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
G, Gmaj7, and G7 when the song is country or major-key blues.
Nearby keys
G major pentatonic FAQ
What notes are in the G major pentatonic scale?
G major pentatonic contains G, A, B, D, and E. That's the root, the major second, the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major sixth.
What fret does G major pentatonic start on?
The lowest root is G at fret 3 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 G major and G minor pentatonic?
G major pentatonic is G A B D E. G minor pentatonic is G B♭ C D F. They share only the root and the fifth, and major-key country and minor-key blues split along exactly that line.