Pentatonic & Blues
C Major Pentatonic Scale on Piano
C major pentatonic is the C major scale without F and B, leaving five notes: C, D, E, G, A. Those two missing notes are the ones most likely to rub against a C major chord, which makes this an easy scale to start improvising with.
Notes of the C Major Pentatonic Scale
| Degree | Note | Interval from root |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Root |
| 2 | D | Major 2nd |
| 3 | E | Major 3rd |
| 4 | G | Perfect 5th |
| 5 | A | Major 6th |
| 6 | C | Octave |
W-W-1½-W-1½W · W · 1½ · W · 1½The major scale with the 4th and 7th degrees removed — only whole steps and minor-third gaps.
W = whole step, H = half step, 1½ = one and a half whole steps (three half steps).
C Major Pentatonic on the Staff
One octave ascending in treble clef with the key signature of C major (no sharps, no flats).
Fingering
Pentatonic scales have only five unique notes, so fingerings are flexible. This 1-2-3-1-2-3 right-hand pattern keeps the thumb under for a smooth one-octave run.
- 1C
- 2D
- 3E
- 1G
- 2A
- 3C
- 5C
- 4D
- 3E
- 2G
- 1A
- 3C
Numbers indicate fingers: 1 = thumb, 2 = index, 3 = middle, 4 = ring, 5 = little. Both rows are shown in ascending order (low note to high note). Note the left hand starts on the pinky (5) at the lowest note and crosses the middle finger over the thumb to continue upward — that is why the left-hand numbers count down before cycling again.
Where You Hear This Scale
Major pentatonic is common in folk, country, gospel, pop, and children's songs. Because it leaves out the 4th and 7th degrees, it has no half steps at all, which is why teachers often use it for first improvisations. Play only the black keys and you get a major pentatonic too: Gb major pentatonic.
Train Your Ear to Recognize This Scale
Put what you learned into practice with Fortepian's free scale identification exercise. Hear a scale and identify it — 9 progressive levels, from major and minor to modes, pentatonic, blues, and exotic scales. No signup needed.
Start scale ear training