Interactive piano keyboard showing E Minor Pentatonic scale degrees. Click highlighted keys to play.
The E minor pentatonic (E, G, A, B, D) is arguably the most-played scale in rock guitar history, with open-string voicings that make it effortless to play. Every iconic rock riff — from "Smoke on the Water" to "Paranoid" — uses these five notes. It is the parent scale of the E blues scale and the first scale most guitarists learn.
The minor pentatonic strips natural minor down to five notes, concentrating the minor 3rd and minor 7th — the two intervals that define rock and blues guitar. Nearly every iconic guitar riff uses these five notes.
The diatonic chords in E Minor Pentatonic are: Em, G, Am, Bm, Dm. These are the chords built naturally from each degree of the scale.
What is the Minor Pentatonic?
The E minor pentatonic (E, G, A, B, D) is arguably the most-played scale in rock guitar history, with open-string voicings that make it effortless to play. Every iconic rock riff — from "Smoke on the Water" to "Paranoid" — uses these five notes. It is the parent scale of the E blues scale and the first scale most guitarists learn.
What notes are in the E Minor Pentatonic?
The E Minor Pentatonic contains the notes: E, G, A, B, D. This is a 5-note scale starting from E.
How many chords does the E Minor Pentatonic have?
The E Minor Pentatonic produces 5 diatonic chords, one built on each degree of the scale: Em, G, Am, Bm, Dm.
What is the formula for the Minor Pentatonic?
The Minor Pentatonic follows the interval formula: W+H-W-W-W+H-W (W = whole step, H = half step).
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Position in circle of fifths
E is at the 4 o'clock position. Related keys: B (dominant), A (subdominant), C# (relative minor), F# (supertonic), D (subtonic).