Tuning-specific scale diagram

Ab Major Pentatonic Scale in 8-String Drop E Tuning

Ab Major Pentatonic Scale in 8-String Drop E Tuning shows the same ab major pentatonic scale pitch classes across 8 strings tuned E B E A D G B E. The seventh and eighth strings extend the pattern into the lower register for wider-range riffs and chord voicings.

Scale notes: Ab, Bb, C, Eb, F
Formula: 1 2 3 5 6
Semitones: 0 2 4 7 9
Tuning: E B E A D G B E
Strings: 8
Open pitch range: E1 to E4
24-fret range: E1 to E6

Open strings and root positions

None of the 8 open strings belongs to Ab Major Pentatonic Scale. Every scale tone must therefore be fretted, beginning with the first available tone on the low E string.

First root on each string

String 8Fret 4

String 7Fret 9

String 6Fret 4

String 5Fret 11

String 4Fret 6

String 3Fret 1

String 2Fret 9

String 1Fret 4

Low-string pattern

On the lowest E string, the first-octave scale pattern falls at frets 1, 4, 6, 8, and 11, with the Ab root at fret 4. On the highest E string, the first Ab is at fret 4.

Fret 1F6

Fret 4Ab1

Fret 6Bb2

Fret 8C3

Fret 11Eb5

Practice this tuning-specific layout

Play Ab Major Pentatonic Scale on the low E string at frets 1, 4, 6, 8, and 11, saying each note name and degree aloud.
Play the scale without using an open string, then stop on the nearest Ab root each time the line changes strings.
Connect the Ab root positions on strings 8 through 1 at frets 4, 9, 4, 11, 6, 1, 9, and 4, adding the nearest scale tone between each pair of roots.