Guitar scale
F# Major Pentatonic Guitar Scale
F# Major Pentatonic is a five-note scale built from F#, G#, A#, C#, and D#. Use it to study the scale's notes, interval formula, and guitar fretboard positions.
- Notes
- F#, G#, A#, C#, D#
- Formula
- 1 2 3 5 6
- Semitones
- 0 2 4 7 9
How to read this scale
The notes are shown as pitch classes first. Square markers representF# root notes in the fretboard view, while circular markers represent the other notes in the scale.
Use the interactive fretboard to locate the F# root notes and connect the remaining major pentatonic tones across standard tuning.
Sound and defining tones
F# major pentatonic highlights 3 (A#) and 6 (D#). Omitting the fourth and seventh removes both major-scale half steps, producing an open major sound with few strongly dissonant notes.
- Characteristic tones
- 3A#6D#
Fretboard diagram
Open this scale in the fretboard tool
Start with F# Major Pentatonic loaded, then adjust tuning, labels, colors, fret count, and orientation.
Open in interactive fretboardCommon chords and contexts
Use F# major pentatonic over F# major harmony, country and pop progressions, and major-key blues ideas. Track the chords when the progression moves away from the tonic.
- Use F# major pentatonic over F# major chords, country phrases, pop melodies, and major blues ideas.
- It keeps the strongest major-scale tones while leaving out the 4 and 7.
Practice this scale on guitar
- Play F# Major Pentatonic from one F# root to the next in at least two fretboard positions, saying each note name and scale degree aloud.
- Build short double-stop and single-note phrases around 3 (A#) and 6 (D#), resolving them to the root or fifth.
- Improvise over a major progression in F# and deliberately begin each phrase on a different chord tone instead of always starting from the root.