Guitar Lessons - Major Pentatonic Scale

The major pentatonic is similar to the minor pentatonic: The intervals for a major pentatonic are 1 2 3 5 6 1. The C major scale includes C D E G A C. The difference between the major and minor scale is the minor scale has a flatten 3rd interval. The following is the most common generic box shape for the pentatonic major scale:

e|---|-O-|---|-o-|---|
B|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
G|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|
D|-o-|---|---|-O-|---|
A|-o-|---|---|-o-|---|
E|---|-O-|---|-o-|---|

The major pentatonic sounds happier and are not used as extensively in rock and blues as the minor version of the scale. They sound good over major chords, and power chords. Sometimes the minor and major scales are used in the same song, with the major scale used for the chorus, and the minor for the verse.

There are no hard and fast rules when in comes to scales and soloing. It