E minor pentatonic scale

E minor pentatonic scale — notes and structure

The E minor pentatonic scale is a five-note minor scale — the go-to scale for rock, blues and pop soloing.

The E minor pentatonic scale consists of the notes E, G, A, B, D. Its interval structure is R–♭3–4–5–♭7 — the intervals from the root that give the scale its sound. This is the same scale you see in the interactive finder above, drawn on the piano keyboard with the root circled and every note labelled.

Its step pattern is whole-and-a-half · whole · whole · whole-and-a-half · whole — the shape that makes it the minor pentatonic scale in any key.

Play the 5 notes E, G, A, B, D in order from the root E; the interactive keyboard above lights up every note of the scale.