B Pentatonic Minor
Bm Pentatonic scale for guitar.
The B Pentatonic Minor is a five-note scale. The diagram shows a fingerboard with the notes in the scale. Darker color marks the root notes. In the two-octave pattern, the first root note is on the 6th string, 7th fret.
B Pentatonic Minor 2 octaves
B Pentatonic Minor full fretboard
B Pentatonic Minor with note names
Shape 1 (7th position) with fingerings
Shape 2 (9th position) with fingerings
Shape 3 (11th position) with fingerings
Shape 4 (2nd position) with fingerings
Shape 5 (4th position) with fingerings
The scale and its scale degrees.
| Formula | Notes |
|---|---|
| 1 | B |
| b3 | D |
| 4 | E |
| 5 | F# |
| b7 | A |
The second and the sixth degrees are omitted, for the reason that the degrees are based on the natural Minor seven-note scale.
The notes in the scale can be described as intervals, written as 3 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 2 from the first note to the first in next octave.
The B Pentatonic Minor is relative to D Pentatonic Major. Both scales include the same notes but has different root notes.
The interval formula (3 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 2) can be expound into specific notes of the scale.
| Notes (ascending) | Interval |
|---|---|
| B-D | m3 |
| B-E | P4 |
| B-F# | P5 |
| B-A | m7 |
Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.
| Notes (descending) | Interval |
|---|---|
| B-A | M2 |
| B-F# | P4 |
| B-E | P5 |
| B-D | M6 |
Some of the chords that are related to this scale are listed here:
- Bm
- D
- Em7
- F#m7
- A5
The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the B Pentatonic Minor scale. Notice that the match is not completely exact, the third (G) in Em7 and the fifth (C#) in F#m7 are not included in the scale.
Related to this scale is the B Pentatonic Minor add2, adding the 2nd degree. It can be displayed as follows:
| Formula | Notes | Intervals | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Unison | Tonic |
| 2 | C# | Major second | Supertonic |
| b3 | D | Minor third | Mediant |
| 4 | E | Perfect fourth | Subdominant |
| 5 | F# | Perfect fifth | Dominant |
| b7 | A | Minor seventh | Subtonic |
The B Pentatonic Minor add2 scale, is identical with the B Minor except for missing the major 6th interval.
Start the audio and play along! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.
Normal tempo:B Pentatonic Minor scale first shape ascending.
The numbers above the tablature are suggested fingerings.
Exercises based on B Pentatonic Minor.