Below are each of the bass guitar major pentatonic notes – fretboard diagrams. These are the major pentatonic scales for each of the 12 notes in the musical alphabet – A, Bb, B, C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab. The diagrams display all notes for each major pentatonic scale across the fretboard through the 12th fret.
Bb Major Notes – We use Bb major instead of A# sharp major because a scale cannot theoretically have the same note letter twice in the same scale. The full A# major scale would have the notes – A#, C, D, D#, F, G, A –> it has two “A’s” and two “D’s” which breaks the theory rules (double sharps).
Db Major Notes – I provide the Db Major Scale instead of C# Major for this reason – The full C# Major scale includes these notes – C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#. As such B# is the same note as C, E# is the same as F. So it’s better to learn the scales using the natural notes. It’s not good practice to learn B# instead of C, and E# instead of F.
Eb Major Notes – We use Eb major instead of D# sharp major because a scale cannot theoretically have the same note letter twice in the same scale. The full D# major scale would have the notes – D#, F, G, G#, A, C, D –> it has two “D’s” and two “G’s” which breaks the theory rules (double sharps).
Ab Major Notes – We use Ab major instead of G# sharp major because a scale cannot theoretically have the same note letter twice in the same scale. The full G# major scale would have the notes – G#, A#, C, C#, D#, F, G –> it has two “G’s” and two “C’s” which breaks the theory rules (double sharps).
Related Pages:
- 5 Major Pentatonic Positions on Bass Guitar
- Major Pentatonic Lesson – Main Page
- Bass Guitar Scales – Main Page
- Bass Guitar Lessons – Main Page
Bass Guitar Major Pentatonic – Fretboard Diagrams
