B Minor Pentatonic
Bass scale — fretboard diagramBeginner
B Minor Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The B Minor Pentatonic scale is the most influential scale in the history of rock and guitar music. On Bass, its notes are B, D, E, F#, A. It offers a gritty, powerful, and bluesy sound that is highly versatile, serving as the primary tool for improvising solos in rock, blues, and metal and providing a safe but expressive framework for beginners and pros alike. Commonly used in Blues, Rock, Metal, R&B, Funk. Notable players include Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, B.B. King, Slash, Angus Young. Use over minor chords, dominant 7th chords (in blues), and power chords. The backbone of rock and blues guitar for 70+ years.
Notes: B, D, E, F#, A
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 4P, 5P, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 b5
Formula: WH-W-W-WH-W
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: vietnamese 2
Musical Character
The most played scale in guitar history. Its 5 notes (1, b3, 4, 5, b7) outline a minor chord with a dominant 7th feel, which is why it works over both minor AND dominant chords in blues.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Blues, Rock, Metal, R&B, Funk
Notable players: Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, B.B. King, Slash, Angus Young
How to Use the B Minor Pentatonic Scale
Use over minor chords, dominant 7th chords (in blues), and power chords. The backbone of rock and blues guitar for 70+ years.
Origin & Background
The universal language of the electric guitar. From Robert Johnson to Metallica, this scale defines the sound of popular music.
Related Scales
Minor Pentatonic is the Minor scale without 2nd and 6th degrees. View B Minor scale
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- bVI – bVII – I (Mario Cadence)World / Game Music — Triumph & Victory
- I – I – I – I – IV – IV – I – I – V – IV – I – V (12 Bar Blues)Blues — Grit & Soul
- i – iv – i – V (Minor Blues)Blues — Melancholy
- I – bVI – bIII – bVII (Epic Borrowed Chords)Contemporary / Film — Epic & Heroic
- i – VI – III – VII (Cinematic Minor)Contemporary / Film — Dramatic & Dark
The B Minor Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (B, D, E, F#, A). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.