E Major Pentatonic Guitar Scale

E Major Pentatonic in Open C — Notes and Intervals

The E Major Pentatonic scale is a universal five-note scale found in almost every musical culture. On Guitar, it contains the notes E, F#, G#, B, C#. It is extremely consonant and easy to listen to, making it the perfect choice for melodies in country, pop, and blues. Its open sound ensures that almost any note played will sound correct over major harmonies. Commonly used in Country, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk. Notable players include Keith Richards, B.B. King, John Mayer, Eric Clapton. Use over any major chord, major key progression, or dominant 7th chord. The safest and most universal soloing tool.

Notes: E, F#, G#, B, C#

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 5P, 6M

Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5

Formula: W-W-WH-W-WH

Number of notes: 5

Tuning: Open C (C-G-C-G-C-E)

Also known as: pentatonic

About Open C Tuning

Open C tuning (C-G-C-G-C-E) produces a C major chord when strummed open, with an enormous bass depth from the low C string (two whole steps below standard E). The tuning spans a vast tonal range that gives compositions an almost orchestral scope, making it a favorite for both delicate fingerstyle and crushing heavy music.

John Butler's 'Ocean' — one of the most famous modern fingerstyle compositions — is performed in Open C, showcasing the tuning's incredible dynamic range from thundering bass to shimmering harmonics. Devin Townsend uses Open C extensively across his catalog for its massive, wall-of-sound potential. Jimmy Page used it on Led Zeppelin's 'Friends' from Led Zeppelin III. Soundgarden also explored Open C. The three C strings and two G strings create powerful octave resonances that make even simple chord shapes sound huge.

Notable artists: John Butler, Devin Townsend, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Soundgarden, William Ackerman

Best for: Cinematic fingerstyle compositions, progressive metal walls of sound, post-rock textures, and any music that needs enormous tonal range from deep bass to bright treble

Musical Character

By removing the 4th and 7th degrees from the major scale, all dissonant intervals disappear. Every note sounds 'right' — making it nearly impossible to play a wrong note over major harmony.

Chord Progressions Using This Scale

• I – V – vi – IV (Pop Progression)Pop / Rock — Hope & Joy
• vi – IV – I – V (Melancholic Variation)Pop / Rock — Melancholy
• I – vi – IV – V (50s Doo-Wop)Pop / Rock — Nostalgia
• IV – V – I – vi (Unresolved Cycle)Pop / Rock — Dreamy & Cyclical
• IV – I – V – vi (Sensitive Pop)Pop / Rock — Uplifting
• I – IV – V (Rock & Folk Classic)Pop / Rock — Energy & Drive
• I – V – IV (Rock Ballad)Pop / Rock — Anthemic
• I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V (Pachelbel's Canon)Classical / Pop — Epic & Nostalgic
• I – vi – ii – V (Jazz Turnaround)Jazz / Soul — Sophistication
• ii – V – I (Jazz ii–V–I)Jazz / Soul — Sophistication
• IV – V – iii – vi (Royal Road (J-Pop))World / J-Pop — Yearning & Nostalgia
• IV – V – iii – vi – ii – V – I (Japanese Circle)World / J-Pop — Complete Resolution
• I – I+ – I6 – I7 (Ascending Augmented)Classical / Pop — Hopeful & Yearning

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

• E Major Pentatonic in Standard Tuning
• E Major Pentatonic in Drop D
• E Major Pentatonic in DADGAD
• E Major Pentatonic in Open G
• E Major Pentatonic in Baritone (B Standard)
• E Major Pentatonic in 7-string
• E Major Pentatonic in 8-string
• E Major Pentatonic in Drop C
• E Major Pentatonic in Drop B
• E Major Pentatonic in Open D
• E Major Pentatonic in Half Step Down
• E Major Pentatonic in Open E
• E Major Pentatonic in Open A
• E Major Pentatonic in Double Drop D

← All Guitar scales in Open C tuning