Relative major and minor

A C major pentatonic scale consists of the notes C D E G A C. An A minor

pentatonic scale is the same notes, just in a different order....A C D E G A. The
relationship between these 2 scales is called "relative". Just think....same
blood....same notes. They are relatives of each other. Whether you call these same
notes a major pentatonic or minor pentatonic just depends on how they are being
used.

A is the relative minor of C major, and C is the relative major of A minor.

Below you will see a basic pentatonic scale form. First it is shown as an A minor
pentatonic scale with the root A represented in red. Then below that you see the
same scale form, but this time it is represented as a C major pentatonic with the
root C in blue.

Basic A minor pentatonic scale Basic A minor pentatonic scale

Note Names Scale Functions

|--A--|-----|-----|--C--| -1st |--1--|-----|-----|-b3--| -1st

|--E--|-----|-----|--G--| |--5--|-----|-----|-b7--|
|--C--|-----|--D--|-----| |-b3--|-----|--4--|-----|
|--G--|-----|--A--|-----| |-b7--|-----|--1--|-----|
|--D--|-----|--E--|-----| |--4--|-----|--5--|-----|
|--A--|-----|-----|--C--| -6th |--1--|-----|-----|-b3--| -6th
   |    |
  5th fret     5th fret

Basic C major pentatonic scale Basic C major pentatonic scale

Note Names Scale Functions

|--A--|-----|-----|--C--| -1st |--6--|-----|-----|--1--| -1st

|--E--|-----|-----|--G--| |--3--|-----|-----|--5--|
|--C--|-----|--D--|-----| |--1--|-----|--2--|-----|
|--G--|-----|--A--|-----| |--5--|-----|--6--|-----|
|--D--|-----|--E--|-----| |--2--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--A--|-----|-----|--C--| -6th |--6--|-----|-----|--1--| -6th
   |    |
  5th fret     5th fret

So as you learn to play various pentatonic scale forms, it is going to be important

to learn where the roots are with a particular form. And since the same fingering
can be thought of as major pentatonic, or minor pentatonic, there are 2 sets of roots
to learn for each scale fingering. One for major, and one for minor.

5 positions of C major, and A minor pentatonic

Red numbers are A, the root of the minor pentatonic
Blue numbers are C, the root of the major pentatonic

|-----|--1--|-----|--3--| -1st
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--|
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--| -6th
         |
        3rd fret

|--1--|-----|-----|--4--| -1st
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--| -6th
   |
  5th fret

|-----|--1--|-----|--3--| -1st
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--|
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--|
|-----|--2--|-----|--4--| -6th
         |
        8th fret

|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----| -1st
|-----|--1--|-----|-----|--4--|
|--1--|-----|-----|--3--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----| -6th
         |
        10th fret

|--1--|-----|-----|--4--| -1st
|-----|--2--|-----|--4--|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--|
|--1--|-----|-----|--4--| -6th
   |
  12th fret
  

C major, and A minor pentatonic (extended form 1)

Suggested ascending fingering

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|--3--| -1st
|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| -6th
   |                                                     | 
  3rd fret                                              12th fret

Suggested descending fingering

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--1--|-----|--3--| -1st
|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|--1--|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| -6th
   |                                                     | 
  3rd fret                                              12th fret

C major, and A minor pentatonic (extended form 2)

scale functions

Suggested ascending fingering

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--| -1st
|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|--3--|
|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| -6th
   |                                                     |
  8th fret                                              17th fret

Suggested descending fingering

|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--| -1st
|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|
|-----|-----|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|
|-----|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|--1--|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| -6th
   |                                                     |
  8th fret                                              17th fret