C Major Pentatonic Scale on Piano

The C Major Pentatonic scale sounds open and consonant. It runs C – D – E – G – A and is written with no sharps or flats.

It shares its key signature with A minor, its relative minor.

Interval Circle

WWW+HWW+HC1C#D2D#E3FF#G5G#A6A#B

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

The major scale with its two half steps removed. Nothing is left that can clash, which is why it turns up independently in folk music across the world and why every note of it sits comfortably over a major chord.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3

Left Hand (ascending)

4-3-2-1-2-1

Why this fingering

This scale uses only white keys, so the thumb is free to fall anywhere. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto G; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in C Major Pentatonic

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
CC4Root (1)14
DD4Major 2nd (2)23
EE4Major 3rd (3)32
GG4Perfect 5th (5)11
AA4Major 6th (6)22
CC5Octave (8)31

Other Major Pentatonic Scales

Db Major Pentatonic
Db – Eb – F – Ab – Bb
D Major Pentatonic
D – E – F# – A – B
Eb Major Pentatonic
Eb – F – G – Bb – C
E Major Pentatonic
E – F# – G# – B – C#
F Major Pentatonic
F – G – A – C – D
F# Major Pentatonic
F# – G# – A# – C# – D#
G Major Pentatonic
G – A – B – D – E
Ab Major Pentatonic
Ab – Bb – C – Eb – F
A Major Pentatonic
A – B – C# – E – F#
Bb Major Pentatonic
Bb – C – D – F – G
B Major Pentatonic
B – C# – D# – F# – G#

Other C Scales

C Major
C – D – E – F – G – A – B
C Natural Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb
C Harmonic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B
C Melodic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – B
C Minor Pentatonic
C – Eb – F – G – Bb
C Blues
C – Eb – F – Gb – G – Bb
C Dorian
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – Bb
C Mixolydian
C – D – E – F – G – A – Bb
C Chromatic
C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B