STRINGSCALES

B minor pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, A, B, D, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12

A string: A, B, D, E, F#, A at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 12

D string: D, E, F#, A, B, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12

G string: A, B, D, E, F# at frets 2, 4, 7, 9, 11

B string: B, D, E, F#, A, B at frets 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12

High E string: E, F#, A, B, D, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12

Pick a root note

Pick a scale

B minor pentatonic

The minor pentatonic is the most played guitar scale in existence: root, flat 3rd, 4th, 5th and flat 7th. Its five notes fit one comfortable two-notes-per-string box, which made it the backbone of blues, rock and countless classic solos. Because it omits the 2nd and 6th it works over almost any chord in a minor key, and adding the flat 5th turns it into the minor blues scale.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B

I

D

bIII

E

IV

F♯

V

A

bVII

Same notes, different mode

B minor pentatonic uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

D major pentatonicE egyptianF# malkos ragaA ritusen

minor pentatonic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Learn box 1 at the fret of B on the low E string first, but escape it early: slide up to box 2 on the B and E strings for higher bends.
  • The 4th (E) bent a whole step up to the 5th (F#) is the single most-used bend in blues; practice hitting it in tune.
  • Rub the flat 3rd (D) against a major-key backing for blues grit, or curl it slightly sharp toward the major 3rd like the classic players.
  • Add the flat 5th (F) as a passing note and you have the B blues scale; use it in transit, not as a resting place.

How to play B minor pentatonic on guitar

Open B delivers the root without fretting, and low E, A, D and high E are all scale tones too, so five of the six strings can ring while only the G string needs muting. Box one waits at fret 7. Roots also sit at fret 2 on the A string and on the open B itself, which means riffs can live near the nut instead of mid-neck. A capo at fret 2 maps everything onto A minor pentatonic fingering. D major pentatonic rides these same frets from 3 semitones higher, so the relative major is already under your hands.

homeall scalesaboutfaqpricingmicrotonalterms & conditionsprivacy policycookie policy© 2026 StringScales. All rights reserved.