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F neapolitan major pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, A, Bb, Cb, Eb at frets 1, 5, 6, 7, 11

A string: A, Bb, Cb, Eb, F, A at frets 0, 1, 2, 6, 8, 12

D string: Eb, F, A, Bb, Cb at frets 1, 3, 7, 8, 9

G string: A, Bb, Cb, Eb, F at frets 2, 3, 4, 8, 10

B string: Cb, Eb, F, A, Bb, Cb at frets 0, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12

High E string: F, A, Bb, Cb, Eb at frets 1, 5, 6, 7, 11

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F neapolitan major pentatonic

The neapolitan major pentatonic is a five note extraction with root, major 3rd, 4th, flat 5th and flat 7th. The clash between the bright 3rd and the flat 5th gives it a wayward, unresolved character closer to a jazz altered sound than to a folk pentatonic. Use it as an angular color over dominant chords rather than as a home scale.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

F

I

A

III

B♭

IV

C♭

bV

E♭

bVII

neapolitan major pentatonic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • An off-kilter pentatonic: major 3rd (A) beside a flat 5th (B); rock those two against each other as the hook.
  • Over a 7b5 chord on F, all five notes land; it is that chord's color in scale form.
  • Use the 4th (Bb) as the connective tone between the bright III and the dark b5 (B); it softens the leap.
  • Treat it as an effect scale: one phrase inside an otherwise plain solo reads as deliberate strangeness.

How to play F neapolitan major pentatonic on guitar

Open A and open B belong to F neapolitan major pentatonic, the major third and Cb, so one low string and one high string ring in key without a finger. Lowest root is fret 1 on the low E, which means the E-shape barre position sits at the bottom of the neck. Clamp fret 1 and it becomes E neapolitan major pentatonic. Three flats. Work anchored on that first-fret root ends at fret 5, so the next box comes quickly.

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