Notes: C – D – E – F – G – A – B · Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
B
C Major Pentatonic
Root2nd3rd5th6th
Notes: C – D – E – G – A · Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 6
What's the difference?
Shared notesC1D2E3G5A6
Only in MajorF4B7
Only in Major Pentatonicnone — every note is shared
Every note of Major Pentatonic is also in Major — Major Pentatonic is contained within Major.
Why it matters: Major pentatonic is the major scale with its two half-step tendency tones — the 4th and the 7th — removed. Losing those two 'avoid' notes is what makes the pentatonic so forgiving to solo with: the five that remain sit comfortably over almost any major-key chord.