Notes: A – B – C – D – E – F – G · Formula: 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
B
A Minor Pentatonic
Root3rd4th5th7th
Notes: A – C – D – E – G · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭7
What's the difference?
Shared notesA1C♭3D4E5G♭7
Only in Natural MinorB2F♭6
Only in Minor Pentatonicnone — every note is shared
Every note of Minor Pentatonic is also in Natural Minor — Minor Pentatonic is contained within Natural Minor.
Why it matters: Minor pentatonic is natural minor with its two most dissonant-prone tones — the 2nd and the ♭6 — removed. Same dark minor tonality, but stripped to five notes that are far harder to play a wrong one on, which is why it's the first lead scale most players learn.
Shown in A: both scales have their canonical shapes at the 5th fret in A, matching the A Minor and A Minor Pentatonic pages.