A major pentatonic scale on ukulele
The A major pentatonic scale has the notes A B C# E F#. Five notes of the major scale, without the two that clash the most (the 4th and 7th degrees). Almost nothing sounds wrong over the chords of the key: the easiest way to start improvising in a major key, in country, folk and pop.
Notes and degrees
| Note | A | B | C# | E | F# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
In the first five frets
Standard G C E A tuning (high G). The number is the fret; 0 is the open string.
| String | Frets (note) |
|---|---|
| G | 2 (A) · 4 (B) |
| C | 1 (C#) · 4 (E) |
| E | 0 (E) · 2 (F#) · 5 (A) |
| A | 0 (A) · 2 (B) · 4 (C#) |
Chords that fit
Over these chords the scale sounds in key. Aim for each chord's notes on the strong beats.
- AI
- Bmii
- C#miii
- DIV
- EV
- F#mvi
How to use it
- Start and end your phrases on A: that is where the scale rests.
- Over A, the safest notes are the chord tones. In the app, they show in green.
- Move by neighboring steps and leave space between phrases; rhythm matters as much as the note.
See also: chords in the key of A major · A major · A minor · A minor pentatonic · A blues