D major pentatonic scale on ukulele
The D major pentatonic scale has the notes D E F# A B. 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 | D | E | F# | A | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 (D) · 4 (E) |
| E | 0 (E) · 2 (F#) · 5 (A) |
| A | 0 (A) · 2 (B) · 5 (D) |
Chords that fit
Over these chords the scale sounds in key. Aim for each chord's notes on the strong beats.
- DI
- Emii
- F#miii
- GIV
- AV
- Bmvi
How to use it
- Start and end your phrases on D: that is where the scale rests.
- Over D, 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 D major · D major · D minor · D minor pentatonic