D major pentatonic
A five-note scale built on D: root, second, major third, fifth and sixth. A bright, happy sound you’ll hear all over country, folk and pop.
- Notes:
- D, E, F♯, A, B.
- Formula:
- 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.
- Style:
- Country, folk, pop, rock.
- Difficulty:
- Beginner.
On the neck
Every note of the scale on the neck (choose 12, 15 or 19 frets). Click to listen.
High E at the top, just like in tab.Neck seen from the front, headstock at the top: low E on the left, just like a chord diagram.
Play the scale notes over it. Open in the Studio
Chords that go with it
The chords built on the notes of the scale: improvise with this scale over any progression that uses them.
Progressions to use it on
Loop the first one and improvise over it:
All 5 positions
Each position covers all six strings, with two notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root, on the 6th string.
Position 1: frets 9 to 12
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|----------------------------10-12-| B|----------------------10-12-------| G|-----------------9-11-------------| D|------------9-12------------------| A|-------9-12-----------------------| E|-10-12----------------------------|
Position 2: frets 11 to 15
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------12-14-| B|-------------------------12-15-------| G|-------------------11-14-------------| D|-------------12-14-------------------| A|-------12-14-------------------------| E|-12-14-------------------------------|
Position 3: frets 2 to 5
It also works an octave higher, frets 14 to 17.
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|---------------------2-5-| B|-----------------3-5-----| G|-------------2-4---------| D|---------2-4-------------| A|-----2-5-----------------| E|-2-5---------------------|
Position 4: frets 4 to 7
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|---------------------5-7-| B|-----------------5-7-----| G|-------------4-7---------| D|---------4-7-------------| A|-----5-7-----------------| E|-5-7---------------------|
Position 5: frets 7 to 10
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-----------------------7-10-| B|------------------7-10------| G|--------------7-9-----------| D|----------7-9---------------| A|------7-9-------------------| E|-7-10-----------------------|