D minor pentatonic
A five-note scale built on D: root, minor third, fourth, fifth and minor seventh. The most widely used scale for improvising in rock and blues.
- Notes:
- D, F, G, A, C.
- Formula:
- 1, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭7.
- Style:
- Rock, blues, pop.
- 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 10 to 13
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------10-13-| B|-------------------------10-13-------| G|-------------------10-12-------------| D|-------------10-12-------------------| A|-------10-12-------------------------| E|-10-13-------------------------------|
Position 2: frets 0 to 3
It also works an octave higher, frets 12 to 15.
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|---------------------1-3-| B|-----------------1-3-----| G|-------------0-2---------| D|---------0-3-------------| A|-----0-3-----------------| E|-1-3---------------------|
Position 3: frets 2 to 6
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|---------------------3-5-| B|-----------------3-6-----| G|-------------2-5---------| D|---------3-5-------------| A|-----3-5-----------------| E|-3-5---------------------|
Position 4: frets 5 to 8
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|---------------------5-8-| B|-----------------6-8-----| G|-------------5-7---------| D|---------5-7-------------| A|-----5-8-----------------| E|-5-8---------------------|
Position 5: frets 7 to 10
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|--------------------------8-10-| B|---------------------8-10------| G|----------------7-10-----------| D|-----------7-10----------------| A|------8-10---------------------| E|-8-10--------------------------|