Six Strings
In this section: Scales

E♭ minor pentatonic

A five-note scale built on E♭: root, minor third, fourth, fifth and minor seventh. The most widely used scale for improvising in rock and blues.

Notes:
E♭, G♭, A♭, B♭, D♭.
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.

Number of frets shown
G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭
G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭

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.

D♯ (root note)

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.

E♭ minori
F♯ majorIII
G♯ minoriv
B♭ minorv
B majorVI
D♭ majorVII

Progressions to use it on

i, VII, VI, VII: the rock loop
i, iv, v: the minor cadence
12-bar blues

▶ Play it in the Studio

Loop the first one and improvise over it:

The pop strumE♭m · D♭ · B · D♭

Learn the pop strum step by step →

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 11 to 14

E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭B♭D♭E♭G♭

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|-------------------------------11-14-|
B|-------------------------11-14-------|
G|-------------------11-13-------------|
D|-------------11-13-------------------|
A|-------11-13-------------------------|
E|-11-14-------------------------------|

Position 2: frets 1 to 4

It also works an octave higher, frets 13 to 16.

G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|---------------------2-4-|
B|-----------------2-4-----|
G|-------------1-3---------|
D|---------1-4-------------|
A|-----1-4-----------------|
E|-2-4---------------------|

Position 3: frets 3 to 7

G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭B♭D♭E♭D♭E♭G♭G♭A♭B♭

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|---------------------4-6-|
B|-----------------4-7-----|
G|-------------3-6---------|
D|---------4-6-------------|
A|-----4-6-----------------|
E|-4-6---------------------|

Position 4: frets 6 to 9

B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|---------------------6-9-|
B|-----------------7-9-----|
G|-------------6-8---------|
D|---------6-8-------------|
A|-----6-9-----------------|
E|-6-9---------------------|

Position 5: frets 8 to 11

D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|--------------------------9-11-|
B|---------------------9-11------|
G|----------------8-11-----------|
D|-----------8-11----------------|
A|------9-11---------------------|
E|-9-11--------------------------|