Bb Minor Pentatonic: Fretboard Guide
The Bb minor pentatonic scale is Bb, Db, Eb, F and Ab, and it also answers to the name A# minor pentatonic. Horn sections lean toward flat keys like Bb, so it is worth knowing if you jam with a band.
Start on the 6th fret of the low E string, or on the 1st fret of the A string, where the root is closest to the nut. Db major pentatonic holds the very same notes.
Play the Bb minor pentatonic scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the Bb minor pentatonic scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bb | 1 | Root | 0 |
| Db | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| Eb | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| F | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| Ab | b7 | Minor 7th | 10 |
Structure
Bb minor pentatonic scale notes:
How the minor pentatonic scale is built:
The minor pentatonic scale is built from the degrees 1 b3 4 5 b7, which gives the step pattern W+H-W-W-W+H-W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 3, 5, 7, 10. That makes it a 5-note scale.
Bb Minor Pentatonic Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (A)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
The minor pentatonic scale in other keys
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
