C major pentatonic scale
No sharps or flats — all white keys · pattern W–W–W+H–W–W+H
C – D – E – G – A
Step patternWWW+HWW+H
About this scale
Five notes, no half steps: the major scale without its 4th and 7th. With nothing to clash, any note sounds good over the I chord — the reason it’s everywhere in folk, country and pop melodies.
Relative key: A minor pentatonic.
Other C scales
Major pentatonic scale in other keys
Questions
What are the notes of the C major pentatonic scale?
C, D, E, G, A.
How many sharps or flats are in C major pentatonic scale?
None — it uses only natural notes (the white keys).
What is the step pattern of the major pentatonic scale?
W–W–W+H–W–W+H, where W is a whole step (two keys) and H is a half step (the next key). Start that pattern on C to get this scale.
What is the relative minor of C major pentatonic?
A minor pentatonic. Both scales use the same notes but start on a different tonic.