Scale Lesson 16

Before we learn the 7th position D major and B minor scale, let's review how to build a D major scale.

A great way to learn the fretboard and make more sense of the theory behind scales is to build the scale on one string.  It is a great way to see the whole step and half step relationship between notes.

If you remember from Lesson 2, all major scales are built with one formula and that formula is:

W  W  H  W  W  W  H

So if we start on D and follow this formula, we end up with a D major scale with 2 sharps (F# and C#)

D  E  F#  G  A  B  C#  D

This is a D major scale in 7th position.

We first learned this form in Lesson 8 with C Major in 5th position.

The key of D has two sharps:  F# and C#

Here is the scale extended by adding the other two available notes on the low E string.  And remember by starting on B and playing from B to B you are playing a B minor scale.

We can create a pentatonic scale by taking the 4th and 7th notes out of the D major scale.

D Major Scale:

D  E  F#  G  A  B  C#  D

D Major Pentatonic:

D  E  F#  A   B  D

The same two notes are removed for a B minor pentatonic scale.  You could think of it as the 2nd and 6th removed.  I usually just think about it as the 4th and 7th from the major scale and then know that it is the same two notes missing for the relative minor pentatonic.

B Minor Scale:

B  C#  D  E  F#  G  A  B

B Minor Pentatonic:

B  D  E  F#  A  B