Guitar Scale Logic
E Major Pentatonic Guitar Scale in Drop C
Major Pentatonic scale notes, fretboard positions and guitar tabs for Drop C.
Scale Tablature
Position 1
D|---------------------------2--| A|---------------------2--4-----| F|---------------1--3-----------| C|---------1--4-----------------| G|---1--4-----------------------| C|4-----------------------------|
0-4 frets • five-fret position fragment • 10 notes
Theory & Context
Why This Shape Works
The E Major Pentatonic scale uses E, F♯, G♯, B, C♯ and the formula 1 2 3 5 6. In Drop C tuning, the open strings run D A F C G C from highest to lowest, so use this map rather than a Standard-tuning shape. Use the map to locate each E root, then select a five-fret position to see its tablature. The chord suggestions use notes from this scale.
Major Pentatonic sounds clean, vocal and easy to phrase musically. Try it for country licks, melodic fills and upbeat lead guitar. Drop C is C-G-C-F-A-D from low to high. Compared with Standard, the top five strings are a whole tone lower and the sixth string is two whole tones lower.
Target the root and 6th for a sweet, singing pentatonic line. In Drop C, learn the sixth-string notes separately before connecting them to the upper strings.
- E
- F♯
- G♯
- B
- C♯
Suggested Chords
Works Well With This Scale
These chords contain notes from the selected scale.
- Emajor
- Esus2sus2
- E5power
- E6major 6
- F♯sus2sus2
- F♯sus4sus4
- F♯5power
- Bsus2sus2
- Bsus4sus4
- B5power