A Whole Tone Pentatonic Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
A Whole Tone Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Whole Tone Pentatonic scale is a weightless and tonally ambiguous five-note scale. On Bass, the notes are A, C#, Eb, F, G. Because it lacks a traditional center, it creates a blurring effect, making it highly effective for dream sequences, transitions, and creating a sense of suspended reality in film scores. Commonly used in Film Scores, Ambient, Impressionist, Experimental. Notable players include Claude Debussy, Bill Frisell. Use over augmented chords, whole tone passages. Effective for creating a sense of suspended reality.
Notes: A, C#, Eb, F, G
Intervals: 1P, 3M, 5d, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 b4 b5
Formula: 4-W-W-W-W
Number of notes: 5
How to Play A Whole Tone Pentatonic on Bass
On bass, locate A on the E string at fret 5. This 5-note scale can be played across two strings without shifting, making it ideal for groove-based lines.
The A Whole Tone Pentatonic scale contains both sharps and flats (1 sharp, 1 flat), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the A Whole Tone Pentatonic scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (A-Eb, C#-F) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in A. Try a A5 - F5 - G5 progression.
Bass Tips
Practice the A Whole Tone Pentatonic scale on bass using only your index and ring fingers for a two-finger-per-string approach, then switch to one-finger-per-fret. Both techniques are essential for different musical situations.
The A Whole Tone Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (A, C#, Eb, F, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Whole Tone Pentatonic
The A Whole Tone Pentatonic scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 5-note pentatonic scale, 2-notes-per-string patterns are the most ergonomic way to traverse the fretboard. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.