E Minor Six Pentatonic Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
E Minor Six Pentatonic in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The E Minor Six Pentatonic scale is a variation of the minor pentatonic that introduces a major sixth, giving it a Dorian flavor. On Guitar, the notes are E, G, A, B, C#. It is more sophisticated and soulful than the standard minor pentatonic and is frequently used in jazz and fusion to outline minor chords with a brighter edge. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Neo-Soul, R&B. Notable players include Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Erykah Badu. Use over m6, m7, mMaj7 chords. Adds a jazz sophistication to minor chord soloing without fully committing to a 7-note scale.
Notes: E, G, A, B, C#
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6M
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 5
Formula: WH-W-W-W-WH
Number of notes: 5
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
About Drop B Tuning
Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.
Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.
Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure
Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Standard Tuning
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Drop D
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in DADGAD
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Open G
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Baritone (B Standard)
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in 7-string
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in 8-string
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Drop C
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Open D
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Half Step Down
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Open E
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Open A
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Double Drop D
- E Minor Six Pentatonic in Open C