F Major Pentatonic Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
F Major Pentatonic in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The F Major Pentatonic scale is a universal five-note scale found in almost every musical culture. On Guitar, it contains the notes F, G, A, C, D. It is extremely consonant and easy to listen to, making it the perfect choice for melodies in country, pop, and blues. Its open sound ensures that almost any note played will sound correct over major harmonies. Commonly used in Country, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk. Notable players include Keith Richards, B.B. King, John Mayer, Eric Clapton. Use over any major chord, major key progression, or dominant 7th chord. The safest and most universal soloing tool.
Notes: F, G, A, C, D
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 5P, 6M
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5
Formula: W-W-WH-W-WH
Number of notes: 5
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
Also known as: pentatonic
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
- F Major Pentatonic in Standard Tuning
- F Major Pentatonic in Drop D
- F Major Pentatonic in DADGAD
- F Major Pentatonic in Open G
- F Major Pentatonic in Baritone (B Standard)
- F Major Pentatonic in 7-string
- F Major Pentatonic in 8-string
- F Major Pentatonic in Drop C
- F Major Pentatonic in Open D
- F Major Pentatonic in Half Step Down
- F Major Pentatonic in Open E
- F Major Pentatonic in Open A
- F Major Pentatonic in Double Drop D
- F Major Pentatonic in Open C