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C whole-tone pentatonic scale

The C whole-tone pentatonic scale is made of the notes C, E, F♯, G♯, B♭. It has 5 notes; compared with the major scale its formula is 1 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7.

Pentatonic · 5 notes

Note names
  1. 1C
  2. 3E
  3. ♯4F♯
  4. ♯5G♯
  5. ♭7B♭

Pattern2W – W – W – W – W(W = whole step, H = half step)

Five notes with no half steps: easy to use and found in every genre. Degrees are shown relative to the major scale: ♭3 is the third lowered by a half step, ♯4 the fourth raised.

Open in the scale finder

Mode and chords

Five notes of the whole-tone scale: root, major 3rd, augmented 4th and 5th, minor 7th. It fits the 7♯5 chord.

Used overC7♯5Caug

Put it into practice

The scale played in thirds over one octave: one of the exercises MEG generates from this scale.

This scale is not part of the demo: in the MEG app you will find it in every key, with 24 patterns.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the C whole-tone pentatonic scale?
The notes are C, E, F♯, G♯, B♭.
What is the pattern of the C whole-tone pentatonic scale?
The sequence of steps is 2W – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step); compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7.
Which chords is the C whole-tone pentatonic scale used over?
It is used over C7♯5, Caug: the chords on the tonic made of the notes of the scale.

Texts and tools by , professional musician and developer. Last updated: October 9, 2026.