What is the most common fingering for the pentatonic scale? Minor and major. All of them. I don't know about standards; there are lots of different fingerings you could use. I would like to know what is considered right.
I've experimented and got a consistent fingering for C, G, F# and F. I prefer this fingering. F# major pentatonic:
1-2-1, 3-4
Other people prefer for F#:
1-2-3, 1-2
Starting with the obvious ...
For a simple five-note traversal of either a major or minor pentatonic, the fingerings
are sufficient.
For multiple octaves, I find it most comfortable to use fingers 1 and 2 for the "skips" in the scales. Using this approach, every major pentatonic can be played
Similarly, every minor pentatonic can be played
| scale | RH | LH |
|---|---|---|
| C | 2-3-1-2-1 | 1-3-2-1-3 |
| Cm | 1-3-1-2-3 | 1-3-2-1-3 |
| C# / Db | 2-3-1-2-1 | 3-2-1-2-1 |
| C#m / Dbm | 3-1-2-3-1 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| D | 2-1-2-3-1 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| Dm | 1-2-3-1-3 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| D# / Eb | 3-1-2-3-1 | 3-2-1-3-1 |
| D#m / Ebm | 1-2-3-1-2 (or 1-2-3-1-2-3 continuously) | 1-3-2-1-3 (or 3-2-1-3-2-1-...) |
| E | 1-2-3-1-3 | 1-3-2-1-3 |
| Em | 1-2-3-1-3 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| F | 2-3-1-2-1 | 1-3-2-1-3 |
| Fm | 1-2-3-1-2 | 1-3-2-1-3 |
| F# / Gb | 2-3-1-3-1 (or 1-2-3-1-2-3-...) | 3-2-1-3-1 (or 3-2-1-3-2-1-...) |
| F#m / Gbm | 3-1-2-3-1 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| G | 2-3-1-2-1 | 3-2-1-2-1 |
| Gm | 1-3-1-2-3 | 1-3-2-1-2 or 1-3-1-3-2 |
| G# / Ab | 2-3-1-3-1 | 3-2-1-2-1 |
| G#m / Abm | 1-2-3-1-2 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| A | 1-2-3-1-3 | 2-1-3-1-3 |
| Am | 1-2-3-1-3 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| A# / Bb | 3-1-2-3-1 | 3-2-1-2-1 |
| A#m / Bbm | 1-3-1-2-3 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
| B | 1-2-3-1-3 | 1-3-2-1-3 |
| Bm | 1-3-1-2-3 | 3-1-3-2-1 |
