Which musical scale consists of five notes?

The pentatonic scale consists of five notes, making it distinct from other scales that have different numbers of notes. In Western music, the major pentatonic scale is derived from the major scale by removing the fourth and seventh degrees, resulting in a scale structure that often gives a sense of openness and simplicity. The minor pentatonic scale, similarly, is created from the minor scale by omitting certain notes.

This five-note structure allows for versatility across various genres, especially in folk, blues, and rock music, as it provides a framework that can convey a wide range of emotions while maintaining a melodic coherence without the complexity that might arise from using a full seven-note scale. Other scales mentioned, like the major and minor scales, each contain seven notes, while the chromatic scale encompasses all twelve pitches within an octave, clearly distinguishing them from the five-note framework of the pentatonic scale.