What is this variation of the Minor Pentatonic scale?

I was messing around, playing blues riffs on my low G strung tenor, and inadvertently played a wrong note that actually sounded good, in an eastern sort of way.

Here's the standard pentatonic scale played up the neck:
G: 3
C: 1,3
E: 1,4
A: 1

And here's what I discovered (the difference is on the C string):
G: 3
C: 2,3
E: 1,4
A: 1

I tried to find this scale on ukehelper.com, but couldn't find a fit.

Well, let's see. The notes in your first scale are Bb,Db,Eb,F,Ab,Bb.
Hmm, I can't deal with all those flats, I'm going to move that back a fret: A,C,D,E,G,A
Ah, so that's just A minor pentatonic scale and yours is Bb minor pentatonic.

Now you moved the second note up a semitone so my scale would be A, C#, D, E, G, A
Hmm, it's definitely major now but it's not major pentatonic.
Intervals are root, major third, fourth, fifth, minor seventh.

What is that? I can't find an exact match either here: http://www.scales-chords.com/fscale...alt=1&other=1&etnic=1&c1=&t1=&c2=&t2=&c3=&t3=

I'd probably call it A mixolydian less a couple of notes.

I dunno, but if it sounds good, it is good. :shaka:

I should have better explained that the numbers in my description refer to the left hand finger. The actual fret position is relative. I usually play starting on the 5th fret (3rd finger) on the G string, making it a C scale.

Thanks to Jim (and Google), I now know what a mixolydian scale is. But taking his lead, I prefer to call it a C whatever but sounds good pentatonic scale

Bill1 said:

Maybe you could find a fretboard map and work out the notes and then update you OP?

Click to expand...

Standard Pentatonic Minor Scale
String--Fret---Finger-Note
--G------5-------3-----C
--C------3-------1-----D#
--C------5-------3-----F
--E------3-------1-----G
--E------6-------4-----A#
--A------3-------1-----C

My eastern sounding variation
String--Fret---Finger-Note
--G------5-------3-----C
--C------3-------2-----E
--C------5-------3-----F
--E------3-------1-----G
--E------6-------4-----A#
--A------3-------1-----C

Thank you Bill and Ubulele. My music theory is limited to scales and basic chord constructions. Your responses are informative and will motivate me to learn more. Ubulele's comments on fifths help explain the pregnant pauses on the fifth when I fool around with blues riffs.

Wow, I learn so much here. For a while, it's mind boggling, but if I sit and cogitate on it with my uke, geez, what a great theory lesson!