The pentatonic scales are a great way to learn how to improvise on the piano. As you might expect from the name, a pentatonic scale has five notes. For example, a C major pentatonic scale consists of C, D, E, G, and A or the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth notes of the major scale. Or for F major, the notes in the pentatonic scale are F, G, A, C, and D. As long as you know your regular major and minor scales, you can always figure out your major and minor pentatonic scales. Learning the formula for the pentatonic scale allows you to put together a wide array of note combinations for your piano improvisation.