* Major pentatonic scale (root on C)
If we had to define a pentatonic scale, we would say it is a five-note scale: five distinct pitches contained within the span from the root to its octave. Any scale that meets that premise can be called pentatonic. We find pentatonic scales in the most varied styles of music, from Chinese folk pieces to Scottish folklore, and throughout the entire history of rock and roll. In Eastern music these scales have played an important role for centuries.
In any case, we can find pentatonic scales in passages by Maurice Ravel or Claude Debussy, in Jimi Hendrix solos, in Jaco Pastorius lines, and in most heavy metal solos.
We should point out that although we speak of pentatonic scales, there are many kinds: Hirajoshi, Kumoi, diminished, Phrygian or Mixolydian pentatonic, major, minor. In other words, they contain five notes but at different intervallic distances from one another.
In this chapter we will take an in-depth look at the two best known in Western music: the major pentatonic and the minor pentatonic scales.
The Intervals
The interval structure of the major pentatonic scale is as follows.
C D E G A
R 9 3 5 6
The interval structure of the minor pentatonic scale is as follows.
C Eb F G Bb
R b3 11 5 b7
* Minor pentatonic scale (root on E)
We can easily see that the major and minor scales share the same patterns, but in such a way that the root of the major scale becomes the b3 of the minor. Likewise, the root of the minor pentatonic is the 6th of the major pentatonic. This is because the minor scale is the relative of the major key, with the minor pentatonic sitting a step and a half below the major. I imagine there's nothing especially new so far for those who have been working with them for some time.
But let's get to the more interesting part, which is the application and uses of these scales.
Uses of the Pentatonic Scales
One of the most common and best-known uses of pentatonic scales is over blues and rock and roll progressions. In a blues in the key of A we could use either the minor or the major pentatonic, although the minor pentatonic is the more popular choice here. But to dig deeper into how these scales are used, let's look at the four most common types of chords:
Major and maj7 chords, minor and m7 chords
Dominant 7 chords
Minor 7 flat 5 chords, m7b5
To keep things as clear as possible, we'll always work over chords with C as the root. Below each scale name you'll find its notes and the interval each one forms against the chord.
Whenever we refer to the major pentatonic scale, we can also think of the minor pentatonic a step and a half lower. That means that wherever I can use C major pentatonic I can use A minor pentatonic, and vice versa, since they contain the same notes. One clarification first: the interval labels are chosen to reflect the tension each note creates over the chord, which usually goes along with the chord, rather than the actual interval it forms with the root of the scale. So over a dominant chord you may find a #9 instead of a b3.
C Major and Cmaj7
As a first step, we can use the major pentatonic of the chord itself as well as the ones from its 4th and 5th, that is:
Cmaj7-----------C Major Pentatonic (A Minor Pentatonic)
C D E G A
R 9 3 5 6
Cmaj7-----------F Major Pentatonic (D Minor Pentatonic)
F G A C D
11 5 6 R 9
Cmaj7-----------G Major Pentatonic (E Minor Pentatonic)
G A B D E
5 6 maj7 9 3
As we can see, the result is notes that are also contained in the Ionian scale, which is the one that belongs to this chord.
Let's Look at Some Other Sounds
Cmaj7-----------D Major Pentatonic (B Minor Pentatonic)
D E F# A B
9 3 #11 6 maj7
The result is a Lydian sound that gives us the major character of the resulting intervals but, above all, the #11.
Here are more options that push the sound of the chord. Depending on how you use them, they can work better or worse, since they use notes that can sound too tense or harsh over the chord. The ideal may be not to stay on the scale for long and to treat it as a passing scale. In this case the result is one of constant tension, and it is used a great deal for playing outside.
Cmaj7-----------Db Major Pentatonic (Bb Minor Pentatonic)
Db Eb F Ab Bb
b9 b3 11 b13 b7
Another interesting option for playing outside, but always as a passing scale.
Cmaj7-----------A Major Pentatonic (F# Minor Pentatonic)
A B C# E F#
6 maj7 b9 5 #11
C Minor and Cm7
First we'll use the minor pentatonic of the chord itself as well as those from the 2nd, 4th and 5th of the chord, that is:
Cm7-----------C Minor Pentatonic (Eb Major Pentatonic)
C Eb F G Bb
R b3 11 5 b7
Cm7-----------D Minor Pentatonic (F Major Pentatonic) Dorian sound
D F G A C
9 11 5 6 R
Cm7-----------F Minor Pentatonic (Ab Major Pentatonic) Aeolian sound
F Ab Bb C Eb
11 b13 b7 R b3
Cm7-----------G Minor Pentatonic (Bb Major Pentatonic)
G Bb C D F
5 b7 R 9 11
Everything up to here stays within the diatonic realm. Next we'll explore some other possibilities. For playing outside, here are three options that are a classic of modern guitar vocabulary. They consist of playing the pentatonic a half step above the root of the chord, a step and a half above, and a step and a half below. Important: remember, always as a passing scale.
Cm7-----------C# Minor Pentatonic (E Major Pentatonic)
C# E F# G# B
b9 3 #11 #5 maj7
Cm7-----------Eb Minor Pentatonic (Gb Major Pentatonic)
Eb Gb Ab Bb Db
b3 #11 b13 b7 b9
Cm7-----------A Minor Pentatonic (C Major Pentatonic)
A C D E G
13 R 9 3 5
As you can see, these uses break numerous rules. As we've said, what we're after is creating strong dissonance and then resolving properly into scales that do contain notes of the chord and of the mode we're playing over.
C7 or Dominant
Over a dominant chord we can use the pentatonic from many different scale degrees. With some, it works only as a passing scale, resolving to an option made of chord tones.
C7-----------C Major Pentatonic (A Minor Pentatonic)
C D E G A
R 9 3 5 6
C7-----------F Major Pentatonic (D Minor Pentatonic)
F G A C D
11 5 6 R 9
C7-----------Eb Major Pentatonic (C Minor Pentatonic)
Eb F G Bb C
#9 11 5 b7 R
C7-----------Gb Major Pentatonic (Eb Minor Pentatonic)
(Altered sound, 7th mode of melodic minor)
Gb Ab Bb Db Eb
#11 b13 b7 b9 #9
C7-----------Db Major Pentatonic (Bb Minor Pentatonic)
Db Eb F Ab Bb
b9 #9 11 #5 b7
C7-----------Ab Major Pentatonic (F Minor Pentatonic)
Ab Bb C Eb F
#5 b7 R #9 11
C7-----------Bb Major Pentatonic (G Minor Pentatonic)
Bb C D F G
b7 R 9 11 5
Cm7b5 or Half-Diminished
For this type of chord, with its Locrian sound, we have the following scales.
Cm7b5-----------Eb Minor Pentatonic (Gb Major Pentatonic)
Eb Gb Ab Bb Db
b3 b5 b13 b7 b9
Cm7b5-----------F Minor Pentatonic (Ab Major Pentatonic)
F Ab Bb C Eb
11 b13 b7 R b3
Cm7b5-----------Bb Minor Pentatonic (Db Major Pentatonic)
Bb Db Eb F Ab
b7 b9 b3 11 b13
To practice these uses, the ideal is to have a sequencer where you can hear the chords and experiment with the sounds that using one scale or another creates. Try to find paths that make it easy to use the scales when moving from one chord to the next.
This is one of the many examples I work with my students.
| Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
A Minor Pentatonic Bb Minor Pentatonic B Minor Pentatonic
As you can see, with a simple half-step shift we create different and interesting sounds over the chords.
One of the most useful and practical options when working with the pentatonic scales is to harmonize them, that is, to build chord structures from the notes that make up the pentatonic scale.
In this case we have harmonized the A minor pentatonic scale. The result is a series of shapes (I've picked these five, but there are many others) that create different polychords. This depends on the tensions that arise between the pentatonic chord we play and the bass note or chord we are playing over.
The first pentatonic chord over a Cmaj7 gives us a Cmaj7 (13)
The second pentatonic chord over a Cmaj7 gives us a Cmaj7 (9, 13)
The third pentatonic chord over a Cmaj7 gives us a Cmaj7 (9, 13)
The fourth pentatonic chord over a Cmaj7 gives us a Cmaj7 (9)
The fifth pentatonic chord over a Cmaj7 gives us a Cmaj7 (9, 13)
The possibilities with pentatonic scales are many, whether for improvisation, harmonization or composition. The ideal is to experiment for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Rather than trying to keep every option and use in mind, it's better to hold on to the ones you like best, so the new alternatives become part of your own musical language.
I hope what we've covered so far helps you create your music. If you have any questions, you can contact me through the magazine.