Introduction
Technically, a Pentatonic Scale is any scale with 5 notes. However, when people use the term ‘Pentatonic scale’ they are generally referring to the Major Pentatonic Scale.
The Major Pentatonic Scale is a very consonant & pleasant sounding scale. This is because:
- It is made of stacked Perfect 5th intervals: C, G, D, A, E; and
- It has no semitone intervals between any of the notes.
Arranging the above notes in sequential order gives you the:
- C Major Pentatonic Scale = C, D, E, G, A
They are a good way of avoiding Avoid Notes. And, just like any other pre-existing scale, you can create modes out of the Major Pentatonic Scale by selecting a different root note.
Modes of the Pentatonic Scale
The below table summarises all 5 modes of the Major Pentatonic Scale, each using C as the root.
As I mentioned above, the Pentatonic Scale is often used to avoid Avoid Notes. In the key of C Major, the note ‘F’ (♮11) is an avoid note over the chords CMaj7 and C7; therefore we should avoid using any Pentatonic Scale which has the note ‘F’ in it over these two chords. However, ‘F’ is an available tension over a C7sus and a Cm7, so we can use such a scale over these chords. Similarly, A♭ (♭13) is NOT an available tension over a Cm7, so we cannot use any Pentatonic Scale which has the note A♭ in it over this chord.
| Mode | Major Pentatonic Scale | Notes | Chord | Avoid Note | Blues – Tonic Dominant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C Maj Pent | C D E G A | CMaj7 & C7 | None | C7 (Tonic Dominant -allow♮11) |
| 2 | B♭ Maj Pent | C D F G B♭ | C7sus & Cm7 | F | |
| 3 | A♭ Maj Pent | C E♭ F A♭ B♭ | C7sus | F & A♭ | |
| 4 | F Maj Pent | C D F G A | C7sus & Cm7 | F | |
| 5 | E♭ Maj Pent (C minor Pent) | C E♭ F G B♭ | C7sus & Cm7 | F |
(Aside: The Blues harmony is a little bit different. The ♮11 (F) IS an available tension over a C7 chord in a blues context. This is because Blues is a little bit ‘rougher’ and ‘bluesier’ and so a little bit of dissonance fits the style rather well. This is also because the dominant chord in a Blues does NOT necessarily function as a dominant chord – it can also function as a Tonic Dominant. There will be more on this in future lessons.)
Major Scale Harmony
The C Major Scale contains three naturally occurring Major Pentatonic Scales:
- C Maj Pent – C D E G A
- F Maj Pent – F G A C D
- G Maj Pent – G A B D E
Below is a table summarising the Pentatonic scales which can be used over a II-V-I in C Major. Notice that the G Pentatonic Scale fits over all three chords.
| Chord | Possible Pentatonic Scales | Notes | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dm7 | C Maj Pent | C D E G A | No Avoid Notes |
| F Maj Pent | F G A C D | ||
| G Maj Pent | G A B D E | ||
| G7 | G Maj Pent | G A B D E | C & F Maj Pent have note C (avoid note) |
| D♭ Maj Pent | D♭ E♭ F A♭ B♭ | ||
| CMaj7 | C Maj Pent | C D E G A | F Maj Pent has note F (avoid note) |
| F Maj Pent | F G A C D | ||
| G Maj Pent | G A B D E |
Melodic Minor Harmony
The C melodic minor scale contains one naturally occurring Major Pentatonic Scale:
- F Maj Pent – F G A C D
This scale can thus be used over any chord derived from the key of C melodic minor. This can then be expanded to cover the minor II-V-I (below).
| Chord | Dm7♭5 | G7♭9 | CmMaj7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scale | B♭ Maj Pent | D♭ Maj Pent | F Maj Pent |
Note also that there are other Pentatonic Scales, including but not limited to:
- In-sen Scale
- Dorian ♭2 Pentatonic Scale
- Blues Scale (this is technically a hexatonic scale, actually)
I will cover these in future lessons.
Have a Listen to
- You Are There ~ Johnny Mandel and Dave Frishberg
- Love for Sale ~ Cole Porter
- I Got Rhythm ~ George Gershwin
- Sweet Georgia Brown ~ Ben Bernie & Maceo Pinkard
- Every Blues song ever
- Every McCoy Tyner improvisation
