Pentatonic means five note scale. Usually, musicians associate the name Pentatonic Scale with the Minor Pentatonic Scale: D, F, G, A, C, when in fact, there is no Pentatonic Scale, per say. Any five note scale is a Pentatonic Scale. The Pentatonic Scales are widely used in popular music all over the world. China, for example often uses: C, D, E, G, A. Japan: A, B, C, E, F. India uses many different ones. Here is one of them: B, C, D, F, G.

As you have certainly noticed, all the examples that I gave, are five notes taken out of the C major scale. This is to show you that you are going to be able to create your own Pentatonic scales out of any of the modes.

The first example is out of the Ionian Scale, and has the same fingering as example #7 and #9. This shows you the possibility of playing through three modes at the same time! Example #2 has no third, you could use it over some Major or Minor chords. Example #4 has no third, but it has a Dominant seventh, you will use it over Dominant seventh chords or Minor seventh chords, etc.

FROM THE MIXOLYDIAN MODE (MAJOR PENTATONIC) (Audio Clip)

FROM THE MIXOLYDIAN MODE (MAJOR PENTATONIC) (Audio Clip)

FROM THE AEOLIAN MODE (MINOR PENTATONIC) (Audio Clip)

FROM THE AEOLIAN MODE (MINOR PENTATONIC) (Audio Clip)

FROM THE LOCRIAN MODE (MINOR PENTATONIC) (Audio Clip)

FROM THE LOCRIAN MODE (MINOR PENTATONIC) (Audio Clip)

The Blues Scale

The Blues Scale is not really a scale. It is only a Minor Pentatonic with a chromatic note passing (G#) between the fourth and the fifth. D, F, G, G#, A, C, D. You can play this scale over the blues in D. In this case, over the first chord, D7, the F plays the role of a sharp ninth. For that matter, you could instead put the chromatic note between the seventh and octave (C#), or even both!

THE BLUES SCALE (Audio Clip)

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