Strange Uses for Pentatonic Scales
When I started studying jazz a few years ago, I learned that I can use pentatonic scales over different root notes to capture tonalities of chords without using the entire 7-note scale associated with each chord. Playing a major pentatonic starting on the b3 of a minor chord, resulting in the minor pentatonic, is the simplest example. Starting on the 5 or the 2 of a maj7 chord results in 5 6 7 2 3 or 2 3 #4 6 7, respectively, both quite consonant while excluding the root.
Until recently, those were the only applications I knew of. I assumed there were others, so I decided to explore. I made a list of what notes would come up when playing a major pentatonic on each of the 12 notes relative to the root. Anything that looks immediately useful in jazz harmony is starred.
- * 1 2 3 5 6
- b2 b3 4 b6 b7
- * 2 3 #4 6 7
- * b3 4 5 b7 1
- * 3 #4 #5 7 b2
- * 4 5 6 1 2
- * b5 b6 b7 b2 b3
- * 5 6 7 2 3
- b6 b7 1 b3 4
- * 6 7 b2 3 #4
- * b7 1 2 4 5
- 7 b2 b3 b5 b6
The examples I gave earlier are in there, as well as minor pentatonic (b3 4 5 b7 1). I find the one starting on the b5 particularly interesting (b5 b6 b7 b2 b3). Played over a dominant 7 chord, it can be rewritten as b5 #5 b7 b9 #9, containing both altered 5s and both altered 9s, good for altered sounds or b5 substitutions. Although not traditionally consonant, I also starred 3 #4 #5 7 b2 and 6 7 b2 3 #4 because I find that these sometimes don't sound bad over maj7 chords.
I figured I should do the same thing with the other pentatonic scale, 1 2 3 5 b7.
- * 1 2 3 5 b7
- b2 b3 4 b6 7
- * 2 3 #4 6 1
- b3 4 5 b7 b2
- * 3 #4 #5 7 2
- * 4 5 6 1 b3
- * #4 #5 b7 b2 3
- * 5 6 7 2 4
- * b6 b7 1 b3 b5
- 6 7 b2 3 5
- b7 1 2 4 b6
- 7 b2 b3 #4 6
If that one with the altered 5s and altered 9s bothered you because it excluded the 3, fear not. Your savior has come in the form of #4 #5 b7 b2 3, or b5 #5 b7 b9 3, again straight out of the b5 substitution.
So, the limits of major pentatonic over major chords and minor pentatonic over minor chords no longer apply. Now I can use any of the 24 pentatonics above over all sorts of different chords.
Ed (19 Feb 2008 at 4:29am)
Hey man.
I love your blog. Superimposing pentatonics over jazz chords is important. But surely it's easier just to remember what sounds good over what - (eg - play minor pentatonic off the 5 over a m7). Aren't these enormous blocks of numbers a bit unwieldy...? I certainly know my brain could never handle this stuff in a solo situation...
Joe (19 Feb 2008 at 8:25am)
> Aren’t these enormous blocks of numbers a bit unwieldy…?
Absolutely. The blocks of numbers are only there for a reference. The player can do what he will with them. My approach is to learn the useful ones one at a time. And, like you said, I'd rather not view it as "play scale A starting on degree B." Instead, if I choose to play 2 3 #4 6 7 over a maj7 chord (and I already know how that will sound), I know that it will fall into a familiar pentatonic fingering. The charts are just exploring where else I can fall into that familiar fingering.
Thanks for reading.