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.