Use of Pentatonic Scales

Pentatonic scales generally work as subsets of more “complete” scales. For example, within a C major
scale can be found all the notes of a C pentatonic, an F pentatonic, and a G pentatonic. Within a C
melodic minor scale can be found all the notes of an F pentatonic. Within a C blues scale can be found
all the notes of a C minor pentatonic, and within a C major blues scale can be found all the notes of a C
pentatonic.

Pentatonics can be found on I, IV, and V of a major scale.

A pentatonic can be found on IV of a melodic minor scale.
A pentatonic can be found on I of a major blues scale.
A minor pentatonic can be found on I of a blues scale.

Wherever major, melodic minor, or blues scales are appropriate for improvisation, the corresponding
“subset” pentatonics may also work. There is a problem, however, which arises only with the
pentatonics generated by a major scale (I, IV, and V). When a pentatonic scale contains a note which
is a non-chord tone and which lies a half-step above a chord tone, that scale will not work for that
chord (because it will cause an unresolved tension). For example, when using a C major scale over a
Cmaj7, we would reject the F pentatonic because the note F is not a chord tone of Cmaj7 and it lies a
half-step above a chord tone (E). We would accept the C pentatonic even though the note C lies a
half-step above a chord tone (B), because C is itself a chord tone. We would accept the G pentatonic,
of course, because there are no half-step relationships at all.

By their very nature, most-consonant scales avoid such half-step problems: every note is either a chord
tone or a whole-step above a chord tone. For this reason, all subset pentatonics generated by most
consonant scales will work. This applies to all major scales which are being used as most-consonant
scales, and it applies to all melodic minors which are being used as most-consonant scales. But then,
melodic minor scales always appear as most-consonant scales: so the subset pentatonic of a melodic
minor (IV) will always work.

Finally, any consideration of half-step clashes can be put aside when the generating scale is of a blues
type (major or minor), because this is a sound in which such clashes are more inherent. When deciding
whether or not to evaluate half-step problems, then, use the following guidelines:

Half-step problems may occur when the generating scale is a major scale functioning as the key.
Half-step problems do not occur in melodic minor scales, major blues or minor blues scales, or in
major
scales which are functioning as most-consonant scales. They also don’t occur in a major scale
which, while functioning as the key, also happens to be the most-consonant scale.
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Let’s consider the ways in which pentatonics work with dominant 7ths. Study the following three
chord progressions which contain G7.

1) D-7 G7 Cmaj7 (the G7 is V in C major)

2) D-7b5 G7 C- (the G7 is V in C minor)
3) Ab-7 G7 Gbmaj7 (the G7 is bII in Gb major)

In all three cases, we are looking for pentatonic-generating scales - i.e., major, melodic minor, and
blues scales. In case 1), we can consider C major, D melodic minor, Ab melodic minor, C major
blues, and C minor blues as possibilities for G7. The Ab melodic minor results from applying a b9 and
b13 to the chord: this is a freedom we can take with a V in a major key. The only scale which
functions as the key in this case is C major; so we must evaluate the half-step problems presented by
its subset pentatonics (C, F, and G). We reject both C and F pentatonic because they contain the note
C, which is not a G7 chord tone and which lies a half-step above a chord tone (B). That leaves only G
pentatonic, which presents no half-step problems. D melodic minor is a most-consonant scale, so we
know that its subset pentatonic must work. It turns out to be the G pentatonic, which we already
found. Ab melodic minor (another most-consonant scale) generates the Db pentatonic. C major blues
generates the C pentatonic. Note that we rejected this scale when it was generated by the C major
scale: now we know that it works in spite of the half-step problem. C blues scale generates the C
minor pentatonic.

In case 2), we find only Ab melodic minor and C blues to be good pentatonic-generating choices for
the G7. Here the G7 is V in C minor, so we wouldn’t consider C major to begin with, nor would we
consider C major blues scale. Also because it’s in a minor key, the chord carries an implied b9 and
b13, so D melodic minor is not appropriate. Again, Ab melodic minor generates Db pentatonic, and
the C blues scale generates C minor pentatonic.

In case 3), our pentatonic generators are D melodic minor, Gb major blues, and Gb blues. D melodic
minor again generates G pentatonic. Gb major blues gives us Gb pentatonic, and Gb blues yields Gb
minor pentatonic. It may seem strange that both G pentatonic and Gb pentatonic both work here.
Play and compare them: there’s certainly no confusing them with each other! The G pentatonic is a
nice “safe” choice: everything fits. The Gb pentatonic will sound dissonant when taken out of context;
but use it over the entire Ab-7 G7 Gbmaj7 progression (as well as its generator, the Gb major blues
scale) and you’ll hear how it works.

When we ignore the blues-generated pentatonics, an interesting pattern emerges: if the G7 is unaltered
we use a G pentatonic (a pentatonic built on the root). Whether we consider the G pentatonic to be
generated by the C major scale or the D melodic minor scale is irrelevant: the result is the same. If the
G7 is altered (either because of its minor-key context or just because we wanted that color), we use a
Db pentatonic (a pentatonic built a tritone away). One might even say that we are treating that G7 as
a Db7 (the tritone substitute) and using a pentatonic on the root of the substitute! So the dominant 7th
“rule” (again, ignoring the blues-generated pentatonics) is:

For an unaltered dominant 7, build a pentatonic on the root.

For an altered dominant 7, build a pentatonic a tritone away from the root.
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Take the “A” Train - Pentatonic Scale Choices

Chord Cmaj7 D7
Analysis I-C V of V - G
Key C major: C, G G major: D
MCS G major: G, C, D A mm: D
Major blues C: C C: C
Blues C: Cm C: Cm
1st ending
Chord D-7 G7 Cmaj7 A7 D-7 G7
Analysis II - C V-C I-C V of II - Dm (see bars 5, 6)
Key C major: C, F, G C major: G C major: C, G Dm: no pent.
MCS C major: C, F, G Dmm: G or G major: G, C, D Bbmm: Eb
Abmm: Db
Major blues C: C C: C C: C C: C
Blues C: Cm C: Cm C: Cm C: Cm
2nd ending Bridge
Chord Cmaj7 G-7 C7 Fmaj7
Analysis I-C II of IV - F V of IV - F IV - C
Key C major: C, G F major: F, Bb, C F major: C C major: C, F, G
MCS G major: G, C, D F major: F, Bb, C Gmm: C or C major: C, F, G
Dbmm: Gb
Major blues C: C C: C C: C C: C
Blues C: Cm C: Cm C: Cm C: Cm

Chord D7 D-7 G7
Analysis (see bar 3) (see bar 5) (see bar 6)
Key
MCS

Major blues
Blues
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Our entire discussion of pentatonics up to this point can be summarized as the “subset approach”, in
which we use pentatonics generated by more “complete” scales. There is another use of these scales,
however, which can be referred to as the “outside” approach; it can be heard most effectively in the
playing of the innovative jazz pianist McCoy Tyner. Ironically, in this approach we choose a
pentatonic specifically because it is not a subset of the normal scale! It causes tension, which is
usually resolved by the subsequent use of a more “normal” scale. This approach is tailor-made for
modal progressions, where one chord is often in effect for an extended duration.

Chord D-7 D-7 D-7

Pentatonics D minor pent. any other pentatonic, especially those which back to the
(“inside” choice) differ considerably from D minor pentatonic, inside choice:
such as Eb, Ab, B, and F# pentatonics D minor pent.

The tension which is produced by these “outside” scales must be resolved smoothly. This often
involves step-wise movement at the “seams” between the scales. In the above example, resolve the
note Bb (part of the Eb pentatonic, for example) to A as you come back “inside”; don’t jump from the
Bb down to D or F. Also, it may help at first to resolve at a rhythmically predictable place - namely, at
the beginning of a new measure.