Pentatonic Superimposition

by Lucien LaMotte
Using Pentatonic Scales with:
Tri-Tone Subs
Lydian b7
Blues
Parallel Harmony
Voice-Leading Scales

I. Major to Minor Pentatonic

12356 over the I chord (ex. C major pentatonic = CDEGA)
12b356 over the IV chord (ex. C minor6 pentatonic – CDEbGA)
One note changes 3 to b3

II. Minor Pentatonic from the 5th

Minor Pentatonic up a fifth from Dominant chord
(ex. Over C7 use Gminor Pentatonic)

III. Minor Pentatonic from the b3

Over Altered Dominant chord use the major pentatonic a tri-tone away, which is the same as a
minor pentatonic up a minor 3rd.
(Ex. C7alt = Gb7#11 use the Lydian b7 which contains a Gb major pentatonic/Eb minor
pentatonic)
When moving from the I chord to IV play the major pentatonic a tri-tone away from the I chord
and then move a half step down and use a major pentatonic over the IV chord.

IV. Over a minor 7 chord, use a minor pentatonic from the 5th of the chord.
(ex. Cm7 = G minor pentatonic GBbCDF)
In a ii-V use the minor pentatonic from the 5th of the ii chord and use the minor pentatonic up a
minor 3rd from the V chord. The pentatonics will move chromatically.
(ex. Dm7-G7 = A minor Pentatonic to Bb minor Pentatonic. In a ii-V-I use the same concept, but
over the I chord use the pentatonic scale a half step below the root for a Lydian sound)

V. Reharmonizing the Blues using chromatic ii-V’s

Over a Blues in bar 6 like in a Charlie Parker Blues. Over the ii chord use a minor pentatonic
from the root. Move the pentatonics down chromatically.
(Ex. Bbm7-Eb7-Am7-D7-Abm7-Db7-Gm7-C7 = Bb minor pentatonic, A minor pentatonic, Ab
minor pentatonic, G minor pentatonic)

VI. Minor Pentatonic from the 5th of the ii chord in chromatic ii-V sequence
Over a Blues in bar 6 like in a Charlie Parker Blues. Over the ii chord use a minor pentatonic
from the 5th of the chord.
(Ex. Bbm7-Eb7-Am7-D7-Abm7-Db7-Gm7-C7 = F minor pentatonic, E minor pentatonic, Eb minor
pentatonic, D minor pentatonic)
Over the V7alt, replace it with a Tri-Tone ii-V (ex. C7alt = Dbm7-Gb7, play the Db minor
pentatonic scale)

VII. Minor Pentatonic and Minor6 the Pentatonic

Over the I chord play minor pentatonic from the root and over the IV chord play minor6
pentatonic up a 5th.
(ex. C7 = C minor Pentatonic CEbFGBb to F7 = Cm6 Pentatonic CEbFGA)

VIII. Blues sound and Tri-Tone ii-V’s

Moving from I to IV in a Blues, over I7 use Minor Pentatonic from the root. Over I7alt as in bar 4
of the Blues use a tri-tone ii-V sub and play a minor pentatonic from the root of the ii chord
then in bar 5 play a minor pentatonic from the 5th of the Dominant chord.
(ex. C7alt-F7 = Dbm7-Gb7-F7 use Db minor Pentatonic then over the ii-V and over F7 use C
minor Pentatonic)

IX. Lydian Major Pentatonic

Use the Major Pentatonic replaced with a b5 from the root of the Dominant chord.
(ex. C7 = C Lydian Major Pentatonic CDEGbA) basically the Major Pentatonic with the Blues
note)
Also called a Minor6 Pentatonic

Coltrane Patterns

Over Major and Dominant type chords use = 1235

Over Minor type chords use = 1b345
Over Minor7b5 chords use = 1b34b5
(Ex. C Major 7 or C7 = CDEG, C Minor 7 = CEbFG, C Minor 7b5 = 1b34b5)

Combine the patterns with their chord arpeggios

Also use the Coltrane Patterns from the 5th of the chord:

Over Major type chords use the major pattern = 1235 from the 5th = 5679
Over Dominant type chords use the minor pattern = 1b345 from the 5th = 5b719
Over Minor type chords use the minor pattern = 1b345 from the 5th = 5b719

Use the Major Coltrane pattern from the 3rd over a Major 7#5 chord which is the bIIImaj#5 of
the Melodic Minor Scale.
(ex. C Major 7#5 = E major EF#G#B 3#11#57)

Use the Major Coltrane pattern from the #5/b6 over an Altered Dominant chord. Melodic
Minor up a half step from the root = Super Locrian over the Dominant.
(ex. Gb7alt. = D Major DEF#A b13b71#9)