In Lesson 2 we dealt already briefly with the Major pentatonic scale.

As the name implies (penta = 5) the pentatonic scale is a 5-note scale.
It can be formed from the major scale by simply leaving out the 4th and 7th note.

Audio 6.1

In F major :

Audio 6.2

The minor pentatonic scale uses the same notes as the major pentatonic scale, but has a different tonic note.

The C major pentatonic becomes the A minor pentatonic, simply by starting the scale on the A instead of on the C.

Audio 6.3

Likewise, by starting the F major pentatonic scale on the note D it becomes the D minor pentatonic scale.

Audio 6.4

The Eb major pentatonic becomes the C minor pentatonic scale.

Audio 6.5

The major pentatonic scale has a major sound.
This is for example expressed by the major chord that can be formed on the first note (tonic) of the scale.

Audio 6.6

The minor pentatonic scale on the other hand has a minor sound, reflected by the minor chord that can be formed on the tonic of the scale.

Audio 6.7

Sonnymoon for Two is a 4-bar Blues riff (presumably written by Sonny Rollins) which runs straight down the Minor pentatonic scale.

F Eb C Bb Ab F

Like C Jam Blues, the riff is played three times to cover a complete twelve bar blues chorus.

Melody

Make sure to play offbeat quavers followed by a rest staccato (The F in each 2nd bar on beat 4+).

1.
Play Sonnymoon for Two until you are thoroughly familiar with the melody, and can play it from memory.
Then start improvising using minor pentatonic scale tones only. For good improvisation it is crucial that you keep track of the chord progression, so that you at all times know which chord you are improvising over.

Playing "willy-nilly" up and down the minor pentatonic scale (or Blues scale) without awareness of the chord progression produces rather boring and directionless improvisation. So stay alert and know what is going on. (Even with the minor pentatonic scale you can relate to the chords by focusing on the root and 7th chord tones.)

Try to improvise unaided, or use Rhythm Patterns from previous lessons, or take a rhythm segment from any Jazz tune. Here is the Rhythm Pattern from Sonnymoon for Two.

Melody

2.
Swapping 2s and 4s on the basic blues in F : complete improvisation

• Take 1 (11 choruses) - : I play the first 2 bars of each 4-bar phrase, you play the following 2 bars.

• Take 2 (11 choruses) - : You play the first 2 bars of each 4-bar phrase, I play the following 2 bars.

• Take 3 (11 choruses) - : I play the first 4 bars, you play the following 4 bars.

• Take 4 (11 choruses) - : You play the first 4 bars, I play the following 4 bars.

Improvise using minor pentatonic scale-tones only.     Bossa Nova use straight quavers only.

Bad Man Blues is a Blues in C.
Like Sonnymoon for Two, the melody line consists entirely of minor pentatonic scale tones.

Melody

Note the 3-note 'pick up' (anacrusis = incomplete 1st bar) at the start of the song.
The beats used in the anacrusis are missing in the final bar of the song. The anacrusis plus the final bar together form one complete bar. This way the song can be repeated smoothly, while the time signature and pulse of the beat remain intact.

There are also two quaver triplets in the last phrase.
(Triplet quavers are three notes equally divided over one full beat in a bar.)

You can use the Pentatonic scale Ruler shown below to find the notes of the two pentatonic scales in any key.

Align the Tonic note of the required scale on the Note Names strip with 1 on the appropriate Pentatonic scale strip. Then read of the note names opposite the scale tone numbers.

The example below is aligned to find the notes of the F minor pentatonoic scale.

The F minor pentatonic scale therefore is : F - Ab - Bb - C - Eb - F

A.
Convert the following major pentatonic scales into minor pentatonic scales.

1. G A B D E G
2. D E F# A B D
3. E F# G# B C# E
4. Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb
5. A B C# E F# A
6. Bb C D F G Bb
7. Ab Bb C Eb F Ab
8. B C# D# F# G# B

1. G Bb C D F G
2. Bb Db Eb F Ab Bb
3. E G A B D E
4. B D E F# A B
5. Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb
6. D F G A C D
7. E G A B D E
8. F# A B C# D# F#

1. F ? Bb C Eb F
2. ? Eb F G Bb ?
3. Eb Gb Ab Bb ? Eb
4. A C ? E G A
5. G# B C# D# ? G#
6. C ? ? G Bb C
7. ? G A C D ?
8. ? Db Eb F Ab ?

1. D
2. Db
3. Eb
4. B

1. E
2. Ab
3. A
4. B