The pentatonic scale<\/strong> is especially popular in the folk music of various cultures as well as in blues and rock music. But what do you need the pentatonic scale<\/strong> for? And how can you best use it? Just read on \u2013 we have answers to all your questions on this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n First of all, it\u2019s important to know that there are two main types of pentatonic scale:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While these are the two main types of pentatonic scales, in theory you can start a pentatonic scale on any note and use different combinations of intervals. This means there are many different \u201cpentatonic\u201d scales, depending on how you choose the five notes. However, the major and minor pentatonic scales described above are the best known and the most commonly used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you consider every possible starting note on a piano<\/strong> (or any other chromatic instrument), however, there are 12 major pentatonic scales<\/strong> and 12 minor pentatonic scales<\/strong> \u2013 one for each note. Regardless of the starting note, these scales keep their characteristic interval structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The difference is actually quite simple: the pentatonic scale<\/strong> is just missing 2 notes that occur in the diatonic scale<\/strong>. What\u2019s interesting is that it\u2019s exactly these 2 notes that create the tension that is sometimes desired in a diatonic context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a C major scale, the notes would be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C<\/p>\n\n\n\n The major pentatonic scale contains the notes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n C, D, E, G, A, C<\/p>\n\n\n\n The notes F and B are left out. Depending on how intervals are built and chords are formed, it\u2019s precisely these 2 notes that create tension. Take a look \u2013 the graphic shows the difference once more:<\/p>\n\n\n Here\u2019s an overview of the key points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The minor pentatonic scale<\/strong> and the blues scale<\/strong> are both very popular in blues and rock music. However, there is one crucial difference in the notes they contain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As described above, the pentatonic scale<\/strong> contains 5 notes. The blues scale<\/strong> adds one more note<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So the main difference between the two scales is this additional \u201cblue note<\/strong>\u201d in the blues scale<\/strong>. This note gives the scale a characteristic \u201cdirty\u201d or \u201cbluesy\u201d sound that is typical of the blues. It\u2019s this special note that creates the characteristic plaintive or \u201cbittersweet\u201d tone of the blues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using the blue note<\/strong> takes a lot of practice and a good ear. As a musician, you need to know exactly where this note sounds \u201cblue\u201d \u2013 and where it simply sounds wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a look \u2013 here you can see the difference between the C minor pentatonic scale<\/strong> and the blues scale<\/strong> based on it:<\/p>\n\n\n If you\u2019ve ever walked into a traditional Chinese restaurant, you\u2019ve probably noticed the rather uniform music playing in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pentatonic scale<\/strong> plays a central role in traditional Chinese music<\/strong>. Many traditional Chinese instruments are tuned to this scale, and the pentatonic structure runs through much of Chinese folk music and the classical repertoire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chinese pentatonic scale often differs somewhat from Western pentatonic scales, but the basic concept of using a scale of five main notes remains the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The traditional Chinese pentatonic scale<\/strong> usually consists of the notes that, when transferred to a Western piano, correspond to the black keys<\/strong>: F#, G#, A#, C#, and D#. These notes correspond to the five main tones in many parts of traditional Chinese music, although there can be various regional and stylistic variations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also important to note that while the pentatonic scale<\/strong> dominates Chinese music, this doesn\u2019t mean that only these five notes are used. There are many examples of traditional Chinese music that go beyond the limits of the pentatonic scale, especially in certain regional styles or in modern and contemporary Chinese music.<\/p>\n\n\n In modal jazz, as in popular music in general, musicians often experiment with pentatonic scales. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re playing over a Dm7 chord (D minor 7) in a jazz tune. The standard minor pentatonic scale used over this chord consists of the notes D, F, G, A, and C. Now there\u2019s a trick that jazz musicians use: they simply play the minor pentatonic scale one interval higher. So it\u2019s again a minor pentatonic scale with the same intervals, but in terms of functional harmony, it produces different notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Complicated? It only sounds that way. \ud83d\ude42 In relation to the Dm7 chord, this pentatonic scale has the following intervals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this example, we suddenly get a new note that wasn\u2019t used in the original pentatonic scale: the ninth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So when you improvise over a minor chord, you have the option of playing the minor pentatonic scale<\/p>\n\n\n\n This instantly gives you a slightly different color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Hands](\"https:\/\/zapiano.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/09\/pentatonic-scale-piano-hands.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe different types of pentatonic scales<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What is the difference between a diatonic scale and the pentatonic scale?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/zapiano.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/09\/c-major-scale-vs-c-major-pentatonic-scale.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nDiatonic scale<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Pentatonic scale<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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In summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Open](\"https:\/\/zapiano.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/09\/pentatonic-scale-sheet-music-grand-piano.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe difference between the pentatonic scale and the blues scale<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/zapiano.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/09\/c-minor-pentatonic-scale.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/zapiano.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/09\/c-blues-scale.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe pentatonic scale in Far Eastern music<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"What](\"https:\/\/zapiano.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/09\/what-is-the-pentatonic-scale.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe pentatonic scale in jazz<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If, for example, the underlying chord is a Dm chord, then in theory you would use the D minor pentatonic scale. You could also enrich it with the blue note, but many jazz musicians quickly find this boring, because there is hardly any interplay between tension and release. Jazz thrives on notes that are \u201cout.\u201d That\u2019s what makes this music really interesting. The jazz musician\u2019s goal is to find the ideal balance between notes that are \u201cout\u201d and notes that sound pleasant (consonant).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In terms of functional harmony, these notes are:
D \u2013 root
F \u2013 minor third
G \u2013 perfect fourth
A \u2013 perfect fifth
C \u2013 minor seventh
In this case, the blue note would be Ab (G#), the diminished fifth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To play this minor pentatonic scale a fifth higher, you transpose the notes D, F, G, A, and C up a fifth. A fifth above D is A. So if you play the minor pentatonic scale a fifth higher over the Dm7 chord, you get the notes A, C, D, E, and G.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Order your free Piano Starter 1 trial lesson here!<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"