Jazzing up the Pentatonic

I am going to look at using the minor pentatonic in a "jazzier" way, over a dominant seven chord.

First, let's look at the chord - C7

Notes
C - E - G - Bb

You can play the standard minor pentatonic (C-Eb-F-G-Bb) over this, and you are adding two color tones - the #9 (Eb) and the 11th (F). This is the standard "blues" sound.

Now, if you take the minor pentatonic, and root in D you get the following scale - C-D-F-G-A which gives the following color tones, 9 (D), 11 (F), and 13 (A). This is a good "outside" sound, without adding much tension.

Now if you want tension, take it up another half step, to Eb. Your scale is now C#-Eb-F#-G#-Bb. This creates tension because it add the following "altered" tensions - b9, #9, b5, #5. This is a nice little departure in a solo, because of the tension it adds. You can use this scale in place of the altered dominant (Super Locrian) scale.

Now, for a little scale I derived. I don't know who invented it, but I like how it adds passing notes (chromaticism).
I call this the Bebop Blues Scale, and it goes something like this- C-Eb-F-F#-G-Bb-B.

I know this isn't a pentatonic, but it lays nicely on the fretboard.
Here it is depicted graphically.
- 7 8 - - 11 -
- - 8 - - 11 -
- - 8 - 10 11 -
- - 8 9 10 - -
- - 8 9 10 - -
- 7 8 - -11 -

This add the Bebop Dominant Passing Note (B (maj7)) and the blue note F# (b5).

My two cents

Navigating the ii-V-I (part 2)

A little more ii-V-I

Let's look at the minor ii-V-I, which is:

ii(m7b5) - V (or V(alt)) - i

Let's go to the key of A minor

For the Bm7b5, you can play:
D minor pentatonic
E minor pentatonic
A minor pentatonic

For E7 you can play:
F# minor pentatonic
B minor pentatonic
C# minor pentatonic

Or if you are playing an altered E7 (with either a b9, #9, b5, or #5)
G minor pentatonic minor
D minor pentatonic

For the Am7
A minor pentatonic
B minor pentatonic
D minor pentatonic
E minor pentatonic

As you can see, you can play a D minor pentatonic over the whole progression if you are using the V(alt). You could also use the D minor pentatonic over a standard V(dominant 7) to create tension.

My recommended progression for the ii-V-i (in A) would be:
D minor pentatonic - B minor pentatonic - A minor pentatonic

Over the ii-V(alt)-i, it would be:
D minor pentatonic - G minor pentatonic - A minor pentatonic

Two cents

Navigating the ii-V-I (part 1)

OK, let's apply some of this pentatonic stuff.

Here is a very traditional progression
ii-V-I

So in the key of C, that is:
Dm7-G7-Cmaj7

1st option - Play it with one scale

Use the D minor pentatonic

The scale over the ii is D-F-G-A-C (1-b3-4-5-b7)
Over the V is G-A-C-D-F (1-2-4-5-b7)
Over the I is C-D-F-G-A (1-2-4-5-6)

Or A minor pentatonic

Over the ii is D-E-G-A-C (1-2-4-5-b7)
Over the V is G-A-C-D-E (1-2-4-5-6)
Over the I is C-D-E-G-A (1-2-3-5-6)

Or the E minor pentatonic
Over the ii is D-E-G-A-B (1-2-4-5-6)
Over the V is G-A-B-D-E (1-2-3-5-6)
Over the I is D-E-G-A-B (2(9)-3-5-6-7)

In jazz, it is common to play the Dorian mode over the ii, the Mixolydian mode over the V, and the Ionian or Lydian mode over the I. So here are all of the minor pentatonics you can use over this progression.

Dm7
D
E
A

G7
A
D
E

Cmaj7
D
E
A
B (Lydian)

For a little more "jazziness" try this over the ii-V-I (Roots in bold, #4 in red)

D minor pentatonic -
-10--13-
-10--13-
-10-12--
-10-12--
-10-12--
-10--13-

D minor pentatonic (remember G is the root)
-10--13-
-10--13-
-10-12--
-10-12--
-10-12--
-10--13-

B minor pentatonic
-7--10-
-7--10-
-7-9--
-7-9--
-7-9--
-7--10-

2 cents

Pentatonic Substitutions

Here is a quick list of where you can use various pentatonics.

I will put down a type of seventh chord, and what degree of the scale you can start a minor pentatonic. Hopefully this will make a little more sense as I move along.

Major Seventh (R - 3- 5- 7)
2nd
3rd
6th
7th

For example, if you are playing over a Cmaj7, you can play a minor pentatonic rooted on the D, E, A, and B. The pentatonic built on the 7th degree has a #4 for a lydian feel.

Minor Seventh (R -b3 - 5 - b7)
1st
2nd
4th
5th
b7th

The pentatonic on built on the b7th contains the b2, for the Phrygian feel.

Dominant Seventh (R - 3 - 5 - b7)
2nd
5th
6th

If you notice, you can use the pentatonic based on the 2nd for all of those chords. This happens to be the neutral pentatonic (1 -2 - 4 -5 -6).

Now for a few more "exotic" chords
Altered dominant 7 (alt)
b3rd
4th
b7th

Minor 7 b5
b3rd
4th
b7th

As you can see, the same pentatonics can be played over these chords.

minor 6th or minor/major 7 (melodic minor)
2nd

Well, that's my 2 cents for today.

Modal Pentatonics

We talked about what pentatonics are (and why I like them). Let's look at some application.

I will consider the traditional minor pentatonic the first mode.

First mode
Root - b3rd - 4 - 5- b7

This is the traditional minor pentatonic, the one you hear a million times. You can play this in place of the following modes.
Dorian (best place), Phrygian (not recommended), Mixolydian (b3rd as blue note), and Aeolian (natural minor)

Second mode (start on second note (b3rd) of minor pentatonic)
Root - second - third - fifth - sixth
This is the traditional major pentatonic. Play this in place of
Ionian (major), Lydian (not recommended), and Mixolydian

Third mode (start on third note (4th) of minor pentatonic)
Root - second - fourth - fifith - b7th
I will call this the neutral dominant pentatonic. You can use this in place of
Dorian, Mixolydian

Fourth mode (start on 4th note (5th) of minor pentatonic)
Root - b3rd - 4th - b6th - b7th
I will call this the natural minor pentatonic. Use in place of
Phrygian (still not recommended), Aeolian, and Locrian

Fifth mode (start on 5th note (b7th) of minor pentatonic)
Root - 2nd - 4th - 5th - 6th
This is a truly neutral pentatonic, no third or seventh. Use in place of
Ionian, Dorian, Mixolydian, and if you want to get saucy melodic minor.

I figured out why I like music theory, it is kind of like math.

My two cents.

Why I like pentatonics

Wow, this blog took a U-Turn.

That's ok, guitar gives me much more joy than politics ever did.

Why do I like pentatonics?
1. On a finger speed/dexterity scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being John Petrucci/Yngwie Malmsteen, and 1 being the drummer from Def Lepard, I am about a 3. I like the two notes per string.
2. Angular...not quite jazzy as far as scales go.
3. One scale can fit several modes (I will talk about this on another day).
4. Very versatile...for more info Pentatonic Khancepts by Steve Kahn really opened my eyes.

Let me start with the basic minor pentatonic.

Notes
Root - flat third - fourth - fifth - dominant seventh
1. Shape - two notes per string
----5--8--
----5--8--
----5-7---
----5-7---
----5-7---
----5--8--

2. Angular - conains two augmented intervals; root to flat third, and fifth to dominant seventh
3. Modes...can be used in the following modes - dorian (Santana mode), phrygian (Spanish mode) and Aeolian mode (natural minor). I wouldn't recommend it for phrygian because it doesn't have the exotic first to flat second interal which defines the mode.
Also, you can use it under a dominant seventh chord for the "blues" feeling, minor third note vs. the major 3rd in the chord.
4. Versatile - The minor pentatonic contains a the minor seventh arpeggio (root, flat third, fifth, and dominant seventh) and a scalar run (flat third, fourth, fifth).

I am in the future going to break down some pentatonic "modes", modified pentatonics, and various uses. A lot of this may be new, but I just want to approach it from my angle, and this also lets me keep a record of my thoughts.

My two cents...

The Bad News

I have been convicted to renew my relationship with God.

So I decided to start where Martin Luther did, the book of Romans.

I came across this passage, which is taken from various parts of Isaiah and Psalms.

Roman 3:10-18
¹⁰As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
¹¹there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
¹²All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one."
¹³"Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit."
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."
¹⁴"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
¹⁵"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
¹⁶ruin and misery mark their ways,
¹⁷and the way of peace they do not know."
¹⁸"There is no fear of God before their eyes."

These give the characteristics of sinful man (italics are my thoughts).
Not righteous - immoral
Does not understand - no interest in God's instruction
Worthless - does not serve God's purpose
Does not do good - does harm or complacent
Deceitful - lies
Bitter - angry with the world
Murderous - full of hatred
No peace - internal struggle
No fear of God - does not respect God

That's the bad news, the good news is that Christ's redemption has given us the opportunity to be righteous.

My two cents