Pentatonic Practice

 Continuing with the final part of an article by Chain Burstein. He holds a M.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of the arts in Philadelphia and a B.M. from Berklee College of Music. He currently is residing in Philadelphia where he is working as an active musician and educator.

Running Changes

Pentatonics are not confined to only model and free jazz improvisations. In fact, pentatonics can provide the improvisor with a break from his or her 'stock licks' when running changes. To break away from the scalar, or arpeggiated lines of your typical ii-V-I, I have provided two different ways of approaching the progression with pentatonics. Utilize a pentatonic pattern built upon 4ths and 2nds. The formula for the ascending pattern is as follows: skip (up), step (down), skip (up), step (down). The descending pattern would read: skip (down), step (up), skip (down), step (up). Although both examples utilize the same pattern, they each approach the progression differently.

Example: ii-V-I

Dm7                               /  G7alt                                     /  CMaj7

G, B, A, D... B, E, D, G /  Ab, C, Bb, Eb... C, F, E, Ab / G, B, A, D... B, E, D, G... E, A, G, B

The above example is a typical ii-V-I in the key of C. The pentatonics played over  each chord are as follows: Dm7 = G pentatonic, G7Alt = Ab pentatonic and CMay7 = G pentatonic. The resulting line is effective for several reasons. First, there is a pattern which our ear naturally gravitates towards. second, each pattern begins on the root of its respective pentatonic, making it easier for our ears to recognize. Lastly, the pentatonic patterns move around in half steps. Half step resolutions are very powerful and can often warrant the use of so called 'wrong notes'. The first example contains a so-called 'wrong note' in the second bar. Even though the 4th is an avoid note on the V7alt, our ears justify the 'wrong note' because of the consistency created by both the pentatonic pattern and its chromatic movement between each chord change.

The second example displays the same ii-V-I progression with different pentatonics superimposed over each chord. They are as follows: Dm7 = C pentatonic, G7Alt = Db pentatonic, and CMaj7 = D pentatonic. We still have chromatic movement between each pentatonic pattern. However, instead of creating the sound of parallel structures by starting from the root of each pentatonic as in the first example. The second example below sounds more like one continuous idea based upon an intervallic line. This result is achieve by starting the new pattern as close as possible to where the last pattern left off.

Example: ii-V-I

Dm7                             / G7Alt                                     / CMaj7

C, E, D, G- E, A, G, C / Bb, Eb, Db, F.-Eb, Ab, F, Bb / A, E, F#, D- E, B, D, A- B, F#, A, E, F#, D, E

Pentatonic Practice

Hopefully, the techniques and skills outlined in this article have shed some light on the many uses of the pentatonic scale... Always remember to experiment with your own patterns and ideas as well. Oftentimes improvisors see a chord or a scale and forget that jazz is about thinking 'outside the box'. Your own ear will always be your best guide as to what works and what doesn't.

Heading out for a mini vacation. I'm attending a worship conference. Talk with you next week!

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"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

Related articles

• The Power of Altered Pentatonics
• Aural Awareness by Miles Donahue
• Melody Improvising- Pentatonic Scale
• Pentatonic Scale in Oriental Video
• A Brief History of Jazz

The Power of Pentatonics

Minor pentatonic blues scale on A (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 Last time we discussed the Pentatonic Scale and Pentatonic Patterns. Chaim Burstein said, "Your own ear will always be your best guide as to what works and what doesn't." Let's continue with his very informative article.

Chord Scale Relationships

 

Most heptatonic scales such as locrian and lydian are useful for only one type of chord or another. In contrast, pentatonic scales may be used for over a dozen different chord sounds. There are 12 different uses of the pentatonic scale. There are chord types, like Major, Minor, Dominant, Altered Dominant, Sus4, Half Diminished,etc. Then there are scale degrees from which to build the major pentatonic and then we have the chord tones and tensions that each chord/scale relationship will produce. Thus, when the improvisor is given the chord CMaj7, he has the option of playing a pentatonic from the root 9th or 5th  of the chord.

Generally, the easiest way to apply these new chord/scale options is by practicing them over modal or static chord progressions.

Modal/Free Playing

 

Many improvisors complain of feeling boxed in or trapped by modal tunes and free playing over ostinatos. Pentatonics can provide a tonal framework with which to create new sounds that are not only interesting but structurally coherent as well.

Chord / Scale Options

 

CMaj7

C, D, E, G... D, E, G, A / D, E, F#, A... E, F, A, B / G, A, B, D... A, B, D, E / D, C, A, G, A

There are three possible chord/scale options for the chord CMaj7. (See above example) Notice how the  scalar pattern (from the last lesson) creates a consistency that links each new chord sound to the previous one.

Side Sweeping

 

CMaj7

C, D, E, G... D, E, G, A / Db, Eb, F, Ab... Eb, F, Ab, Bb / C, A, G, E... A, G, E, D / G, E, D, C, A

A technique known as 'side-stepping' is shown above. In this example the improvisor defines the tonal center by clearly outlining a C major pentatonic scale in the first measure. Upon reaching the second measure, you play the same pattern a 1/2 step above from Db, thus taking the listener 'outside' of the prescribed harmony. Measures 3-4 bring the listener back 'inside' the changes by playing the descending version of the original C major pentatonic sequence.

You can combine the concept of alternative chord/scale options with side-stepping. Try playing the examples below and creating a few of your own. Notice how your ear recognizes the sequence and thus accepts each transposition of the pentatonic scale as a development of the previous idea.

Chord / Scale Options & Side Stepping Combined

 

CMaj7

C, D, E, G...Ab, F, Eb, Db / D, E, F#, A... Bb, G, F, Eb / E, F#, G#, B... C, A, G, E / D, C, D, E, G

To be continued... more later.

You may be interested in Jazz Intensive Training Center

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"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

Related articles

• The Power of Altered Pentatonics
• Improvising with pentatonic scale
• Pentatonic Scale in Oriental Video
• Melody Improvising- Pentatonic Scale

Pentatonics Power

                                                        Photo Credit: FreeDigitalPhoto.net

 Awhile back, I wrote a post on The power of altered pentatonics. My husband plays the guitar and I always hear him playing pentatonic scales. I recently read an article by Chaim Burstein and thought I would share some of the highlights with my readers. This is good stuff to know.

The Pentatonic Scale

Technically, a pentatonic scale is any scale with five notes per octave. In practice however, there are only a handful of useful pentatonic scales. There are two common forms of the pentatonic scale: the major pentatonic and its relative minor pentatonic. Pentatonic scales can help musicians achieve a more structurally focused intervallic approach to their lines.

The major and minor pentatonics are made up of five notes and can be used interchangeably. 

Example: C Major Pentatonic Scale

C, D, E, G... A, C, D, E... G, A, C,  rest. (play 4 sets of notes as eighth notes).

Example: A Minor Pentatonic Scale

A, C, D, E... G, A, C, D... E, G, A, rest.

Some musicians prefer to think of the scale as a major pentatonic, while others tend to think of the scale in its minor form. Personally, I'd rather think of the scale as a major pentatonic; so from now on, the term "pentatonic" will refer only to the major form of the pentatonic scale. If you prefer to think of these scales as minor, you may convert to minor simply by starting the scale on the last note of the major pentatonic.

Pentatonic Patterns

Pentatonics can assist students with assimilating new scales and sounds into their repertoire. Pentatonic patterns can be categorized as either scalar or intervallic. In general, scalar patterns tend to use adjacent notes, whereas intervallic patterns tend to skip around the scale.

Example: Scalar Pattern (play 4 sets of notes as 16th notes)

C, D, E, G... D, E, G, A... E, G, A, C... G, A, C, D /

A, C, D, E... C, D, E, G... G, E, D, C... E, D, C, A /

D, C, A, G... C, A, G, E... A, G, E, D... G, E, D, C /

Example: Intervallic Pattern

A, D, E, C... D, G, A, E... G, C, D, A... C, E, G, D /

E, A, C, G, A, rest /

C, G, E, A... G, D, C, E... D, A, G, C... A, E, D, G /

E, C, A, d, C, rest /

To simplify the explanation of these patterns, I will refer to steps and skips. A step will occur when the next note is an adjacent note, and a skip will occur when we skip over a note in the scale to play the next available note. Thus, we would describe the scalar pattern as step up, step up, step up, skip down. To play the same pattern in reverse, we simply invert the formula. Thus, we have step down, step down, step down, skip up. An intervallic pattern is based upon 4ths and 2nds. The formula for this pattern would read: skip up, step up, skip down, step up. The revers pattern would read: skip down, step down, skip up, step down.

These patterns are useful in a number of ways. First, it familiarizes the student with the scale and forces them to internalize the notes involved. second, when developing as intervallic approach, these patterns will tie together two seemingly disparate tonal centers through their structural consistency. In order to have enough material to generate interesting lines, I have my students create several intervallic and scalar patterns of their own.

Next time, we'll talk about chord scale relationships and modal/ free playing.

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"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

Related articles

• The Power of Altered Pentatonics
• Melody Improvising- Pentatonic Scale
• Pentatonic Scale in Oriental Video
• Aural Awareness by Miles Donahue

The Power of Altered Pentatonics

Pentatonic on the circle of fifths (Photo credit: Ethan Hein)

 "Remember that improvising means thinking outside of he box and expanding your creative abilities."

-- Chaim Burstein

 What is an altered pentatonic? It is any scale with five notes per octave that is not a major or minor pentatonic. Three of the more common altered pentatonic scales includes the b6 pentatonic, the b3 pentatonic and the b2 pentatonic. Each scale is essentially a major pentatonic with the exception of one 'altered' or changed note.

Play a major pentatonic while lowering the appropriate scale degree to achieve the altered altered pentatonic.

Here's some examples:

Major Pentatonic: C, D, E, G, A

b6 Pentatonic: C, D, E, G, Ab

b3 Pentatonic: C, D, Eb, G, A

b2 Pentatonic: C, Db, E, G, A

Due to the fact that pentatonics are not made up entirely of whole or half steps, patterns must be discussed in terms of skips and steps. A step occurs when the next note is an adjacent note while skips occur when the next note is an adjacent note while skips occur when we skip over a note in the scale to play the next available note.

Scalar Pattern with b6 Pentatonic:

C, D, E... D, E, G... E, G, Ab...G, A, C... Ab, C, D... C, D, E... E, D, C... D, C, A... C, Ab, G... Ab, G, E...G, E, D... E, D, C.

Intervallic Pattern with b2 Pentatonic:

C, E, Db, G... E, A, G, C... A, Db, C, E... Db, G, E, A... C, G, A, E... G, Db, E, C...Db, A, C, G... A, E, G, Db.

Try to create a few of your own patterns. They will help create new ideas, assist you with the memorization of the new scales and will acclimate your ear to the new sounds you are making.

You may be interested in this music resource that Hear and Play offers, Jazz 201 (affiliate link).

"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey