Pentatonic Improvisation

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Pentatonic Improvisation Unlock Your Musical Potential

By Evan Tate

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Disclaimer The author makes no claims as to the effectiveness of the methods presented here in this book. The reader's results depend greatly on his/her own desire, motivation, dedication and intensity of practice and use of various resources presented in this book. The author assumes no liability should the reader not reach his/her musical goals

Copyright ©2021 EVAN TATE MUSIC All Rights reserved

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Introduction Pentatonic scales! You hear them literally everywhere. From children’s songs, folk songs, World music, Pop, Rock, Funk and Jazz music. Pentatonic scales are part of our natural understanding and hearing music. This book will focus mainly on the use of pentatonic scales in jazz music and improvisation. Although pentatonic scales are often associated with modal jazz or even today’s smooth jazz. Pentatonic scales are more flexible and more useful than you may think, and I hope to reveal that to you in the following pages.

What are Pentatonic scales? To break it down, “Penta” means “five”, and “tonic” means “tone”. So, by definition, they are “five-tone” scales. The next question would be which five tones of the twelve chromatic tones are we talking about? The answer is: It depends. There are several different pentatonic scales, each with their modes. We’ll get into that when we get there.

What to expect from this book? We will be using the tuning and notation system used in Western music. Each chapter will contain a pentatonic scale category, exercises, etudes, and a play-along track.

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Part I: Basic Pentatonic Scales Major Pentatonic scales How is the major pentatonic scale formed? How was it derived? If you consider the C major scale: Fig. 1

And you would take just stack up 5 notes, a perfect fifth apart, you’d get this: Fig. 2

With various voicings, you can get this: Fig. 3

And here the tones are lined up in a scale: Fig. 4

You’ll have the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th degrees of the major scale. This is the basis of all major pentatonic scales. Note that Tritone (a dissonant interval), the 4th (F) and the 7th (B) has been removed. This scale will provide the most consonant sound against a C major harmony.

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From this point on, one can alter the notes of this scale according the chord tones you want to integrate into the scale for improvisation. We will get into “altered pentatonic scales” later in this book. Here are some examples: Fig. 5

Scale degrees: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and major 7th. Fig. 6

Scale degrees: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, augmented 5th, and major 7th. Fig. 7

Scale degrees: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, diminished 5th, and major 7th. Fig. 8

Scale degrees: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and minor 6th.

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Technical Exercises Naturally, when we want to improvise freely using pentatonic scales (or any other scale for that matter) we need to make ourselves fit for the task. J The more you are intimately acquainted with the various pentatonic scales the less you’ll have to think of them, and the more chances you’ll have to access them at will. These exercises are by no means exhaustive. They are only the beginning of the journey.

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Minor Pentatonic scales

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Suspended Pentatonic Scales

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Part II: Dominant and Altered Pentatonic Scales The Dominant Pentatonic Scale The following scale you may recognize as C Mixolydian:

It still has the “avoid note” in it, the 4th degree. Removing it, and the 6th degree to be left with five tones. This you may consider as a “dominant 7th pentatonic” scale:

This will give you the most consonant sound over a dominant 7th chord.

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Altered Pentatonic Scales Altered Pentatonic Scales you can use to spice things up. J You can take the previous “Dominant 7th Pentatonic Scale” and alter the steps according to how you need it to fit the chord or to create the sound you want. For a C7 augmented chord. This is almost a full Whole-Tone scale (#4th is missing):

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A Simple C7(b9) Pentatonic Scale:

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A C7(b9, b5) Pentatonic Scale:

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A simple C7(#9) Pentatonic Scale. This comes close to a “Half-Whole Diminished Scale (missing the b9, #4, and M6 degrees):

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A simple C7(#9, #5) Pentatonic Scale. This comes close to a Diminished-Whole Tone Scale (missing the b9, and the #4):

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A C13(b9) Pentatonic Scale. Also coming close to a “Half-Whole Diminished Scale (missing the #9, #4, and 5th degrees):

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The Half-Diminished Pentatonic Scale The most consonant pentatonic scale for a half-diminished chord:

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The Diminished Pentatonic Scale The most consonant pentatonic scale for a diminished chord:

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Part III: Patterns So, now we’ve come so far as to seeing and hopefully playing the various pentatonic scales and have come to realize how flexible they are. The following are just some examples as to how you can use the pentatonic scales over various chord changes. Patterns #1 through #3 will start on the root, the 3rd, and the 5th respectively. Patterns #4 & 6# show an example of using a tritone substitution on the dominant 7th chord, and a major pentatonic a whole step above the root on the tonic major chord, creating a lydian mode sound. Pattern #5 demonstrates usage of a minor 6th and diminished 5th major pentatonic over the dominant 7th chord, and a root pentatonic and whole step above pentatonic on the tonic major 7th chord. Pattern #7 shows use of the pentatonics in fourth intervals over a ii – bII7 – I progression. Pattern #8 shows a type of usage in a “Bebop” style. These are just a few examples to what you can do with pentatonic scales. Your own creativity is in demand as to how you can use them and how adventurous you can get.

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ii-V7-I Patterns

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Major Turnaround Patterns

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ii7b5 – V7b9 – i Patterns

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Dominant 7th flat 9 to Minor I Patterns

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Minor Turnaround Patterns

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Part IV: Improv Etudes All the knowledge in the world about jazz improvisation will do you nothing if you don’t learn to apply it. “Improv Etudes” are an effective and fast way to get techniques and material under your fingers, into your ears, and into your playing. The following are Improv Etudes I’ve written over a blues, a minor, and “Rhythm Changes” (here I’ve provided transpositions for C, Bb, and Eb instruments). Along with every etude I’ve provided a little analysis in order to clarify which pentatonic scales and chord progressions were used. I encourage you to also create your own Improv Etudes as well. Have fun!

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Blues

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Pentatonic Blues Analysis In the first chorus of the blues, I’ve used only major pentatonic scales. In the second chorus, I’ve incorporated dominant 7th pentatonic scales. In bar 28, I’ve added a Tritone substitution of the C7 (F#7) and used tones from the F# major pentatonic. In bars 39 and 40, I’ve used an unusual chord progression substituting for a Gm7 and C7. Over the F#7b9, I used an F#7 b9 dominant pentatonic scale (F# G A# C# E). In bar 41, I used a type of “Lydian-dominant” pentatonic scale over the F7. In bar 42, the B7(b9) uses a B7b9b13 pentatonic (B C D# G A). In bar 43, a C major 7th pentatonic (C D E G B) is then leading to a D minor pentatonic. In bar 44, I’ve introduced the use of a E half-diminished pentatonic scale (E G A Bb D). In bars 45 and 46, I used a F major 7th pentatonic, and a B major 7th pentatonic scale respectively. In bars, 47 and 48, I use a I-VI7b9-ii-V7 Turnaround with dominant tritone substitutions on the ii and the V7.

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Minor Blues

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Pentatonic Minor Blues Analysis In the first chorus I’ve used a D minor pentatonic until bar 4, where I use a dominant 7th b9 pentatonic scale over D7b9. The Gm7 in bar 5 uses a minor pentatonic followed by a D minor pentatonic. In bars 9 and 10, I use a Half-diminished pentatonic and a Dominant 7th b9 pentatonic for the iim7b5 – V7b9 progression. The minor I in bar 11 uses a D minor 6th pentatonic scale, followed by a dominant 7th b9 pentatonic over the A7b9. At bar 13 I started the chorus with a D minor 6th pentatonic scale. In bar 15 and 16 is an anticipated tritone substitution of a Am7b5 – D7b9 progression. In bar 18, I slip in an A pentatonic / triad to resolve to the following D minor. In bar 20, I introduce the use of a vim7b5 chord, using a half-diminished pentatonic scale. In bar 21, I am using a bVI7 chord with a dominant 7th pentatonic scale, resolving to an V7b9b13 on the first 2 beats, and then a Eb7b5 pentatonic on the second two beats. This is followed by a minor major 7th pentatonic scale. In bar 24, I am using a tritone substitution of the A7 (Eb7). In bar 28, over the Am7b5 a half-diminished pentatonic, and over D7#9, a dominant 7th #9 pentatonic scale is used. In bar 31, a F major 7th pentatonic is used over the D minor chord. In bar 34, over the A7#9 a dominant 7th #9 pentatonic is used over the first two beats, and a dominant 7th b9 b5 is used over the second two beats. In bar 36, the Eb7 is the tritone substitution of the A7.

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Rhythm Changes

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Pentatonic “Rhythm Changes” Analysis The etude starts out very basic using strictly pentatonic and chord tones. In bars 6, 14, and 30 I’ve used three common variations on the “Rhythm Changes” form. The IV7 #IVdim7, the IV7 to ivm7, and the IV7 to bVII7 progressions. The bridge starts at bar 17 using the minor ii of the III7 dominant, then moving to a tritone substitution of that dominant (bVII7), to resolve to VI7. Bar 19 uses the iim7 after the dominant, moving to its tritone sub, and then returning to the said dominant. Bar 22 uses the tritone substitution of bar 21. Bar 23 uses a “plain old” major pentatonic scale over the dominant of the key. Bar 24 uses the tritone sub of bar 23. Bars 27 and 28 use an unusual pattern of tritone subs; iii7 – bIII7 – V7 – bII7.

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Conclusion Pentatonic scales are a very useful and very flexible tool for improvisation as well as composition although you are using only five tones. Less is often more. If you do the best with little available, you’ll discover even more of what can be done with it. I’ve hope you’ve enjoyed this book and maybe it has given you some insights as to where you can take your improvisational skills. I hope this has inspired you to even investigate deeper into your musical possibilities. Wishing you all the best! Evan Tate

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About the Author Saxophonist, Composer, Author and Instructor Evan Tate has been a unique voice on the European jazz scene for nearly 30 years. He’s has appeared at several jazz festivals, recordings, radio broadcasts, and has taught on the jazz faculties of renowned universities. Evan Tate is an Endorser for Julius Keilwerth saxophones and presently an endorser for Cannonball Saxophones. Evan Tate has been a member of the Jazz Saxophone Faculty at the University of Music & Performing Arts, Munich, as well as University of Music & Performing Arts, Mannheim. He is the author of several books including “250 Jazz Patterns", "Blues & Rhythm Changes in All Keys", "Master the Basics: Saxophone", "The Soprano Saxophone", & "Coltrane Changes".

Other Books by the Author 250 Jazz Patterns 250 Jazz Patterns (Bass Clef Edition) Blues & Rhythm Changes in All Keys Bebop Scales, Exercises and Patterns

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