The Power of the Pentatonic

Not only will you recognize what the melodies you hear are made of, but you’ll also have a great springboard from which to launch your own compositions. On his composition “Gulangyu Island,” for example, Bob James makes significant use of the pentatonic (five-note) scale. You can find this tried-and-true scale pop up both in the song’s composed melodies and piano solos. Let’s take a look and a listen to these scales and put them to use right away.

Ex. 1. Pentatonic scales are used in a wide range of improvisational styles, from the simplest two-chord rock to the most complex bebop. The major pentatonic uses scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the major scale, and is shown in 1a in the key of G major. With the major pentatonic scale, you get the notes of the major triad (1, 3, 5), which are very strong and consonant. The remaining tones (2 and 6) also work well with the chord underneath, and add a sense of melody, so it doesn’t sound like you’re merely arpeggiating a chord. Practice with the metronome, pay attention to the fingerings, and transpose the exercise up by half steps.

From the major pentatonic scale, it’s easy to find the minor pentatonic scale: Just play the same series of notes, starting a minor third below the root note. In 1a, you’d play the same notes in your right hand, but you’d start on E. Since E is the sixth degree of the G major scale, any scale starting on E that uses all the same notes as the G major or major pentatonic scale is called the “relative minor” of G. In his solo on “Gulangyu Island,” Bob James uses the G minor pentatonic scale beautifully. To find out what major pentatonic is the relative major of the G minor pentatonic, simply go up a minor third (three half-steps) from the root note, and you arrive on Bb. In Examples 1b and 1c, you’ll see the Bb major pentatonic scale and its relative minor, the G minor pentatonic scale, respectively. Experiment with right-hand melodies using these scales while your left hand plays the chords. Enjoy!