The Major Pentatonic Scale
With
Tim RichardsIn this lesson, we'll discover the very useful pentatonic scale - combining it with the blue third
What's in the course
17 lessons (0h 34m) · 1 free
Lesson transcript
Major Pentatonic Scale
You could think of this right hand as belonging to what's called a major pentatonic scale.
Scale Breakdown
-
All I've done is add a D (the second) as well, and we get:
- Root: F
- 2nd: G
- 3rd: A
- 5th: C
- 6th: D
-
So, on F, that will be: F G A C D
-
On G, that's three major pentatonic scales you'll need to change between them when the left hand moves from one chord to the next.
Key Point
The only thing that isn't included in the major pentatonic scale is the blue third, which was the whole point of this lesson.
Practice Tip
- Practice improvising phrases using those notes.
- Take care to switch to the new pentatonic when you change chords.
- Don't forget to place the blue third in front of the major third.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Critically acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Tim Richards is one of Britain’s most experienced jazz educators, teaching piano privately for over 30 years, as well as at Morley College, Goldsmiths College, the University of Surrey, Premises Studios and other venues in the UK and abroad. He has produced numerous titles for Schott Music, including the best-selling two-volume Exploring Jazz Piano, Blues, Boogie & Gospel Collection and the acclaimed Improvising Blues Piano. He is also co-author, with John Crawford, of Exploring Latin Piano and Brazilian Piano Collection.
More recently Schott have published Jazz, Latin & Modern Collection (15 pieces for solo piano), comprising Tim Richards originals alongside pieces by Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, and the two volume set Beginning Jazz Piano (now a two-part MusicGurus course).
“The real joy of Tim’s music… is that it is both hugely educational but also such great fun to play. Anyone with the slightest interest in learning to play or teach jazz piano should really acquire a set of Tim’s books.” PianoDao
As a performer Tim has been a presence on the UK jazz scene since the 1980s, also playing the blues with UK and US legends such as Otis Grand, Earl Green, Dana Gillespie, Larry Garner, Joe Louis Walker and Mojo Buford. He has released over a dozen albums as a leader (featuring many of London’s best jazz musicians including Pete King, Gilad Atzmon, Tony Kofi, Jason Yarde, Seb Rochford, Ed Jones, Dick Pearce and many others), and toured all over Europe with line-ups ranging from duo to nine-piece. His latest recording, the album ‘Telegraph Hill’ by the six-piece Hextet, was described in The Observer as "A true joy from beginning to end".
More info can be found on his website www.timrichards.ndo.co.uk
