The Flat Three Pentatonic Scale

Funky 2 5 Solo Lesson

In my solo in Funky 2 5, I primarily used the blues scale. However, since we have two chords here and the second chord is a C9, the blues scale fits well over both of those.

There's another scale that also works effectively called the B3 pentatonic. This scale includes an E, which is great for the C chord. You may have noticed I used that in the melody itself.

Melody and Scale Integration

And then you remember this bit:

"There it is, there's that scale leading into the bridge."

The flat three pentatonic is exactly the same as the major pentatonic. In other words:

• 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

But with a flat 3. This scale isn't as well known compared to the major and minor pentatonics. It's a minor pentatonic because it includes a minor third; however, it is not the minor pentatonic typically referred to as the blues scale.

Comparing the Sound

• All that was the blues scale (or minor pentatonic).
• Now I'm going to use the flat three.

We don't have the seventh, and we don't have the fourth. It provides a different flavor. Both of those scales are really useful for this solo.

Common Patterns in Latin Music

When you have a 2-5 solo where the chords alternate repeatedly, it's quite common in Latin music. This is a typical device, the see-sawing between those two chords.

Recap on Top Harmony

Before we leave this, let's recap on the two on the top harmony. Just as you can use top notes with the minor pentatonic or the blues scale, you can do it effectively with this flat three pentatonic.

Here's an example:

"I'm just going to play those chords in the left hand, okay?"

I hope you get some ideas from that.

Phrasing in Your Solo

Before we conclude, let's talk about the phrasing in your solo. Whether you're playing the Dorian scale, minor pentatonic, blues scale, or flat 3, you may have noticed:

• The phrasing in the melody was in two bar chunks.
• Most of the action occurred when the left hand wasn't busy.

You'll notice this rhythm: nothing happens in the left hand until you play again.

Creating a Rhythmic Template

That's when you can fill in the gaps with the right hand.

"You see, that's like a rhythmic template."

I'm applying that template to the solo and creating a call and response, which makes it much easier to count the bars.

If you play random length phrases or phrases that extend too long, it's easy to lose count of where you are.

Understanding Bar Structures

One of the tricks about playing with this tune, especially with the backing track, is to know when to come back in. Since it's the same two chords repeated, you must feel how long 8 bars is and how long 16 bars is.

The way I approach this is by thinking of eight bars as:

• Four two-bar phrases.

Then, you play another four, and it's time to return to the head if you're following this particular structure.