Major Pentatonics
Lesson time: (2min 7sec)
Ollie Weston shows how to build the five-note major pentatonic (1, 2, 3, 5, 6) and use it to find strong sounds over major chords on sax.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Exploring Jazz Saxophone: Part 1 - Getting Started
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Exploring Major Pentatonic Scales
Another way to find good sounds over major chords is to use a pentatonic scale. As the name suggests, it's a five-note scale, actually fewer notes than the standard major scale.
The Versatility of Pentatonics
Pentatonics have been used in all sorts of musical cultures, including:
- Jazz
- Folk
- Oriental music
They are a really good building block and resource for your soloing.
Constructing a Major Pentatonic Scale
To construct a major pentatonic scale, use the following notes:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 5
- 6
Pitch Pattern
Think about this pitch pattern:
- 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
You can plug this into any key you like.
Example in G Major
Let's plug these into G major:
- G (1)
- A (2)
- B (3)
- D (5)
- E (6)
This will give you a pentatonic sound that is really descriptive and evocative over major chords.
Example in B Flat Major
Now, let's try it in a different key. I'll do it in B flat:
- Start on A (1)
- B flat (2)
- C (3)
- D (5)
- F (6)
- G
So it's going to sound like this.
Practicing the Pentatonic Pattern
In Figure 2.10, I've written out a pentatonic pattern, organizing the notes into groups of 4 eighth notes.
This pattern is:
- A useful exercise to get your fingers working
- An excellent way to outline these major pentatonic sounds
Happy practicing!
About the instructor
Since graduating from the Leeds College of Music (BA Hons) and the Guildhall School of Music (Post Graduate Diploma in Performance), Ollie has built a busy and varied career in music. As a saxophonist he has performed in live and studio settings with artists as diverse as Amy Winehouse, Tim Minchin, Bonobo, Frank Turner, the London Jazz Orchestra, the Hackney Colliery Band, the Ambient Jazz Ensemble and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He is also the co-leader of the jazz quartet 'Time Is Of The Essence', and composes and arranges material for this and other ensembles. Ollie is active in music education, currently as course leader for the jazz department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (junior school), where he runs jazz ensembles, big band and theory classes. He has written a series of 'Exploring Jazz' books for Schott Music that are published worldwide and feature on exam syllabuses in the UK. Ollie has also run workshops for Oxford University, Pro Corda Strings and BABSWE, as well as the Guildhall School of Music summer schools. In his Exploring Jazz Saxophone courses, Ollie takes you from getting started right through to soloing confidently over songs and chord sequences, building the improvising skills that put a real jazz player's vocabulary at your fingertips. read more