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Topic: Guess the name of this Pentatonic Scale? |
Bo Legg
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Posted 27 Oct 2013 11:04 pm |
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I was running through the following Jazz progression.
I thought good gosh how could a Newbie ever play along with that.
He might be able to chord along somewhat with it since it really is mostly a standard jazz series of II V moving through the chord cycle.
But then the second part gets a little funky.
The real problem was finding something simple to play as an adlib solo with the band (kind of a fake it till you can make it kind of thing).
Well I settled on a pentatonic scale to play all the way through the whole song.
The Pentatonic scale I chose doesn’t look possible you could play through the whole progression at first glance especially considering there is only 5 notes and not one of them is a I (playing in the key of A and never hitting an A note). So you have to play as though you were in the key of that pentatonic scale
Lots of hints here.
So now guess the name of the Pentatonic Scale ?
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Bo Legg
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Posted 27 Oct 2013 11:32 pm
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I guess I could give you the audio of that progression!
click here |
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Jan Oelbrandt
From:
Herzele, Belgium
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 12:31 am
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| G# minor? |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 1:15 am
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The D# note in the G#m pentatonic scale is a deal breaker through most of the progression.
I see where you are coming from. The Locrian minor 7th flat 5 arpeggio (pretty tough row to hoe). That would replaced the D# with a D but I would really like to have a better choice than a D when I'm only allowed 5 notes. |
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 5:46 am
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| A# flat minor. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 8:36 am
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Joe 
Here is another hint
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Jim Hollingsworth
From:
Way out West
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 10:16 am
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The key center is mostly A major except where the B7 (key of E) and F#7 (Key of B) chords appear. So either A major pent or F#m pent & then work around arps for the two odd chords.
Jim |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 12:30 pm
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Jim great idea but both of those Pentatonic scales contain a I note in this case an A which was given to not be in the Pentatonic I chose.
Sorry we have to play by my rules
Another hint! Here is some of my noodling over the above progression with my chosen Pentatonic scale.
click here |
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Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 1:39 pm
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I get why you wanted only one scale, but it's pretty weak in a few spots, particularly over the B7, in my view
_________________
Christopher Woitach
cw@affmusic.com
www.affmusic.com |
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Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 2:08 pm
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Just to be clear - I wasn't referring to your playing! That sounds nice - I meant scale/chord
However - it is the only choice, following your rules exactly
_________________
Christopher Woitach
cw@affmusic.com
www.affmusic.com |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 3:03 pm
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It's not about good or bad playing I just put it on and rambled around in the scale to show that it would work very well.
You will have to admit it didn't sound bad anywhere in the progression.
C# minor pentatonic is right.
I didn’t promise it would be great. Just something I thought might be very useful in a fake it till you can make it situation for a newbie.
It could be something to add to the list of useful pentatonic scales like the A major pentatonic for country fake and an A minor pentatonic for a country rock fake and add this C# minor pentatonic for a Jazz fake.
I’m just talking survival here where a newbie can not have a clue and play something that will get them in the ball park. |
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Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 3:36 pm
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Yes - I understand!
And for that, it really does work well
Maybe a "next step", after feeling comfortable with the C#m, would be to add some of the other pentatonics
I think this is a helpful, and practical, post, Bo. Nice work, man
_________________
Christopher Woitach
cw@affmusic.com
www.affmusic.com |
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Mickey Adams
From:
Bandera Texas
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 4:28 pm
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My guess would be....Pentatonic..m3rd displacement key
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Bo Legg
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Posted 28 Oct 2013 4:47 pm
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I’m sure I offended the whole Pentatonic family with my playing so much so that they will not even notice my lack of respect regarding not addressing their name with a capital P. 
Here is some ideas where on the E9 to play this scale over the listed progression.
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David Hartley
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 3:14 am Phew!
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| That don't look too Country, to me... |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 8:34 am
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David I know you as an accomplished musician would never limit yourself to this scale throughout a song snd have long ago progressed past any need for such a crutch.
I’m sure your comment was in jest knowing that this is only for those less accomplished to use in a fake it till you can make situation where a song does not present an easily recognizable melody or chord progression.
I only respond because others may not understand that this scale does not suggest any particular genre. That would be determined by the phrasing and genre of the backing track. |
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Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 10:32 am Name of Scale?
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Francis? Or Berwyn? Heck, there's no telling.
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 11:08 am
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Don Drummer
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 12:47 pm
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| E major pentatonic. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 4:37 pm
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Don that is correct which brings me to the next step in this idea.
The C# minor Penta Scale with a b6 and a 2 added is the Aeolian Mode of E.
The E major Penta scale is just an E Ionian with the 4 and the 7 missing.
So I could substitute that Little Amazing Three String One Pedal Scale in the key of E over that key of "A" progression and also substitute and play eithin the E major A&B chord form at the 7th fret.
Here is some of my doodling along in that path over the previously listed chord progression.
click here
Here is the Amazing scale path and Emajor at the 7th fret to be played ovet the whole progression in the key of A.
Last edited by Bo Legg on 30 Oct 2013 10:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ulrich Sinn
From:
California, USA
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 4:58 pm
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I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to enharmonic spellings and things like that.
I'm not a huge friend of using the names of church modes, but since it is common practice (in the nowadays sense):
you are describing a VI to I relation. That would not make it dorian (II) for the C#mi, but rather aeolian. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 30 Oct 2013 10:20 pm
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| Thank you Ulrich for pointing that out. I made the correction of the mislabeled Mode. I just tried to do all that too fast and didn't take time to proof read. |
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