Pentatonics

[MalcolmAmos]

Appreciate a few words on using the Major Pentatonic scale (in the correct key) over the entire song, i.e. don't change pentatonics as the chords change just use the "key" pentatonic over the entire song.

Jamming with songs you really have never played before. Is it best to just drop back to roots and hope for the chord changes or use the "Key" Pentatonic over the entire song.

Having trouble getting pentatonic into what I do. Need some guidance.

Thanks,

 

[MadMan118]

Pentatonic scales are a great foundation to improv/jam on because they contain all relatively "safe" notes, by eliminating the more dissonant or unstable intervals the 4 and 7 th intervals. The scale is composed this way R-2-3-5-6. So in the key of C that would be, C-D-E-G-A. This in mind I stick mostly around the root third and fifth area, dipping into the second and sixth intervals to add color to the line. In fact most blues walking lines over the 12 bar blues progression are : R-3-5-3, R-3-5-3, along with the chord changes.

 

[mambo4]

Jamming with songs you really have never played before. Is it best to just drop back to roots and hope for the chord changes or use the "Key" Pentatonic over the entire song.

If your playing a song that's in the key of Cmajor, and all you play is C major pentatonic and follow your ears you can fake it pretty far along.

But if an F maj chord comes up, or more rarely a B diminished...well those root notes are not in C maj Pentatonic.

Better is to do both: hit the root notes of the chord on the down beat or strong beats, and fill in between with the pentatonic scale.

Even better is to use the appropriate pentatonic scale for each chord.

even better still is to study bass lines in the appropriate style and see how the masters navigate similar chord progressions.

 

[thebmags]

kinda of unrelated but if your playing a blues A major chord anand your soloing with the minor pentatonic scale, do you play an A pentatonic scale, or the relative minor

 

[mambo4]

kinda of unrelated but if your playing a blues A major chord anand your soloing with the minor pentatonic scale, do you play an A pentatonic scale, or the relative minor

Disclaimer: I am not primarily a blues player, so my deep experience with the blues is negligable. But here's my thoughts:

If you are soloing over a major blues progression, you can most likely get away with a 'blues' scale based on the root of the current chord. With enough bending that minor 3rd will go major, and that blurring of the 3rd between min and maj is part of the sound of the blues. If you are the bassist playing a supportive line in a major blues you are probably better off emphasizing the major chord sound and avoiding that minor third.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Thanks for the comments. Pretty much as I had surmised - I think it is just a matter of using pentatonics and getting comfortable with them as each song would/could be handled differently. That old if it sounds good it's good thing.

If you are the bassist playing a supportive line in a major blues you are probably better off emphasizing the major chord sound and avoiding that minor third.

This brings up another question. I have noticed that the b3 is ignored when the R-3-5-3 riff is run over a minor chord - or the few baselines I've seen seem to do this. Is this the accepted thing for a bass to do, i.e. just keep it major and go on?

 

[middlebit]

I have noticed that the b3 is ignored when the R-3-5-3 riff is run over a minor chord - or the few baselines I've seen seem to do this. Is this the accepted thing for a bass to do, i.e. just keep it major and go on?

What specific bass lines are you talking about here? I've never heard this or heard of this before, nor do I recommend doing it.

Minor chord - minor 3rd. If the rest of the band is playing a minor chord you should definitely avoid emphasizing the major 3rd.

 

[phxlbrmpf]

What I do when playing bluesy stuff over major chords is mostly avoiding the major third, it sounds too "obvious" and "happy" to me given that blues is about a sound that's sort of in between minor and major. If I ever use it, I use it as a passing note, often together with the minor third, I never emphasize it. Emphasizing the b3 over a major chord also sounds way over the top but as a passing note it can sound pretty great.

 

[Bassmickeyd]

With blues bass lines a 1/8/7/5 line works very well. Will Dixon used it most of his life.
Walking aka swing style, is 1/3/5/6/8 over a 1 major cord and 1/3/5/6/7 over a seventh cord.
Stay away from minor thirds in a major blues till you're walking up above the octave where passing tones are much more forgiven.
In soloing anything goes as long as it's musicals and it swings and its got heart and soul.
Don't be afraid to mix it up and experiment.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

OK understand. Thanks. I did a little jamming to my CD's today using the pentatonic. Getting the hang of it. When to use the pentatonic seems to hang on when you have space for it -- it's a feel thing.

Thanks for all your comments.

Malcolm

P.S. For what it's worth - jammed to Rod Stewart's new CD, "Soulbook". Lot of good songs to play bass with on this CD.

 

[lowendfriend]

OK understand. Thanks. I did a little jamming to my CD's today using the pentatonic. Getting the hang of it. When to use the pentatonic seems to hang on when you have space for it -- it's a feel thing.

Thanks for all your comments.

Malcolm

P.S. For what it's worth - jammed to Rod Stewart's new CD, "Soulbook". Lot of good songs to play bass with on this CD.

A great example of a kool use of a major pentatonic scale is Van Morrison's "Wild Nights". I think it's in G.

Suspect Allman Bros' "You Don't Love Me" is also a fit.