Pentatonic Melody

10 gamesmain path

Hear & play major and minor pentatonic melodies — two notes added to each triad to form the five-note scale that sounds good almost anywhere. Because each pentatonic contains its triad, it solos comfortably over it, which makes it the natural starting point for soloing and for vocal lines. By the end, you'll play and improvise pentatonic lines by ear in any key.

Why

  • The pentatonic is the natural scale — five notes that sound good almost anywhere, and the entry point to soloing

  • Triads give you harmony; pentatonics give you melody that fits over them

  • Major and minor pentatonics, like the triads, are contained in the major modes

  • The final step is the major modes, which provide a system for combining multiple triads and pentatonics.

The path

  1. Major Untimed
  2. Minor Untimed
  3. Major Root Shuffling
  4. Minor Root Shuffling
  5. Major Range Shifting
  6. Minor Range Shifting
  7. Major Anchored
  8. Minor Anchored
  9. Anchored
  10. Full Range

On the instrument