Am Pentatonic

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:17 am

I just learned the pattern last night, along with the flatted fifth pattern. When I mentioned this to the Jazz guy at work, he mentioned this book:

Expansions, by Gary Campbell
http://www.amazon.com/Expansions-Gary-Campbell/dp/0634000055/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-8274722-6593640?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187374482&sr=8-2

I believe I got the last new one in stock, but they have used ones for 5.55. New, it is 9.99

It explains what he calls inside/out playing with Pentatonics........

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:22 am

What is the "flatted fifth pattern", Charly?

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:28 am

going down the strings low notes to high

5-8
5-6-7
5-7
5-7-8
5-8
5-8

I just don't know why or when to use it yet!!

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:57 am

7 strings, eh Charly?

Looks like you just put an extra 5-7 in the middle.

This is a very common pattern, I just never thought of it as its own seperate entity before. The flatted fifths, or augmented fourths, are better known as the tritone, or "diabolos in musica", known for it's rather, well, evil sound! In the key of A minor, our tritone is an Eb (if you're going by flatted fifths; if you go by augmented fourths, we have a D#).

In the world of the pentatonic scales, i've always thought of these notes as simply very colorful passing tones - if I were playing a solo in A minor, I doubt i'd ever sit on an Eb for very long, it just wouldn't sound right. But smack dab in the middle of a chromatic passage, it is downright sweet sounding.

So, to answer your question, feel free to use it in place of A minor pentatonic, as it's basically the same thing. Just don't sit on the flatted fifths, use them only as passing tones.

BTW, can't wait to talk theory with you in person next week! Make sure you bring a list of questions.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:11 am

I use them on my bass as passing tones, taught to me in one of my 5 lessons with Carol Kaye. It didn't click till you used the term passing tones!!

Can't wait!!

teb · Post by **teb** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:46 am

Isn't that the scale that McGuinn runs through at about 90 miles per hour in the middle of the Eight Miles High lead break?

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:50 am

Somewhat. He also uses raised 6ths in that. (C# in the key of Em)

Good job JB.

jimk · Post by **jimk** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:36 pm

I thought that scale pattern looked awful familiar.

JimK

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:22 pm

Tomorrow I start practicing the other positions..........and I am going to make an attempt to learn the 9th chords. Years ago I couldn't make the darn thing and got discouraged and put down the acoustic for a few years. Now that I understand what a 9th really is, It don't matter so much, which may make the difference! The problem I used to have was my 2nd finger deadening the index fingers string. Anyways the callouses are coming along fine!

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:38 am

Quote: "7 strings, eh Charly? Looks like you just put an extra 5-7 in the middle."

?

I only see six strings listed.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:43 am

I cheated and went back to edit!!!!

blueflamerick · Post by **blueflamerick** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:57 am

Can that really be considered a pentatonic scale when it has 6 notes?

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:08 am

It is actually the blues scale (added flatted fifth). That is what jb was asking about.