PENTATONIC IDEAS FOR IMPROVISING

Pentatonic scales can be used in a huge variety of improvisation situations. They can be used
in blues, rock, metal, jazz, country, funk etc.
Listed below are some ideas to try.

MAJOR CHORDS MINOR CHORDS

Use the minor pentatonic built from the Use the minor pentatonic built from the
3rd, 6th and 7th degress of the chord. root, 2nd and 5th degress of the chord.

Min Pent Min Pent Min Pent Min Pent Min Pent Min Pent
CHORD CHORD
3rd 6th 7th Root 2nd 5th
Cmaj E A B Cmi7 C D G
Dbmaj F Bb C Dbmi7 Db Eb Ab
Dmaj F# C B# Dmi7 D EA A
Ebmaj G C D Ebmi7 Eb F Bb
Emaj G# C# D# Emi7 E F# B
Fmaj A D E Fmi7 F G C
Gbmaj Bb Eb F Gbmi7 Gb Ab Db
Gmaj B E F# Gmi7 G A D
Abmaj C F G Abmi7 Ab Bb Eb
Amaj C# F# G# Ami7 A B E
Bbmaj D G A Bbmi7 Bb C F
Bmaj D# G# A#
Bmi7 B C# F#

DOMINANT 7th CHORDS

Let’s say we have a blues progression in C.
Use the minor pentatonic built from the
2nd, 5th and 6th degress of the chord. Chords are: C7, F7 & G7 for basic blues. Listed
below each chord is the minor pentatonic scales
Min Pent Min Pent Min Pent you can use against those chords. It’s up to you
CHORD which ones you choose.
5th 6th 2nd
C7 G A D I would suggest starting with the following:

Db7 Ab Bb Eb Over C7 use Am

D7 A B E Over F7 use Cm

Eb7 Bb C F Over G7 use Dm or Em

E7 B C# F# C7 F7 G7

F7 C D G Gm Cm Dm
Am Dm Em
Gb7 Db Eb Ab
Dm Gm Am
G7 D E A
Work out your choices over the 4 blues tracks on
Ab7 Eb F Bb
your practise CD. Write them down and have fun
A7 E F# B practising them.
Bb7 F G C
B7 F# G# C#

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