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Contents

Introduction .......................................................... 3
Concept of book ................................................... 5

Bb minor ............................................................. 6
B minor ............................................................... 8
C minor ............................................................... 10
C# Minor ............................................................. 12
D Minor ............................................................... 14
Eb Minor ............................................................. 16
E Minor ............................................................... 18
F Minor ............................................................... 18
F# Minor ............................................................. 22
G Minor .............................................................. 22
Ab Minor ............................................................. 24
A Minor ............................................................... 26
G Minor Low ....................................................... 30
G# Minor Low ..................................................... 32
A Minor Low ........................................................ 34

1. Rubato example C minor ................................ 36


2. Impression/So what example ......................... 37
3. Eternal Sacale ................................................ 38
3.b Eternal Sacale ................................................ 38
4. A7 to D minor .................................................. 40
4.b A7 to D minor example .................................. 41
5. Minor Turnaround ........................................... 42
5. Minor Turnaround example ............................. 42
6. Wise One ........................................................ 44
6.b Wise one exercises ........................................ 45

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Introduction

The John Coltrane Pentatonic starting on A consists of the following notes

Root 2nd Minor3rd 5th Major 6th

John Coltrane plays these notes over an A minor chord in the middle of his solo on Wise one from
his titanic Cresent Album.

This group of notes has a distinctive sound. The semitone between the 9th and 3rd for instance,
is notable. Also the Natural(Major) 6th colours the scale intensely.

The above Coltrane Pentatonic can be played over many chords. The following are perhaps
a good place to start.

Aminor, D7 , F#-7b5 , G#7 altered, Cmaj7b5:

Above you can see the chords in the treble clef do not change, but the bass notes do,
yielding quite different sound emotions.

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How the Coltrane Pentatonic relates to the different chords.

A-
Root 2nd Minor3rd 5th Major 6th

D7
5th 6th/13 b7 9 maj3rd

F#-7b5
min3rd 4/11 b5 b7 root

G#7alt
b9 #9 maj3rd aug5th b7

Cmaj7b5
6 maj7 root 3rd b5

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Concept
The concept with this book is the idea that is is possible to take any group of
notes that you like 3, 4, 5 6 , and play/ experiment with them, without a specif-
ic goal, just for fun to see what you can come up with, and the enjoyment of
exploring plus the excitement that you may discover new things!

The great thing is, about this kind of system is that You choose the notes, the
ones that appeal to you, so its personal and means something,
Not what some exam or music school syllabus requires.

The world of music sounds is far greater than any music school curriculum
could ever hope to be cover.

I hope you will explore and find your own way to use the Coltrane Pentatonic

Nick Homes

Suggestions

Do not be in a hurry! There is much material here.

Try to memorise the patterns, shapes you like.


Discard the one that do not appeal.
Try to make the exercises your own, with your own rhythms and articulations.
Practice with and without the drones.
Start the Pentatonic on differen degrees.

Play/ sing the Pentatonics with the suggested chords.

Note. The Mp3s are in concert key.

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Bb minor
USE on Bb- | Eb7 | G-7b5| A7altered | Dbmaj7b5

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B minor
USE on B- | E7 | G#-7b5| Bb7altered |Dmaj7b5

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C minor
USE on C- | F7 | A-7b5| B7altered | Ebmaj7b5

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C# minor
USE on C#- | F#7 | A#-7b5| C7altered | Emaj7b5

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D minor
USE on D- | G7 | B-7b5| C#7altered | Fmaj7b5

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Eb minor
USE on Eb- | Ab7 | C-7b5| D7altered | Gbmaj7b5

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E minor
USE on E- | A9 | C#-7b5| D#7altered | Gmaj7b5

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F minor
USE on F- | Bb9 |D-7b5| E7 altered | Abmaj7b5

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F# minor
USE on F#- | B9 | D#-7b5| F7 altered | G#maj7b5

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G minor
USE on G- | C9 | E-7b5| F#7altered | Bb maj7b5

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G# minor
USE on G#- | C#9 | E#-7b5|G7altered | B maj7b5

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A minor
USE on A- | D9 | F#-7b5| G#7altered | C maj7b5

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G minor lower
USE on G- | C9 | E-7b5| F#7altered | Bb maj7b5

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G# minor lower
USE on G#- | C#9 | E#-7b5|G7altered | B maj7b5

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A minor lower
USE on A- | D9 | F#-7b5| G#7altered | C maj7b5

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1. C- Rubato example
Concert part

Here some selected lines from the C minor Coltrane exercises have been put together.
As you can see, the Pentatonic works over C-, B7 altered , A-7b5, F9 and D-7sus4b9.

The reason these chords work is that they all contain many notes of this C minor Coltrane
pentatonic.

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2. Impressions/So What Example


Concert part

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3. Eternal scale
This is a chord progression I put together influenced by the solo changes to Wise One by Coltrane.

The C-6 and B7altered chords are very similar, except for the bass note.
The B7 resolves down to E minor.
The E minor6 and the Eb7 chords are almost identical apart from the bass note.
The Eb7 resolves down to the Abminor.
The Ab minor and G7 altered chords are almost identical apart from the bass note.
The G7alt resolves doen to C minor starting the cycle again.

So the same Coltrane C minor Pentatonic works over the above chord pairs.

Over C-6 and B7alt play the C minor Coltrane Pentatonic


Over E-6 and Eb7alt play the E minor Coltrane Pentatonic
Over Ab-6 and G7alt play the Ab minor Coltrane Pentatonic

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3. Eternal scale example

Concert part

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4. A7 to D minor
This is a classic Jazz Chord progression. V7 to I minor, especially when the dominant, as in
this case is spiced up. Here the 5th is augmented and the 9th is flattened to the A7.

b9 #9 M3 +5 b7

The Bb minor coltrane pentatonic played on top of the A7 highlights the flat 9,
#9, Major 3rd, Augmented 5th and the minor 7th, making it a super colourful sound.

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4. A7 to D minor Example
Concert part

The above example works on top of other chord possibilities:

Bb-6 to B-7b5
Eb7 to G7
Dbmajb5 to Fmaj7b5
G-7b5 to D-

The reason these chords all work is that they all contain many of the same notes.

Bb-6, Eb7, G-7b5 and Dbmajb5 all feature the notes of the Bbminor Coltrane Pentatonic
B-7b5 ,G7, Fmaj7b5 and D- all feature the notes of the Dminor Coltrane Pentatonic

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5.Minor Turnaround
In any Minor key a great ‘Turnaround’ can be created using chords II-7b5 V7 to I
followed by VI-7b5

So the coltane pentatonic changes according to the chord.


Over the G minor the Coltrane Pentatonic Highlights (relating to E-7b5) the Minor 3rd,
the 4th, the flat 5th, the 6th and the minor 7th.

Over The A7altered, the Bb minor trane pentatonic yields the b9, #9, majord 3rd, augmented
5th and flat 7th.

The B-7b5 is a very suitable common substitute chord for D-6 as the chords contain
the same notes! Exactly.
This is an interesting colour as the B natural contrasts with the Bb heard in the previous
E-7b5 chord and A7b9.

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5.Minor Turnaround example


Concert part

Bb minor Trane
G minor Trane

D minor Trane D minor Trane

G minor Trane Bb minor Trane

D minor Trane D minor Trane

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6. Wise One Solo chords

The above is the first 2 choruses of Coltranes solo on ‘Wise One’

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6. Wise One example

A minor Trane

Eb- minor Trane

G- minor Trane

C- minor Trane

E- minor Trane

F- minor Trane

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