What is the Pentatonic Scale? - Music Theory

[@MusicMattersGB]

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[@annetteenchelmaier2474]

I’m a recently retired Primary School Music Teacher in Australia. I taught every class in the school once a week. We sang lots of simple songs and games. As the children internalised the songs I would help them feel the beat and rhythm and identify intervals such as Major Seconds and minor thirds. I used the Pentaonic Scale extensively, also using solfege with a moving doh. This was a very fulfilling career as I saw children from five to twelve years of age develop in their music skills and understanding as they moved through the school.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s fabulous. I’m sure you’ve done all those young people a great service

[@jayducharme]

Excellent explanation, thank you! When I was a kid, I used to improvise all the time using only the black keys, never aware that I was using a pentatonic scale. Now it makes sense.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Excellent

[@ramonacosta2647]

I think of them as the major or natural minor scales with the two notes forming the tritone removed. The harmonic minor case is interesting because it has two tritones so it would have two variants, depending on which tritone you remove. Both variants sound interesting.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@carlosrelampago2279]

The way you teach is perfectly amazing. Thank you for your Work Sir.🙏🙏🙏🙏🤘🤘

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Thank you. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@arnieus866]

An amazing documentary called “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” was filmed inside of the famous Chauvet cave in France. This 30,000 year old cave was found in pristine condition having been protected by being buried by a land slide an unimaginably long time ago. During the film a flute carved from a bone was recovered. The notes playable on the flute was a perfect pentatonic scale. The archeologist played the Star Spangled Banner on it. Every time you hear somebody playing the blues or rock you are hearing a pentatonic scale which is a major scale minus the 4th and 7th. Clearly this arrangement of pitches has resonated with humans for a long, long time and still does.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Fascinating story

[@janinerogers4615]

Thanks for this Gareth! Have you ever done a video on the hemitonic varieties of pentatonic scales? After watching this I've gone down a bit of a rabbit hole reading about them and from what I can see it looks like there are several Japanese scales that fit the description. Would love to hear your thoughts on them anyway (I'm working my way through all your videos!)

[@MusicMattersGB]

We haven’t done a video on all those Japanese issues because it could divert people from the central issues but it’s certainly a fascinating topic.

[@NomeDeArte]

Thank you, not only for the knowledge but for the mind set too. Best wishes from Argentina and have a great 2023!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk All the best to you for 2023 too.

[@MartinMcAvoy]

Than you very much for posting this video. The more that I listen to music, the more I want to understand the rules that composers use to enable them to express their art.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Brilliant. It makes more and more sense as you go.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

I talked with my daughter today about music theory, and I wish I had a teacher like you 60 years ago.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s kind

[@SandeshBhurtel]

I've been loving music theory with your lessons. Thanks for the video.

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@karakataka6557]

Great thing you’r doing! Please continue!!!

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@stefanodigarbo4735]

Back in the days of my theoretical studies I was taught a pentatonic scale would build out of three tones and two minor thirds in whatever sequence. I guess that was a simplification to avoid differentiating between major and minor. To be honest, Gareth, I haven't quite grasped the meaning of hemitonic and anhemitonic: how can you have semitones in a pentatonic scale? Can you make an example please? Thanks and Happy New Year!

[@MusicMattersGB]

An example with a semitone would be CEFGA. Happy new year to you too.

[@stefanodigarbo4735]

@@MusicMattersGB Then the definition I was taught (pentatonic = 3 tones + 2 minor thirds) is false?

[@MusicMattersGB]

Not false but there are other pentatonic possibilities

[@voorth]

"In a Sentimental Mood" would have been a great example for a tune starting with the major pentatonic...

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@carlstenger5893]

Excellent video. As a young child, I was lucky enough to live in a home with a piano. For whatever reason, I was fascinated by the black keys and began "plunking" (my dad's word) every chance I got. 63 years later, I still can't walk past a piano without "plunking" a bit.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely!

[@GeorgeBletchly]

Thanks Gareth. Very intersting as always. The E flat pentatonic scale (the blues pentatonic scale) is used to great effect by Chaz Jankel on Ian Dury's "Wake up and make love to me" in which the black notes are played glissando at certain points. The same scale is used by Vaughan Williams in many works including "A Lark Ascending," which, with a little bending of the notes, could almost be played as a blues number

[@MusicMattersGB]

Great examples

[@psmurali5318]

Namaskaar sir.Very interesting to learn about Pentatonix scales.Nicely explained .Thank you sir

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@PerkyPL]

You Sir, answered all of my questions on the topic! thank You

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@JonesJr876]

Wonderful video. Thank you. Interesting to see the black keys are the simpler scale. Look at that!

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@beaerconwald6745]

Hi Gareth, your lessons are so informative but most of all so easy to understand. OAM what is the name for the numbers song 1, 121, 12321?

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great. The numbers song doesn’t have a name.

[@paularhewe1251]

Thanks for the smooth and easy to learn teaching.❤

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@jc-rg3hy]

Nice explanation take out the 4th note and 7th. I like this simple way. Cheers

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@connerstines1578]

I've always just thought of it as an abbreviation of a scale. Hitting all the high notes of it, so to speak.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@i_teleported_bread7404]

How would one write chords in a pentatonic scale? Is it like the diatonic scales, where one uses the third and fifth intervals above the root note, or are chords in the pentatonic scale built differently?

[@MusicMattersGB]

You would use any chord that can be constructed within the pentatonic scale.

[@AlejandroRodriguez-ob4ow]

Gracias por este esclarecedor video. Voy a revisar con cuidado, pero me parece, así de golpe, que en ambas escalas pentatónicas, por construcción, no hay tritono. Saludos cordiales desde Cuernavaca en México. Gracias

[@MusicMattersGB]

Muchas gracias por tu amable comentario. Buena observación.

[@lizardltd]

This is very interesting, thank you so much for the video! I grew up in a Waldorf school, which mainly used pentatonic scales when teaching music, because even if we make mistakes, it's usually less noticeable with this harmonic scale... I do have a question for you if that's okay, do you know of any resources or have any tips for adding onto a pentatonic scale? For example, how you can add certain notes when playing blues and it sounds good, but can't play others... Hope that makes sense 😅 Thanks

[@MusicMattersGB]

Thanks for your positive feedback. That’s an interesting question. I don’t know of particular resources in that regard. The best thing is to experiment to discover what works in a given context.

[@lizardltd]

@@MusicMattersGB thank you so much!

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@theleastsignificantbit4794]

Thanks for making this!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more to assist you at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@NouraEinstein]

Very helpful thank you 🩵🩵

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@rezzab]

I remember years ago chatting to a classical musician, the pentatonic scale came into the the conversation, he did not say anything he started the sing the tune Louis, it’s pentatonic.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@michaelmatthewkomaromigabr9588]

THANK YOU. I ENJOYED THE VIDEO VERY MUCH.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great

[@amalpianoclasses]

Very interesting video thank u so much 🌸

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@rezzab]

Also what is interesting is how many improvising musicians use the pentatonic scale and don't rtalise they are.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s true.

[@youtubewatcher2006]

What makes the pentatonic scale major or minor? Major and minor are not exclusive to diatonic scales but what makes a scale major or minor? Is it the third interval from tonic to third scale degree?

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s really about which note functions as the tonic. For example if you use the pentatonic scale CDEGA and C functions as the tonic it’s a ‘C major’ pentatonic. If the same notes are used as ACDEG with A functioning as the tonic it’s an ‘A minor’ pentatonic. Apologies for the delayed response!

[@bjazz68]

Thank you.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@Obedience33]

Thank you!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure

[@wendyfield7708]

The best way to hear the pentatonic major and minor is to let children play the black keys on the piano to get the used to the sound!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely

[@Bass60134Player]

I recall learning about and writing using the notes A B C E F as a pentatonic scale when studying composition. Is there a name for that scale?

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s one form of Pentatonic scale. I’m not sure if that one has a specific name

[@GarGlingT]

I think this maybe asia or blues scale are from. Like japanese chinese or blues scale. They are all blues.

[@MusicMattersGB]

@GarGlingT 😀

[@jimtessin4130]

Excellent!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Glad it’s useful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@annelouisemaclellan485]

Are there pentatonic “modes”?

[@MusicMattersGB]

The pentatonic scale has modes in the way diatonic scales do. The major pentatonic is based on ionian, though it omits the 4 and 7. The next mode would be based on dorian, omitting the 3 and the 6. Phrygian pentatonic omits the 2 and 5, while mixolydian pentatonic leaves out the 3 and 7.

[@annelouisemaclellan485]

@@MusicMattersGB Thanks for that! 🙏🏼

[@MusicMattersGB]

@annelouisemaclellan485 😀

[@edinatl2008]

Great stuff

[@MusicMattersGB]

Glad it’s helpful

[@jackgalloway8314]

Thanks

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@jc-rg3hy]

So for minor we take out the 2nd and 6th.. right

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@christineblack4654]

well I watched the full 20 minutes video and still dont get why it's THOSE 2 notes that are omited from the d major scale for example.

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s basically that the pentatonic scale contains 5 notes within the octave.

[@armandosinger]

I was also looking for the answer and didn’t quite get it here. I know the main criteria is to remove the notes that would clash with the chord you would play over. And this involves removing the semitone spacing. *which* notes are removed clash the least. For example the major scale has 7 notes, with 2 pairs 1 semitone apart-the 3&4, and 7&1. So 2 of those have to go. The major pentatonic removes the 4 and 7. Removing the 4 makes sense because it would clash when playing over a major chord, which has 1, 3 & 5 so the 4 would create tension with the close spacing of the 3. I’m less sure about the 7, because that is a chord tone for a major 7 chord. But maybe it’s because if you have to choose between the tension filled 7 and the 1, the 1 wins. It would be weird not to have the root/tonic in the scale.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely

[@bennetjoseph1956]

❤❤❤

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@Cleisthenes2]

Zoolander was not a natural miner

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@joseph.cotter]

How is Old Susanna Pentatonic? It has two F notes in it.

[@MusicMattersGB]

FGACD - 5 notes

[@MusicMattersGB]

Those are the 5 notes used in the whole song. You can have as many F’s as you like.

[@MusicMattersGB]

No. FGACD

[@MusicMattersGB]

If you start on C there are 5 notes in the song CDEGA If you start on F there are 5 notes FGACD It’s simply two different transpositions of the same pentatonic pattern.

[@joseph.cotter]

@@MusicMattersGB Still doesn't work.. The song starts CDEGGAGEC... 5 Notes... no room for an F.

[@Selahmusiccollege]

Time signature also not in the right position

[@MusicMattersGB]

Time signature is fine.

[@terrygrimaldi9301]

It's simple its a scale for people with only two fingers lol

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀