Jazz Improvisation - Pentatonics

Pentatonics

Main article: Pentatonic scale#Major pentatonic scale

Pentatonics are a more advanced method to improvisation. John Coltrane used pentatonics extensively. Most scales are made up of seven notes: (in the key of C – the major scale) C D E F G A B). The pentatonic scale comprises only five notes of the major scale (C pentatonic scale is C D E G A). Pentatonics are useful in pattern form and that is how they are usually played. One pattern using the pentatonic scale could be 3 6 5 2 3 5 (in C: E A G D E G).