Theory Tip - Pentascales

Pentascales are very simple to understand, learn, and play. First we should break down the word pentascale. It is basically two words combined together. The two words are penta and scale. The word penta means 5. The word scale means a 'series of tones in consecutive order, ascending or descending generally within the interval of an octave'. Just as a pentagon is a shape with 5 sides, a pentascale is a scale with five notes. I will explain the pentascale and not the pentatonic scale (which also is a scale with five notes from the octave scale but uses larger intervals between each note).

The first pentascale I will describe is the major pentascale. This pentascale is created using the first five notes from the major scale. For example, the C major scale is C D E F G A B C. The scale begins and ends on C. If you only play the first five notes of the scale, you are left with the C major pentascale which is C D E F G. A good way to practice this pentascale is to play the major chord first (i.e. the C major chord is created using the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes from the major scale or C, E, and G all played together at the same time), then play the pentascale going up and down and play the major chord again. This can be done in every key by moving up half a step each time. Here is what the C major pentascale looks like in music:

The next pentascale I will describe is the minor pentascale. This pentascale is created using the first five notes from the major scale (as with the major pentascale), but the third note (in the key of C it would be E) is flatted as if you were playing the minor chord. If you play the five notes of the C minor pentascale you will play C D Eb (E flat) F G. A good way to practice this pentascale is to play the minor chord (C Eb G) then play the minor pentascale going up and down and play the minor chord again. This can be done in every key. Here is what the C minor pentascale looks like in music:
The next pentascale I will describe is the diminished pentascale. This pentascale is created using the notes from the diminished chord. If you play the five notes of the C diminished pentascale, you will play C D Eb (E flat) F Gb (G flat). A good way to practice this pentascale is to play the diminished chord (C Eb Gb), then play the diminished pentascale going up and down and play the diminished chord again. This can be done in every key. Here is what the C diminished pentascale looks like in music:

The next pentascale I will describe is not necessarily a true pentascale, but I enjoy teaching it to music students (and they love playing around with it). This is the pentascale comprised of the first 5 notes from the blues scale. The C blues scale is C Eb F F# G Bb C. If you play the first five notes of the blues scale you will play C Eb (E flat) F F# G. A good way to practice this pentascale is to play the C minor chord (C Eb G) but play it using the fingering 1 2 5 (1 = C, 2 = Eb, 5 = G) then simply add the F (with the 3rd finger) and the F# (with the 4th finger). This can be done in every key. Here is what the pentascale comprised of the first 5 notes from the blues scale looks like in music:

Written by Jerald M. Simon

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