Learn-by-doing lessons for quickly internalizing the Minor Pentatonic Scale… by ear, intellect, eye, and muscle…
Table of Contents
Lesson Goal
To quickly internalize the letter names, scale degrees, solfege, notation, sounds, feelings, and visuospatial keyboard layouts for the Minor Pentatonic Scale in all keys.
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
Why Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale?
Because the Minor Pentatonic Scale is used in a wide variety of music all around the world: classical, folk, pop, rock, bluegrass, country, and modal jazz.
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Minor Pentatonic Scale Theory
As the name says, this special scale is a collection of five notes with a minor quality (and is yet another existence proof that scales are not made up of “half-steps” and “whole-steps”)…
- The Solfege Syllables for the Minor Pentatonic Scale are Do-Me-Fa-So-Te-Do (no matter what key you are in).
- The Scale Degrees for the Minor Pentatonic Scale are 1-b3-4-5-b7-1 (no matter what key you are in).
- The notes for the Minor Pentatonic Scale in the key of C are C-Eb-F-G-Bb-C…
Important Sidebar: Notice how the scale structure is such that the notes form two convenient “triangles”. Recognizing such patterns greatly simplifies the way you think about, read, hear, visualize, and play… not just for this scale but for many other musical patterns.
Minor Pentatonic Scale Compared to the Minor Blues Scale
Notice that the Minor Pentatonic Scale is just the Minor Blues Scale with the edgiest note #4/b5 (Fi/Se) missing…
Don’t try to “memorize” this fact, but do realize how much certain scale types have in common, how learning one kind of scale helps you to learn others, and how the addition or subtraction of even just one note can profoundly change the character of a scale.
Play and listen to the Minor Blues Scale…
Play and listen to the Minor Pentatonic…
Minor Pentatonic Scale Solfege Ear Training
Reading, playing, and singing the Solfege Syllables out loud is an extremely effective way to tune up your ears and to internalize the unique sound-feeling of each note in the scale with respect to the key center Do. Make sure to do this slowly enough for the unique sound-feeling of each Solfege Syllable to make a meaningful impression on your mind’s ear.
Linear, Ascending…
Linear, Descending…
Do-X-Do, Ascending…
Do-X-Do, Descending…
Note: We could sing lots more musical patterns, but a more effective and efficient approach (80:20 Rule) is to get your ear training material directly from the music that YOU want to play!
Minor Pentatonic Scale Theory & Ear Training, All Keys
Showing the notation, key signature, letter names, scale degrees, solfege syllables, and keyboard layouts… arranged chromatically ascending (C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B)…
Scale Structure Reminders:
- Minor Pentatonic Scale Solfege = Do-Me-Fa-So-Te-Do (no matter what key you are in).
- Minor Pentatonic Scale Scale Degrees = 1-b3-4-5-b7-1 (no matter what key you are in).
C Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The C Minor Pentatonic Scale is spelled C-Eb-F-G-Bb-C.”
Sidebar: The goals here are to get the sounds in your mind’s ear, to learn how to read, and to know where the notes are on the keyboard. Don’t worry about fingerings right now. In fact, it’s perfectly fine and maybe even preferrable to play these with one finger for now so that you don’t instill poor technical habits.
C Sharp Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The C# Minor Pentatonic is spelled C#-E-F#-G#-B-C#.”
D Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The D Minor Pentatonic is spelled D-F-G-A-C-D.”
E Flat Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The Eb Minor Pentatonic is spelled Eb-Gb-Ab-Bb-Db-Eb.”
E Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The E Minor Pentatonic is spelled E-G-A-B-D-E.”
F Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The F Minor Pentatonic is spelled F-Ab-Bb-C-Eb-F.”
F Sharp Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The F# Minor Pentatonic is spelled F#-A-B-C#-E-F#”
G Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The G Minor Pentatonic is spelled G-Bb-C-D-F-G.”
G Sharp Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The Ab Minor Pentatonic is spelled G#-B-C#-D#-F#-G#.”
A Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The A Minor Pentatonic is spelled A-C-D-E-G-A.”
B Flat Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The Bb Minor Pentatonic is spelled Bb-Db-Eb-F-Ab-Bb.”
B Minor
Say this aloud as you read and play: “The B Minor Pentatonic is spelled B-D-E-F#-A-B.”
Buy Frank a cup of coffee (Donations Page) and he’d be happy to send you a high-res pdf of the scores and keyboard layouts.
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Thanks so much for this contributions to Music world
Thank YOU for your most kind words of appreciation, my friend. It is my pleasure and privilege to share!