Improvisation, chord voicings, jazz theory, and more. While the focus of this book is pentatonicism in jazz, the systems used in this work can be applied to other musical styles and is relevant to all melodic musical instruments. How to improvise jazz using the pentatonic scale from. The blues is a form that every improviser must learn and master if they want to become a proficient player.
This scale is a mustknow melodic device for guitarists exploring the world of improvised music, be it in the jazz genre or otherwise. Cool and unusual applications of the minor pentatonic scale. Pentatonic scales have found their home in the hearts of jazz, blues, and rock. Michael gundlach finger exercises for all poprock pianists and keyboarders speedy fingers. Mar 21, 2017 the pentatonic foundation course also comes with a pdf guide book. I suggest that as you watch the video with guitar in hand, you make notes over the chord changes detailing the pentatonic fingerings you might employ over the different sections. Mar 01, 20 improvisation, chord voicings, jazz theory, and more. The most important of these are both major and minor pentatonic. See when youre a teenager like i was at 19, you had anger, repressed anger that had to come out in one way or another.
Bair, jeff, cyclic patterns in john coltranes melodic vocabulary as influenced by nicolas slonimskys thesaurus of scales and melodic patterns. Well explore the pentatonic scale from a jazz improvisation standpoint applying it to number of different. Have fun content protected for jazz guitarists series members only suggested. Share, download and print free sheet music for piano, guitar, flute and more on the worlds largest community of sheet music creators. Below you can download a pdf with the chord changes to bb rhythm changes.
The root notes a in these examples are circled so that you can learn their locations. Shop and buy jazz studies on the pentatonic scale for saxophone sheet music. Pentatonicism in jazz has caused me to take a look at my choices of scales and ideas when i improvise. Lovell a dissertation presented to the school of music and dance and the graduate school of the university of oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy december 2012. Despite the age and history of the pentatonic scale, it is used extensively in modern jazz improvisation. If you are not sure how to build your pentatonic scales or what a relative minor is, you can learn all of that in some of my free play sax by ear crash course. Chord scale relationships guitar charts cheat sheet.
The blues is a complex and subtle musical language that warrants careful analysis and sustained debate. Chord progressions in e minor rock musician miami florida. Often drenched in pentatonicism in jazz, this book ranges over cycleoffifths and the ancient arrangement of gagaku music originating in its pentatonic formulation. Both debussy and ravel in their impressionistic music make regular use of pentatonicism, but according to nicolas slonimsky in his lectionary of music, there is strong evidence to suppose that londonderry air danny boy was wrongly transcribe. I have quite a few students who are fans of playing the blues. Learn jazz piano improvisation using only the pentatonic scale. The minor pentatonic scale is probably the most commonly learned, practiced and used scale by guitarists of all genres. Chord progressions in e minor when i first started learning guitar this is the key that i most used. If you have any questions or comments then feel free to leave them here or on the video. This is one my favorite jazz education videos on youtube the perspective of is. Its its relative minor, so we can find this by starting on the 6th of the major scale degree or the last note of the major pentatonic scale. Printable pdf ebook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with. There are legitimate concerns with the application of musictheoretical paradigms to blues music, but we should not allow such concerns to undermine all attempts to address the blues as a serious and coherently structured music. Finally, i talk about the mental processes involved in jazz piano improvisation and, in fact, in most forms of improvisation, musical and otherwise, and how skilled pianists and other.
In the fourth bar the phrase is repeated up a half tone. Pentatonic scales are a key feature of the mccoy tyner style. In this exercise we play our major pentatonic scale over the entire range of our instrument up and back down again. Print and download in pdf or midi alto sax jazz solo. As improvisors, scale patterns can be used in various ways in order to build interesting solos. Mccoy tyner mccoy tynerstyle pentatonics for piano riff. A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to the heptatonic scale originated in medieval europe that has seven notes per octave such as the major scale and minor scale. Granted this is written for guitarists but you still might glean some insight into opportunities for diving into some higher level uses of pentatonics. Jun 07, 2016 n o pianist has influenced the modern approach to jazz piano more than mccoy tyner. Dorian scales sheet music download free in pdf or midi. Here is a link to a pdf doc with all sheet music exercises shown in this. Nov 07, 2018 as with major and minor scales, the minor pentatonic scale derives from the major pentatonic scale. Mar 06, 2012 this is one my favorite jazz education videos on youtube the perspective of is that of a brilliant guitarist, but any instrumentalist could use these concepts. Hello, i used to have an account here last year, but ill be darned if i can remember what it was i seem to remember back then somebody posted a link to a cool free pdf full of blues licks.
Pianists who play sheet music or written melodies or major concertos hardly ever plan fingerings in real time, the way it would have to be done in order to improvise. Jazz saxophone sheet music download pdf or print free on. This jazz guitar method is an ebook available as a pdf with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. All of me jazz standard sheet music for piano download. This book can function as a reference guide or as an inspirational source. As you will learn, these patterns can be transferred to all keys. Here are 7 of my favourite workouts that you can use in each practice session to fine tune your technique and make great progress. Often times its thought of in a blues context, which of course the minor pentatonic scale lends itself to quite nicely. Sep 29, 2016 finally, i talk about the mental processes involved in jazz piano improvisation and, in fact, in most forms of improvisation, musical and otherwise, and how skilled pianists and other. They are still used all over the world, for example. They are easy to apply and they will enable you to creatively harness the pentatonic scale.
Jazz pentatonics by bruce saunders digital sheet music for. Ive included a summary below of his main point for reference or if you arent a guitar player and have trouble following what vic is doing. Note the contrast to the major case, where any pentatonic so dark as not to include the major third was unusable. Repeating phrases up or down a half tone is a very common thing in modal jazz. Free piano sheet music pdf, pop, rock, movie soundtrack, musical, christmas, jazz. This means that it uses the same note as the major pentatonic scale, but the tonic note for the scale is different.
Born in 1943, ricker has a wealth of experience which has significantly advised all of his study books, including jazz studies on the pentatonic scales for saxophone. Pentatonic scales are very common and are found in musical cultures all over the world. How to use the pentatonic scale in jazz progressions. Without speaking, he placed sheet music on the music stands in front of us, revealing the chord changes and melody for the classic jazz standard on dolphin street. Pentatonic scales pdf and instructional video the pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale that is widely used in rock, blues, country, and other genres. Play sax by ear using the 5 notes of the pentatonic scale. You can get access to all my jazz piano courses when you join the jazz tutorial membership a paid monthly subscription that gives you. Ebook symmetrical scales for jazz improvisation as pdf.
The below table summarises all 5 modes of the major pentatonic scale, each using c as the root. A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five pitches per octave, in contrast to a heptatonic sevennote scale such as the major and minor scales. A help in sheet music is the second time you play it the melody doesnt change, and you can improve your fingerings. Major and minor pentatonic scales avoid significant harmonic dissonance by adverting this tritone. When reexamining transcripts of jazz greats, i can now identify and recognize their use of pentatonism in their solos. Music notes for ebook and online audio sheet music by bruce saunders. Heres a little something that ive been working with in the studio this week. The first three bars are a pure c minor pentatonic scale played in a pattern. I am having a wonderful time adding the multitude of pentatonic scales to my reperatoire.
Introduction why your guitar solos dont come close to the solos of great blues guitarists so you are starting to play your own blues guitar solos. How to use the pentatonic scale in jazz progressions guitar. Minor pentatonic scales sheet music for flute, available online or in printable pdf format. Pentatonic scale improvisation pentatonic scale soloing. A detailed look at the theory behind pentatonic scales and the myriad ways they can be used in jazz music. If you dont already have it, craig fraedrichs free pdf download scale studies for improvisation is available at. Pentatonic scales trumpet pdf the following article is an excerpt from my book, recycling in jazz improvisation which can be downloaded as a pdf in my books section of. Page 1 hi, and welcome to pentatonic scales for guitar a pentatonic scale has just 5 notes.
An exploration of melody, harmony, and improvisation in the music of stevie wonder by jeffrey l. A trumpetspecific, embouchurebuilding supplement to craig fraedrichs scale studies for improvisation. Print and download in pdf or midi pentatonic scales. This lesson is closely related to the pentatonic improvisation lesson so if you havent watched that tutorial id recommend you check that out first. This book is intended for musicians, composers, music teachers, and their students. Print and download in pdf or midi 15 easy jazz pieces. The blues scale for alto sax and eb instruments digital. Upsidedown scale studies for improvisation upsidedown scale. Once youve got a handle on this material dont hesitate to contact anvil guitar instruction to learn how to augment and adapt these licks with. Jun 10, 2016 the minor pentatonic scale is a fairly wellknown scale, and i imagine many of you have used it before. Similar to the pentagon, which has 5 sides, the pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale which can be used in any key for improvisation.
Language sitemap guitars scales major pentatonic pattern 15 fingerings major pentatonic scale pattern 15. Free sheet music pdf for piano download and print sheet music pdf. Minor pentatonic scales to introduce a novice guitar player to the world of rock music requires that he learn a series of scales, which we can call the tools of the trade. Each student must know what jazz sounds like before heshe can play it. Playing a jazz standard with pentatonic scales jens larsen. The pentatonic blues scale is built upon three dominant chords. This creates a distinctly different sound for the new scale. Pentatonic scale in debussys voiles, preludes, book i, no. The minor pentatonic scale for guitar jazz guitar online. For this chapter we will be considering minor pentatonic only.
Jan 31, 2014 free minor pentatonic blues scale chart. Basic jazz conception for saxophone vol 1, 12 jazz exercises 10 jazz tunes bookcd easy jazz favorites tenor sax 1. Whole and a half, whole, half, half, whole and a half, whole. How to use the pentatonic scale like mccoy tyner in your. You can approach it with blues language, bebop, or even modern and outside approaches it all comes together in the blues. This is an alto sax jazz solo that i wrote for an audition. A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to the heptatonic scale, which has seven notes per octave such as the major scale and minor scale pentatonic scales were developed independently by many ancient civilizations. Chromatic scales are a great way to get your technique tuned up. I didnt get into scale practice things in chapter ii because some patterns are too wide and mechanical for my instrument to play though i heard some of the licks in 70s jazz rock. And today were going look at 3 creative ways mccoy tyner uses the pentatonic scale on the blues.
Caged and diagonal pentatonic scales there is a lot of discussion about the glory of the caged system. Cyclic patterns in john coltranes melodic vocabulary as. Get your free instant download of the pdf version of this guide now. Pentatonic scales pdf and instructional video guitar alliance. What are some examples of tunes written in a pentatonic scale. Nov 16, 2018 without speaking, he placed sheet music on the music stands in front of us, revealing the chord changes and melody for the classic jazz standard on dolphin street. Starting the c major pentatonic scale on the 6th note of the scale produces the a minor pentatonic scale.
Since our weather has been so blue up here, i thought it might be fun to work on our improv skills with minor pentatonic blues scales. Mel bay publications digital sheet music at sheet music plus. The minor pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly scales used in rock, blues, country and jazz music. As i mentioned above, the pentatonic scale is often used to avoid avoid notes. The blues scale for alto saxophone and eb instruments by andrew d. Gordon is he feels, one of his most important books because of the nature of the blues scale and how it is used to improvise in many styles of contemporary music. Pentatonic scale improvisation pentatonic scale soloing jazz piano. The minor pentatonic scale is a mode of the major pentatonic scale. The construction of the pattern used in the jazz lesson is discussed in the video below. Symmetrical scales for jazz improvisation top results of your surfing symmetrical scales for jazz improvisation start download portable document format pdf and ebooks electronic books free online rating news 20162017 is books that can provide inspiration, insight, knowledge to the reader.
Pentatonic scales are the oldest musical scales in the word. We mention in one of our articles on the site a great resource for jazz guitarists, in the mel bay lessons series, jazz pentatonics by bruce saunders. From players like chick corea and mulgrew miller to nonpianists like woody shaw and michael brecker, mccoy has left his mark on generations of serious improvisers. Rickers jazz studies on the pentatonic scale for saxophone begins by explaining in the preface the increased use of the pentatonic scale within jazz. This guide has all the information from the course and serves as an excellent reference if you would like to print it out or view on a tablet or computer screen. Played slowly, for example, a scale pattern can be used to create a melodic line that has continuity. When reexamining transcripts of jazz greats, i can now identify and. In this lesson im going to introduce you to the concept of pentatonic harmony.
Once you purchase a sheet music, you will be able to download the pdf. Pentatonicism from the eighteenth century to debussy offers the first comprehensive account of a widely recognized aspect of music history. Pentatonic scales were developed independently by many ancient civilizations. Free minor pentatonic blues scale chart saras music studio. Pentatonic patterns for improvisation sample preparatory exercises below is an example of what i call pentatonic exercise 1 in the key of c major.
Various techniques are used such as bends, slides and hammerons. Pentatonicism from the eighteenth century to debussy. Jazz alto sax solo sheet music for piano, alto saxophone. Listening to and analyzing jazz recordings is an important part of ones development in jazz. Well, sure, i wish i knew or was taught it 40 years ago when i started playing. In the case of c pentatonic, the three chords are c7 f7 g7. Jazz pentatonics by bruce saunders digital sheet music. Haerle presents the scales used in improvisation and explains applications. Pentatonicism in nineteenthcentury music encompasses hundreds of instances, many of which predate by decades the more famous examples of. All accordion 20 bagpipe 8 balalaika 16 banjo 505 bass 1456 bassoon 7426 blank sheet music 16 books 4 bouzouki 2 bugle 1 cello violoncello 8674 charango 27 choir vocal 15647 clarinet 9806 cornet 534 dobro guit. However, i find that many musicians think about using this scale with a limited perspective.