ExAMPLES

TRA CKs 19-21

Jazz Ex 16 For this II-V- I in Bb major, we are using C minor pentatonic for the Cm7 chord (IIm7) and then thinking ‘D minor pentatonic’ for the F9 ( V9) and Bbmaj7 (Imaj7) chords. See how this produces colourful extended chord tones on the Bbmaj7 - C (major 9th), A (major 7th) and 5th (F) and 3rd (D).

Jazz Ex 17 This is an example of modal jazz, as you would find on the largely static chord progressions of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. We are actually in a D Dorian mode context; but inside every Dorian mode are three different minor pentatonic scales that can be applied to great effect. In this case, we alternate between D minor pentatonic and E minor pentatonic for the first two bars; then, thinking ‘A minor pentatonic’ for the end phrase, producing some nice colourful runs, while staying within the original harmonic context.

Jazz Ex 18 In this D major based example we are further developing the principle of picking out minor pentatonic scales inherent in the major scale structure. For the Dmaj7 and Ebmaj7 chords we are thinking ‘F# minor pentatonic’ and ‘G minor pentatonic’ respectively. Using the minor pentatonic starting from the 3rd of a major chord is a common principle well worth noticing. This was the trick we used in Example 16, using D minor pentatonic over a Bb chord. Playing over a Lydian type chord such as Dmaj7#11 gives us a new set of minor pentatonic scales to play with, and one that creates maximum colour is the minor pentatonic starting a semitone away from any given Imaj7#11 chord. So we are playing C# minor pentatonic over the Dmaj7#11 here, emphasising some of the key colour notes of the chord in the process.