pentatonic minor

theorypen-tah-TON-ik MY-norfrom Greek

A five-note scale consisting of the first, flat third, fourth, fifth, and flat seventh degrees of th‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌e [natural minor scale](/term/natural%20minor%20scale).

In Depth

The minor pentatonic scale (1-b3-4-5-b7) is arguably the most widely used scale in popular music worldwide.‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌ By removing the second and sixth degrees from the natural minor scale, it eliminates the half-step intervals that create tension and resolution in seven-note scales, producing a collection of notes that are almost universally consonant with each other. This makes the minor pentatonic remarkably easy to improvise with — virtually any combination of its five notes sounds "right." The minor pentatonic is the foundation of blues guitar improvisation — the iconic guitar solos of B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page are built primarily from this five-note collection. Adding the "blue note" (the flat fifth or sharp fourth) creates the blues [scale](/term/blues%20scale). The same five notes, in various octave arrangements, form the basis of rock, folk, country, and R&B melody. Remarkably, the minor pentatonic also underlies the melodic traditions of West Africa, China, Japan, and the Celtic nations, suggesting it may represent a near-universal human musical instinct.

Did you know?

Bobby McFerrin demonstrated the universality of the pentatonic scale in a famous TED talk, where he got a random audience to spontaneously sing a pentatonic melody without any instruction — they instinctively knew which notes came next.

Related Terms

pentatonic blues scale improvisation

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accidental

A sharp, flat, or natural sign that alters a note from the prevailing key signature.

accidentals explained

Symbols placed before notes to raise or lower their pitch by a semitone or return them to their natural state

acoustic

Relating to sound or the properties of sound, especially music produced without electronic amplification.

Aeolian mode

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aleatory

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alto

The second-highest voice type, or an instrument pitched between soprano and tenor.

amplitude

The measure of a sound wave's intensity, perceived as loudness or volume.

anacrusis

One or more notes before the first full bar of a piece, also called a pickup or upbeat.

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