1.
Pentatonic means five notes.
2. A pentatonic scale is the set of five notes played in
order from lowest to highest.
3. Pentatonic music is music which uses the 5-note scale.
4. Pentatonic music has developed in lots of different places
across the globe.
5. Many popular forms of music are based on the pentatonic
scale (Folk, Rock)
The
easiest way to learn a pentatonic scale is to just use the
black keys on a keyboard:
the
symbol means the note is flattened (1 key lower)
than the white note (e.g. g
= 1 key lower than g)
The key note is the starting note of the scale.
In the scale above g
is the key note.
How
useful is it to know what the key note is?
If
you know what the key note is you know where to start.
When
you are making up tunes (or improvising) starting and ending
your ideas on the key note always works.
Have a go at making up some tunes on the keyboard above.
Go on. You know you want to!
You
might find this easier if you use your computer keyboard
(ert ui p).
Notice
that it is almost impossible to play something that doesn't
sound good.
1.
The scale on the keyboard above is the major version of the
pentatonic.
2. You can play a pentatonic scale starting on any note you
like.
3.
It is the pattern of notes that counts
4. The major pentatonic starts with three equal steps (whole
tones) with just one other key in between.
5. The major pentatonic is good for making tunes that sound
happy.
Try making up some more ideas or improvising but this time
make up some happy tunes.
Using
the ert ui p keys on your computer keyboard you can play more
than one sound at a time.
Try playing the low g
as a beat with your left hand while you make up different
patterns on the other keys with your right.
Do any of your ideas sound like Chinese music?
This
could be due to the fact that China is just one of the places
in the world where the major pentatonic scale is used a lot.
This
one is called 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'. It uses the major
pentatonic and is a well-known spiritual song sung by African
American descendants of the slave trade
Try playing this tune on the crazy synth. Use black keys
only. Qwerty keys needed are sd ghj l;
QWERTY HINTS: use your left hand for the s and d keys and
your right for the rest. Use more than one finger!!!
symbol means the note is flattened (1 key lower)
than the white note (e.g. g
= 1 key lower than g)
