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Hoots : Pentatonic Scale and Chord Qualities I am trying to play the pentatonic in the Key of G-Major. But like in Major scales we have the sequence Maj-min-min-Maj-Maj-min-dim, is there something for Pentatonic as well.? - freshhoot.com

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Pentatonic Scale and Chord Qualities
I am trying to play the pentatonic in the Key of G-Major. But like in Major scales we have the sequence Maj-min-min-Maj-Maj-min-dim, is there something for Pentatonic as well.?


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The harmonized (chord) scale for pentatonic scales is interesting.

G major scale: G A B C D E F#

G major pentatonic scale: G A B D E

By stacking G major scale notes we get the
G major chord scale: G Am Bm C D Em F#dim

The G major pentatonic chord scale can use the same chords as a subset of the G major scale. But if we stack just pentatonic notes we get some other possibilities because the thirds of some of the chords are missing.

G: BD (G)
A: E (A, Am)
B: D (Bm, G)
D: A (D, Dm)
E: GB (Em)

Don't do other substitutions unless they fit smoothly into the harmonic movement of the piece or add a tension you want to hear.


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Usually, when guitarists talk about pentatonics, they refer to minor pents. Here, all answers refer to major pents. (I know the OP asks with reference to G major, but most guitarists will widdle G min. pent over that...) However, the same sort of 'problem' occurs.

There just aren't enough notes to make enough chords. There is always going to be a pattern, for each, but because the two 'iffy' notes have been taken out - making it almost impossible to play anything dissonant - the chords from the standard diatonic scale will fit under those pent. notes.


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Yes, sort of...but there's a problem.

We can think of the pentatonic scale as a major scale that's missing scale-degrees 4 and 7, so in some ways we can think of the triad qualities as the same as those from major, but without the fourth and seventh chords.

So, instead of MmmMMm°, we have MmmMm. But let's look at these chords:

The middle three chords actually include the two pitches that we don't have in pentatonic! (I've parenthesized these pitches.) So it's tough to say that the ii chord is minor, since in a true pentatonic collection we actually won't have the C that determines whether this triad is major or minor. A more correct representation of these triads in a true pentatonic environment would be:

So although I and vi are clear, the chords built on scale-degrees 2 and 5 are both open fifth "power chords." The chord built on scale-degree 3, meanwhile, is a simple minor third.

With that said, there are psychological and cultural aspects that would suggest many Western listeners would hear that A open fifth as minor-ish and that D open fifth as major-ish. But the fact remains that, in a true pentatonic collection, these clarifying pitches simply are not there.


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