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Pentatonic scale forms

The blue circles indicate the roots if you're are thinking about a particular pentatonic fingering as major. The red circles indicate the roots if you're are thinking about a particular pentatonic fingering as minor.

Analyzing a song and deciding what the key areas are, is beyond the scope of this lesson. You will need to study some music theory to help you with this. One of the simplest ways to think about a jazz tune, is key areas. If it is a major key area, think major pentatonic. If it is a minor key area, think minor pentatonic. There is much more you can do, but use this as your foundation. Since major pentatonic and minor pentatonic are really just the same fingerings, all you need to do is learn where the roots of the scales are and you are ready to go.

When choosing which fingering of the scale you are going to use, choose the one that is closest to the position that you are all ready in. This will help in making the smoothest transition possible.

Below are all of the major/minor pentatonic fingerings. The root for the major pentatonic.

Good luck, and remember that playing Jazz is a lifelong persut. Practice hard, but enjoy the process of learning.

Page 2, improvising in minor keys

Page 1 improvising in major keys

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