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Home Alt › Forums › Improvisation › Do you ever use a flat 5 over the Major Pentatonic Scale in the Blues?

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  • September 3, 2015 at 8:25 pm #24839
    Michael
    Participant

      Hi Johnny,
      I was noticing how in our Major Pentatonic Exercises we can use a minor 3rd and flat 7 like you talk about and I’m doing this more-and-more..it sounds really great when played at the right time. I was curious if you ever use a flat 5 over the Major Pentatonic Exercises. When I look at the Minor Pentatonic scales, we have the 1,b3,4,5,b7 and 8 and I’ve seen by playing it how a flat 5 can be added here and it fits very nicely, but when I play it, it strikes me as the kind of note that you wouldn’t want to overuse too much in a Blues progression?

      September 4, 2015 at 8:26 am #24854
      john
      Keymaster

        I will use a flat 5 over anything. but like you say, it can very easily be overused. in most cases, once is enough cause it’s such a strong sound but when used properly, like with a growl it’s a total attention-getter.

        September 4, 2015 at 9:22 am #24859
        Michael
        Participant

          Yeah….that note really does get people’s attention to say the least LOL I had an experience with that this past Wed. night with the guys. I hit it pretty hard to accent it strongly and my friend Robert Gunter turned and looked at me like “Now that was a good one” LOL I think had I of played it more than the one time, it would sounded out-of-place, but hitting it that one time was….just right 🙂 We we’re in a minor key and not major which is why I was asking because on your lesson for the Major Pentatonic Scale where you talk about the minor 3rd and flat 7, there was no mention of a flat 5…I thought it would be okay but wanted to make sure first before playing any kind of a note that doesn’t belong in your Improvisation.

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