Modal Pentatonics Options

[sigma7]

hey there Andrew! Ive recently embarked on a journey to find out how to master the modal pentatonics.From my research, the formula for the modal pentatonics is (1,3,4,5,7). Is this correct? Like if you start with the Am pentatonic, which is ACDEG, then want to go to C ionian pentatonic, would the C ionian pentatonic be CEFGB? Im just really confused and need clarification on everything. I already know what the modes are but I do not know how to transpose them into different keys and such. Please Help! haha

-Alex

[kjutte]

hey there Andrew! Ive recently embarked on a journey to find out how to master the modal pentatonics.From my research, the formula for the modal pentatonics is (1,3,4,5,7). Is this correct? Like if you start with the Am pentatonic, which is ACDEG, then want to go to C ionian pentatonic, would the C ionian pentatonic be CEFGB? Im just really confused and need clarification on everything. I already know what the modes are but I do not know how to transpose them into different keys and such. Please Help! haha

-Alex

Sorry to butt in, Andrew, I just can't help myself from answering theory questions


If you're referring to David's modal pentatonics, a bit of a different approach here.
David has basically looked at the formulae for each mode, and broken it down from dia to pentatonic.

Dia=7
Penta=5

To do this, you need to know which intervals 'make' the mode.
Take lydian for example, 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7. This is exactly like major, just with an augmented 4th.

You could really do anything you want here, aslong as you remove two notes.
Obviously we need the #4th, as it will do most of the shaping.

Now, take Locrian for example.

1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 7

Here we are 4 mods off the major scale. How would you break this down to 5?
The answer is really to experiment and do what you want, but the outcome should be 5 notes that still sounds somewhat like Locrian.

Phrygian is also very similiar to the Locrian mode:

1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 7

So you see that the most important key in Locrian is prolly the b2 b3 b5, etc. As these make it diminished.

This may be a bit confusing, but look at how Walli created it, and get your own ideas.
Honestly I think Walli has pretty much done an awesome job at it, and personally I just copied it instead of making any changes.

I hope this answered your question!

Edit:
Walliman chose 1 3 4 5 7 of each mode.

This post has been edited by kjutte: Nov 29 2008, 03:05 AM

[Andrew Cockburn]

It sounds a little like you are confusing pentatonic modes with modal pentatonics -

Pentatonic modes work the same as regular modes but have different names.

For instance, yes, the formula for pentatonic is 13579 as you said. If you start from A minor pentatonic with ACDEG and move up one mode you will get CDEGA - the second mode of minor pentatonic is major pentatonic so you end up playing C Major Pentatonic. Modes 3,4 and 5 have no special names.

This is different from Modal Pentatonics - Modal pentatonics are really a way to use the sparseness of the pentatonic scale to fit them in with other Major modes that they wouldn't normally be associated with, as Kjutte explained, and you do this by figuring out which pentatonic scales can fit in with which major modes.

I assume you have seen my lesson on this?

[kjutte]

It sounds a little like you are confusing pentatonic modes with modal pentatonics -

Pentatonic modes work the same as regular modes but have different names.

For instance, yes, the formula for pentatonic is 13579 as you said. If you start from A minor pentatonic with ACDEG and move up one mode you will get CDEGA - the second mode of minor pentatonic is major pentatonic so you end up playing C Major Pentatonic. Modes 3,4 and 5 have no special names.

This is different from Modal Pentatonics - Modal pentatonics are really a way to use the sparseness of the pentatonic scale to fit them in with other Major modes that they wouldn't normally be associated with, as Kjutte explained, and you do this by figuring out which pentatonic scales can fit in with which major modes.

I assume you have seen my lesson on this?

I thought he wanted to know about David's stuff, as he used the term "modal pendatonics", which the lesson is also called.
Either way, now it's all covered

Thanks andrew

[sigma7]

hey thanx guys actually u ere both right i got this question from Davids lesso but was connfused on both sides. Thanx for the clarification guys.

-Alex