If you have a chord progression/accompaniment in say E minor, you're often told to use E Minor Pentatonic for the melody or soloing/improvising. But what about using the full E Natural Minor scale for the melody? In other words, what is the advantage of using the pentatonic scale rather than the full 7 note scale? thanks.
The pentatonic would, I think, simply give you a bluesier feel than the full natural minor.
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Using the pentatonic scale doesn't mean you can't use the other notes, it merely means that you'll focus more on those notes. Don't keep a strict attoitude towards scales: if you need a note use it. A basic advantage of the pentatonic scale is that most of the notes sound good over every chord in a standard bluesbar, so even tonedeaf people can pretend to improvise. :P
Also, the pentatonic has no semitones/ half steps. That gives it a distinct 'feel' that has come to be associated with rock music.
The minor pentatonic (or the "blues scale" with the b5) contains no "clam" notes that can sound really bad over either a I-IV-V or i-iv-v accompaniment.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Using the pentatonic scale doesn't mean you can't use the other notes, it merely means that you'll focus more on those notes. Don't keep a strict attoitude towards scales: if you need a note use it. A basic advantage of the pentatonic scale is that most of the notes sound good over every chord in a standard bluesbar, so even tonedeaf people can pretend to improvise. :P
Being one of those tonedeaf people, I find that at my skill level the pentatonics do sound better. An occasional note from the major or minor scale thrown in dosen't hurt either.
Eric
