Pentatonic question

[JumpingJackFlash]

It's actually "A" pentatonic.

No. A pentatonic (major) would be A, B, Db, E, Gb

Splitting hairs, that would technically be C# and F# in A major, not Db and Gb.

Why's that? Not that I don't believe you but I don't know the convention.

A major has 3 sharps in it; F, C and G. That's its key signature. The scale goes A,B,C#,D,E,F#,G#,A. There has to be one 'version' of each note, and only one. So, it couldn't go A,B,Db... as there would be no variety of C (and probably two varieties of D).

Sure, in real music you can spell things chromatically, but as a point of theory, the scale is always spelt as above.

The same as Cb major is spelt with Fb instead of E, and C# major is spelt with B# instead of C.

If you were not using Equal Temperament, then there would be a difference between C# and Db, in which case the scale would obviously not be the same.

[Opax]

It's actually "A" pentatonic.

No. A pentatonic (major) would be A, B, Db, E, Gb

Splitting hairs, that would technically be C# and F# in A major, not Db and Gb.

Why's that? Not that I don't believe you but I don't know the convention.

A major pentatonic scale is obviously derived from the major scale...

Think about the steps of the A major scale:

A B C# D E F# G# A


What you've suggested would look like this (in a major scale):

A B Db D E Gb G# A


Which one looks right, and which one looks wrong?


Initially, you're supposed to use each lettered note in order of sequence, whilst using the appropriate enharmonic symbol.

[nuffink]

Gotcha. Ta. It hadn't occured to me that pentatonic scales were spelled after their diatonic superset.

[Boompje]

sound like it resolves to G ... and sounds very much like the tune of "all in the family" to me ...

[xtp]

It's actually "A" pentatonic.

I think for it to be in the key of 'A' the scale would have to have been written out from a to a.

I heard it in my head in the key of d and picked the notes from the guitar.

for it to be in the key of a, if my transposing is accurate it would be

a,b,d,e,g,a

[JumpingJackFlash]

It's actually "A" pentatonic.

I think for it to be in the key of 'A' the scale would have to have been written out from a to a.

It gets a bit confusing here because you start talking about modes vs. scales...

But generally, you're partially right that going from any note to the same note an octave higher generally does give an impression that that note features prominently in the key. - You don't even have to have any notes in between, you can just leap an octave. (Very often, in tonal music, this happens between tonic-tonic or dominant-dominant; the two most important notes in the key).

But, in itself this is not the deciding factor of tonality. It is perfectly possible to go from one note to the note an octave higher and that note not featuring prominently in the 'key'. (As I said above, this might produce a grey area where it might obscure the tonality, perhaps encroaching on modality or atonality).

We established that the original scale is not in A major. - To be in A major, you would expect the C and the G to be sharpened.
If the original was: D,E,G#,A,C#,D this could be part of A major (regardless of the fact that you're starting and ending with D. - For this reason, it might imply the Lydian mode on D, but again not necessarily).

The original could be part of A (natural) minor; no sharps or flats. (Equally, it could be C major, G major, F major, E natural minor or D natural minor).

To be in D major, you would expect the C to be sharp. Just because it isn't doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't in D major - it could be a chromatic note. But, seeing as the C is the leading note and that it moves to the tonic, not having it sharp does rather cast doubts on D major. It could be in D (natural) minor though, as I said above.

Bottom line though, is you could treat that sequence of notes in almost any way you want. - Tonally, modally, - even atonally. It depends on how creative you want to be.

[Laura Smith]

In Australia we only speak of minor pentatonics, so A C D E G A is A pentatonic (strictly A minor pentatonic)? This makes it like a blues scale without the flattened 5th.

[xtp]

In Australia we only speak of minor pentatonics, so A C D E G A is A pentatonic (strictly A minor pentatonic)? This makes it like a blues scale without the flattened 5th.

Maybe my perception or hearing of a scale or mode is too rigid but, to me a scale is more about the scale steps and the tensions (if that is the right word) and the resolutions than the noteset they contain.

for example Am Pent has the first interval of a minor 3rd. D suspended pent had the first interval of a tone.

So if I build on this and play just these 2 notes to begin a solo, to me these are vastly different scales, with different color and dynamics... and they may also lead into completely different directions.

so in the key of A minor pent i would move to C, but in the key of A Suspended i would move to B.