Best chords for Pentatonic scales?

[Music Is All]

Now, I don't mean chord progressions necessarily, all I'm asking is if major, minor, suspended, sevenths, what chords work best with major and minor pentatonic scales?

[Mark Wein]

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Music Is All wrote:

Now, I don't mean chord progressions necessarily, all I'm asking is if major, minor, suspended, sevenths, what chords work best with major and minor pentatonic scales?

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It really depends on the application.  For instance you can use a major pentatonic over a major chord, a minor pentatonic over a minor chord, both over a dominant chord and so on.  And then there are substitutions like playing a minor pentatonic scale a half step below a major chord to get a dominant sound and so on...a quick search of the forum found this thread with some great info: http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/The-Lesson-Loft/Pentatonic-Substitution/m-p/24683490/highlight/true#M90320

[JonR]

Generally, just look at the notes in the scale and the notes in the chords.  The more shared notes, the better they'll work together.

 

 

[mwtzzz]

My book Volume 2 has a chart mapping pentatonic scales to chords.

- Michael

--

Jazz Educator

http://www.michael--martinez.com/music/

 

[leland56]

Hello friend, One of the most popular keys on the guitar is the key of D major. If you play country music, I'm sure you would have come across the key of D and if you are looking for the ideal scale to solo over chord progressions in the key of D look no further than the D major pentatonic scale. For more music and related stuff you can try musicforte site. It is a great site for music lovers.

[yamex5]

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Mark Wein wrote:

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Music Is All wrote:

Now, I don't mean chord progressions necessarily, all I'm asking is if major, minor, suspended, sevenths, what chords work best with major and minor pentatonic scales?

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It really depends on the application.  For instance you can use a major pentatonic over a major chord, a minor pentatonic over a minor chord, both over a dominant chord and so on.  And then there are substitutions like playing a minor pentatonic scale a half step below a major chord to get a dominant sound and so on...a quick search of the forum found this thread with some great info: 

http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/The-Lesson-Loft/Pentatonic-Substitution/m-p/24683490/highlight/true#M90320

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Hi Mark,

Just to clarify your statement "if a minor pentatonic is played a half step below the major chord ..."

I would assume that the minor pentatonic would include the note a half step below the target major chord. That note would be the major 7th, not the dominant 7th, correct? Or am I missing something?

Thanks,

-Mike