the melodic minor pentatonic scale


Functional applications for this pentatonic scale: C - D - Eb - G - A - C


Substitution Reference
Table one demonstrates applications where pairs of MmP scales might be used over common chord progressions. Two illustrates progressions where the melodic minor pentatonic (min 6/9), the minor major seventh and augmented major seventh chord tones may be interchanged*. Page three lists the usual places where one might otherwise use the modes of the heptatonic melodic minor scale.

page 1
page 2
page 3

download pdf here

* compare with these previous posts on augmented patterns
ambiguous augmented arpeggios (12/02/03)
More Augmented Patterns (08/08/08)

Applications
Melodic minor pentatonic lines in various contexts.

page 1
page 2
page 3

pdf here

Points of Interest
- Structure in semitones: 2 - 1 - 4 - 2 - 3
- Scale tones = the "minor 6/9" chord (C - Eb - G - A - D)
- In fifths: C - G - D - A - Eb (see A4 voicings/inversions listed in the post on quartal chords here and here)
- Classification: Hemitonic Pentatonic
- Pattern 1158 in Slonimsky's Thesaurus**

Similar
Akin to the South Indian Raga Sivaranjani (alternate sp.: Shivaranjani, Shivarangani)
listen here
podcast on Raga Sivaranjani part one and part two from the wonderful site Raagarasika

Also a transitional tuning (rare) for the Japanese Koto:
- Kurama Jishi to Hirajoshi = C - D - Eb - G - A - (etc) to C - D - Eb - G - Ab - (etc). (transposed)
In Sen


Nomenclature
On a cursory search I've come across one other scale which has been christened "melodic minor pentatonic." In fact, I can think of at least four other scales to which the name could reasonably fit:

C - D - Eb - F - G - A - B
C - D - Eb - F - G - A - B
C - D - Eb - F - G - A - B
C - D - Eb - F - G - A - B

So, here is my argument for using the name "melodic minor pentatonic" for this particular scale:

1. The relative similarities in scale tone structures with the pentatonic as compared with the heptatonic forms:

Major : Melodic Minor
C - D - E - F - G - A - B : C - D - Eb - F - G - A - B
[1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7] : [1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7]

vis - รก - vis

Major Pentatonic : Melodic Minor Pentatonic
C - D - E - G - A : C - D - Eb - G - A
[1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6] : [1 - 2 - b3 - 5 - 6]

2. The multiple uses of this pentatonic scale are likewise analogous to the seven note melodic minor scale. Additionally, compared to other pentatonics, this scale contains the greatest number defining chord tones (3rd and 7th) and upper partials (15) of chords usually associated with the parent heptatonic scale.

Cm: 1 - b3 - 5 - 9 - 13;
Am7b5: 1 - b3 - b5 - b7 - 11 (the locrian pentatonic scale)
F7: 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 13;
B7: 3 - +5 - b7 - b9 - #9;

** (The Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns; Pentatonic Scales, pg. 162, 1158; Slonimsky; Charles Scribner's Sons; 1947)

Posted: Mon - December 1, 2008 at 09:05 AM          

©