Pentatonic scales
One scale predates them all and is found in virtually every culture in the world and that is the pentatonic. As the name suggests, this scale has five notes as opposed to the seven in all the scales we’ve explored so far.
This is the major pentatonic scale, in the key of C:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| C | C#/Db | D | D#/Eb | E | F | F#/Gb | G | G#/Ab | A | A#/Bb | B |
Pentatonic scales are common in traditional, gospel and folk music, including Amazing Grace, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Auld Lang Syne. It’s also common in pop and rock, such as Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, Delicate by Taylor Swift, Honky Tonk Woman by The Rolling Stones, Centerfold by The J Geils Band, Gasoline Alley by Rod Stewart, Let It Be by The Beatles.
The pentatonic is also the foundation of the minor blues scale (see below).
For my example, I’ve created something with a folky feel …
This piece is in C major, although it shifts to Am for the middle section. Conveniently, C major and A minor pentatonic scales have the same notes.
Instruments on Pentatonical:
Violin: Stradivari Violin from Native Instruments
Accordion: Kontakt Library from Native Instruments
Acoustic Guitar: Ample Guitar M from Ample Sound
Drums: Studio Drummer from Native Instruments
Bass: VB Mellow from ujam