Pentatonic Scales (part three)

   As we've seen over the past few weeks, the Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales are pretty important to know. They're like a certain credit card company says, never leave home without them. However, like I said in the previous weeks, a Pentatonic Scale is simply a five note scale. Therefore, any scale made up of five notes would be classified as Pentatonic. And since in Western Music we have a total of 12 notes (A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#), that leaves us with quite a few possibilities. Actually,there are many more Pentatonic Scales used throughout the World which have nothing to do with Western Music......

From the end of September through October 2001, I traveled through Indonesia with nothing but a Guitar and a Backpack. It was there, on the island of Bali, that I was able to participate in a cool, musical, cultural exchange. While sitting at the local Warung having a meal, I met up with some local guys that happened to have a Guitar with them. After chatting for a few minutes, we began to talk about music which led to me scribbling an E minor Pentatonic Scale on a napkin for them. In return, one of the guys showed me the Balinese Scale.

The example below is the G Balinese Scale. While it's usually played on pitched percussion instruments associated with the Gamelan, it can be played on any pitched instrument. It's made up of the notes G B C D and F# (or Root, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th) - kind of like an abbreviated G major scale. Play the scale slowly up and down and experiment with your own fingerings. Then close your eyes while you listen to the notes resonate and imagine you're in sitting above the rice terraces, sipping a strong cup of coffee.

Tune in next week for the next installment of Have Guitar Will Travel.