Pentatonics fit well over both major and minor chords. For example, try using them over a major I chord vamp. What's a vamp? A vamp is a section in a piece of music that repeats on loop. Like this example, it often comprises only one chord.

Sometimes, vamps occur at the end of a piece. Other times, they are interludes or breaks in the action. Further, vamps can be used to bridge the gap between the end of one song and the beginning of another. For example, a vamp may be used to segue from one song to the next.

In popular music, pianists often improvise over vamps. Since vamps usually contain a static harmonic progression, pentatonics are a good choice for soloing. FIGURE 8-7 shows you an example of a vamp in C major. Notice how suspended four (sus4) chords are used in measures six through nine. Also, don't forget to add the pedaling on measure five.

As you know, pentatonics can also be used in minor keys. FIGURE 8-8 uses minor pentatonics over a minor i chord. In this case, the minor i chord is a C minor. Here, the right hand plays a repetitive motif that uses the notes B-flat, G, F, E-flat, and C. The left hand only plays C and G, which are perfect fifths. Without the presence of a major or minor third in the bass, you might be confused about the key and the chord quality. However, a third in the bass would not only sound muddy, it would be superfluous. The right hand firmly plants this music in a minor key given its use of minor pentatonics, particularly the note E-flat. As a result, the left hand chords are free to play shell voicings. The perfect fifth interval in the bass also adds power to the music.

FIGURE 8-7: C Major Vamp Using Pentatonics

TRACK 20

Later on, if you wish, you can fashion this lick into a minor blues. Once you learn the chords and structure of a blues, you can try this lick over the entire form.

FIGURE 8-8: C Minor Pentatonics over i Chord

Don't forget to use pentatonics in rock! They are arguably the most widely used scale in this style of music. For example, rock keyboardists might play a repeating major pentatonic over diatonic chord changes. Often, these chord changes consist only of root and fifths (power chords). This is shown in FIGURE 8-9.

The kind of repeating phrase used in FIGURE 8-9 tends to excite audiences who are often wowed by speed and mesmerized by repetition. For better or worse, flashy solos are part and parcel of modern rock. Fortunately, repeating pentatonics like the ones written in FIGURE 8-9 are easier to play than they sound (and look). Be careful of the dramatic octave ending in this figure. Go slowly on the last two measures and be sure to play each pair of notes cleanly and articulately.

FIGURE 8-9: Major Pentatonics in Rock

TRACK 21