pentatoniset

Pentatoniset, or pentatonic scales, are musical scales that contain five distinct pitch classes per octave. The term derives from Greek pente “five” and tonos “tone.” They are among the most widespread scales in world music and have a long history in many musical traditions.

Construction and types: The two most common forms are the major pentatonic and the minor pentatonic. The major pentatonic consists of the scale degrees 1-2-3-5-6, which in semitones are 0-2-4-7-9. The minor pentatonic consists of 1-b3-4-5-b7, corresponding to 0-3-5-7-10. Both can be transposed to any tonic. A notable feature is that there are no semitones among the scale notes themselves, which gives the pentatonic scale a consonant, open sound.

Relation and function: The minor pentatonic is the relative minor family member of the major pentatonic built on the same tonic, sharing most of its notes. Because of their simplicity and lack of half-step intervals, pentatonic scales are often used for melodic and improvisational purposes across genres.

Usage: Pentatoniset appear in East Asian, African, Celtic, and Indigenous music, as well as in blues, rock, pop, and country. They provide easy melodic outlines, enable smooth transitions over common chord progressions, and are common teaching material for beginners and seasoned improvisers alike. Extensions and variations include the blues scale, which adds a blue note to a minor pentatonic collection for a six-note variant.