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Dorian pentatonic, phrygian pentatonic, etc.?

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:10 am
by Hydroman52
Neil,

Okay, I don't mean to be the neighbor kid with all the questions......... but.............

You answered my questions about the relative "other modes" (besides Major/Ionian and Minor/Aeolian), so I'm guessing that whatever happens to the Ionian and Aeolian modes can pretty much happen in the rest of the modes. Does that mean that there is a Dorian pentatonic scale, Phrygian pentatonic scale, etc.?

Hydroman52

Here is the link to the previous question:

Relative modes question

Re: Dorian pentatonic, phrygian pentatonic, etc.?

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:49 am
by thereshopeyet
If in doubt ask the question Hydro...... who cares what anyone thinks.
Maybe it might be another forum chart topper eh?

:laugh: :laugh:

I would assume that your correct.
Each modal scale would have a pentatonic scale.

I've just looked up Wikipedia for Pentatonic Scale and the opening definition states:
A pentatonic scale is a musical scale or mode with five notes per octave in contrast to a heptatonic (seven note) scale such as the major scale and minor scale.
It then sounds complicated when I read on.
The Wiki lingo is :S :S
:blush:

I wonder if there's simpler way to explain it

HoganPedia comes to mind!
:)

Dermot

Re: Dorian pentatonic, phrygian pentatonic, etc.?

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:15 am
by wrench
I think the answer will be no, because the definition of the pentatonic scale is the five notes of a scale played on the black keys of a piano. Since the structural difference between modes is the distribution of whole and half steps, scales of the other modes will not occur with five black keys.

Like Dermot, I took a peek at Wikipedia and saw this quote suggesting to me the pentatonic scales can be used in the other modes, however.

"The common pentatonic major and minor scales (C-D-E-G-A and C-E♭-F-G-B♭, respectively) are useful in modal composing, as both scales allow a melody to be modally ambiguous between their respective major (Ionian, Lydian, Mixolydian) and minor (Aeolian, Phrygian, Dorian) modes (Locrian excluded)."