Reverse Engineering the John Coltrane Pentatonic 

These are great exercises, particularly if you buy the PDF (about the price of a good cup of coffee, if you can find such a thing!) I found that it helps to think of the interval structure of the scale. Remember that Minor pentatonic (or the relative major pentatonic) can be constructed as a sequence of fourths round the cycle. For example, D minor pentatonic starting from the A, is A, D, G, C, F - reordered becomes the familiar D, F, G, A, C i.e. 1, b3, 4, 5, b7. In this scale, each interval is a perfect fourth. But what about the Coltrane pentatonic? If you take D minor Coltrane, the notes are D, E, F, A, B - starting from the F, the intervals are augmented fourth (tritone), then perfect fourths, i.e. F, B, E, A, D with a minor third D to F to return you to F. So what? Well this means that you can use your knowledge of the cycle of fourths to play in a Coltrane pentatonic, remembering that going up from F is a tritone (to B) and down from F is a minor third (to D). This interval structure remains the same in any key! If you look at some of the great patterns that Nick provides in his pdf, you can generate them by using this knowledge of fourths rather than trying to think of them as digital patterns, as many people have been taught. Just find the minor third in the key e.g. G in the key of E minor Pentatonic, then every other fourth interval is perfect except the movement from G. Descending patterns use cycle of fifths. Try it on a zig-zag pattern. This way instead of trying to memorise patterns, use your knowledge of intervals to generate multiple patterns, starting from the ones provided by Nick. And once again, this works in any key! Happy improvising!

Using this pentatonic on 'Round Midnight is a great way to get into the sounds. The song is a real melodic minor playground.

i think you are my favorite channel!you give a fresh perspective on concepts that people suspected were out there but no one could exhibit like you do thank you!

First. To the best music education channel on RU-vid.

Thanks, Jazz Duets! I LOVE this topic!!!!!!! Sounds so otherworldly...

Error! 5.06 I should have said say F# is the ROOT of F#7

At about 5.10 you say that A#(Bb) is the Root ... but in fact it is the major 3rd of the F#7 chord

Another great tutorial, loving this channel everyday...

Great video! Your channel is helping me a lot!

this channel is a true gold mine

that D7#9+5 is terrific

I didn’t know you’re in Argentina! Cool!

Stunningly beautiful !

What a great video and lesson, thx a lot!

Gracias Nick, siempre estimulando el intelecto.

Thanks my man , keep em coming .

Fantastic, thank you.

Bro! you are drinking Mate like me every morning practicing with your videos..greetings from Berlin from an Argentinian

Buenísimo el canal man, me gustó el video de las escalas menores y como aplicarlas. Saludos desde Pergamino.

Excelente 👍 video muy didáctico y educativo, gracias

Muchas gracias! Abrazo!

Material sublime.

Excelente, Gracias!!! 🎸 🎼 🤓

Another one from Argentina here, but living in Los Angeles. It is good to see we all practice with a termo and mate on our side. Your videos are fantastic. May you explain more in detail how you find the different chords. I still do not understand how you arrive to the first group of chords on the Coltrane C minor Pentatonic

Lovely sound.....👍👍👍

Pure gold

Saludos mr. Nick!.

A lot people hear this but really dont know where this fits in a real musical setting. One way to approach is to think in terms of re-harmonizing the dominant chord. In other words, the D minor pentatonic scale naturally fits over G7 (or G9 or G13). Since I play a chord instrument, I would often play a Dmi7, Bmi7b5 or Fma7b5, over the G7. These chords are relativistic because they contain the same notes. If you platy these chords in a particular sequence it gives movement to that basic dominant chord (G7). Again this is one example and a basic one at that. Play guitar I can visualize all this from playing chord forms an chord solos.. (Wes Montgomery is certainly one the great masters of this technique.)

Coltrane pentatonic is a japanese scale or even a Maj7#11 chord. If you take the 6 grade as the root.

Quiero felicitarte por tus videos. Me parecen excelentes. En cuanto a la superposición de estructuras sobre diferentes situaciones armónicas me parece más simple pensarlo al revés, es decir dejar el bajo fijo, y mover la superestructura (en este caso la pentatonica de Coltrane). Eso facilita la comprensión de fórmulas para la utilización posterior del elemento. Por ej: para un Fmaj7, utilizamos la pentatonica en cuestión desde el VI grado. O para un Fm7b5 desde el bIII. Saludos!

Hola! Vivís en Córdoba, Argentina? Amo tus videos, muchas gracias !

I said it, and I repeat it: best music tutorial channel in the whole youtube. Gracias totales

Master muchas gracias por la data .

👍👍(Step Step Third Step) I imagine that DEFAB is a cousin of the standard Pentatonic Twins: Major and Minor. EFGBC, ABCEF, and BCDFG also have their own charming melodic appeal😊

Beautifulleiii

brilliant

I love you!

Im from Argentina too

Nick ___, Luv it ! ( preferring the Scale degrees / rather than the 'Tabs, which, after following, are easily forgotten. 'Scale degrees' can be put anywhere.) lol

THIS makes the Pentatonic expansion Excercises Pdf + Playalongs come into my brain and ears and piano. THANKS. Going backward can really show the way, for me.

amazing. not enough hours in a day,!!!

5:06 Bb is the root? or the 3rd of F#7alt?

Hi Nick, are you living in Buenos Aires?

Hi! Nice to meet you! I am from Argentina! Córdoba! I play the trumpet, study jazz and have a RU-vid Channel! I would Love to meet you any time! 😚🤗😎

Jazz duets vos vivís en Alta Gracia?

Bflat on Fsharp altered is the third not the root,right?

Coltrane was a genius

I need a chart of chord types and how the Coltrane pentatonic related to them.

Mankind has only 12 notes, but takes a lifetime to master them. Thanks for video.

Hi, interesting video, just a question: why the pdf cost 5$ about 6 maouth ago and now 12,95$? Is it improved?

Did anyone noticed at 7:20 and 8:00 he did rubato 😂😂

here you have another comment congratulating you for being argentinian (?) patriotismo nivel youtube

1:05 5:50 6:15

can it be called "Melodic minor Pentatonic" ?

If you're in the continent you should come visit Mexico!

So... the Coltrane Pentatonic is... the Major Blues Scale, but omitting the 3rd...?

The famous Indian classic scale “Raaga”

It just from the Dorian mode. But it isn't the Dorian sound.

What accent is that?

Has anyone ever told you, speak like Roddy Mcdowall? You must come from an area similar to his in England.

The so-called "Coltrane pentatonic" is nothing other than the melodic minor scale with two less notes (4 and 7). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 / melodic minor 1 2 b3 - 5 6 - / "Coltrane pentatonic" If another note is removed (the 2) a minor arpeggio 6 is formed 1 - b3 - 5 6 - / minor arpeggio 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is commonly used: Applied on minor chords from the root Applied to minor chords 7 b5 from the 3rd note Applied on major chords from the 6th note, the Lydian mode is formed Applied on dominant chords from the 5th note, the Mixolydian mode is formed Applied on dominant chords one step above from the root, the Altered scale is formed

Indian raag shivranjani

Doesn’t sound so good over major seven flat five.

i understand this simply as the melodic minor scale (and chords). but why don't you ever just say that?