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Pentatonics-Lesson 1

Pentatonics-Lesson 1

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 5 customer ratings
(5 customer reviews)

$9.99

SKU: 046 Category: Scale Studies Tags: jazz improvisation, pentatonic scales, saxophone, video lesson
  • Description
  • Reviews (5)
  • Lesson Sample

Description

The Pentatonic Scale is one of the most useful scales to learn and use whatever style of music you want to play. Whether you want to play Jazz, Rock, Funk Folk, or Fusion, Pentatonic Scales are an essential tool to have in your repertoire. Whichever players you’re into, from John Coltrane to Jerry Bergonzi, from Michael Brecker to Dave Sanborn, the Pentatonic Scales form a large part of what you hear from these great players and by mastering these scales you’ll be able to utilize those same sounds in your own playing.
In this, my first lesson on the Pentatonic Scale, I introduce the Minor Pentatonic Scale and demonstrate how to play and practice it in every key. Listen as I demonstrate using the Minor Pentatonic scale over major and minor tracks as I show you how to set up a practice routine that will have you playing fluently with these scales in every key.
I show you some great patterns that will get these scales under your fingers fast. I play the patterns for you over both major and minor grooves and teach you how to alter the patterns by starting them in different places and on different beats to create a modern, hip sound. I talk about practicing these scales over standard tunes and how you can learn to recognize when and where you can fit these scales into different tunes.
What makes these Pentatonic Scales so great is that you can play the Pentatonic Scale over many different types of chords. Master the Pentatonic Scales and you’ll have a great tool to use over everything from Jazz Standards to Rock, Funk and Pop tunes and everything in between.
This lesson comes with 3 PDF sheets that show you the Minor Pentatonic Scale in every key and all the patterns I discuss and demonstrate in the lesson.  (Audio & PDF)

5 reviews for Pentatonics-Lesson 1

  1. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    C.N. – September 10, 2008

    Fantastic lesson! It’s Christmas every time I listen to one of your lessons for the first time. It’s Christmas again when 30 minutes later, I am playing things from the lesson, with out looking at the pdf. sheets, that I could not have played an hour ago! If you want to have a better grasp of your pentatonic scale and their delivery, get this lesson! C.N.

  2. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Mansax – July 16, 2009

    Great Lesson on Pentas! You make it look so simple…with your pdf sheets. A must for the 5-note fans.

  3. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Soruyo – December 4, 2009

    You can’t be a good player without working on this scale. I thought I knew penatonic scales but, after this lesson I realized that even when I knew how to construct a pentatonic scale I was really ideas-empty when improvising and trying to use it.

    This lesson is cool also because you learn what other chords you can play the pentatonic scale over.

    I guess the series of exercises is also what makes it challenging and helpful.

  4. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    saxmanrkb – February 3, 2010

    Steve I just downloaded and started working on lesson 1 in the Pentatonic series. Here I thought I knew what was going on with them, but your lesson really opened up my mind and other “doors” that will lead (with devoted practice) to some much more hip sounding improv-lines from me.
    Thanks
    saxmanrkb

  5. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    SelmerC* – February 4, 2011

    I am going to have to line up behind all the other great reviews for this lesson, Ok so I also thought I knew my pentatonics, well I do but in comparison to this lesson I have not got off the ground. If you need to address pentatonics this is the place to start! Steve You are Burnin’

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Lesson Sample

https://public.neffmusic.com/Pentatonics%20Lesson%201%20Minor%20Pentatonic%20clip.mp4

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Testimonials

Hi Steve,

First, I want to thank you for all of your great lessons. They are like a “For Dummies” version of all the books on my shelf. The lessons break things down into manageable pieces, and give me the confidence that I’m practicing the right pieces. I’m starting to make progress.   Thank You,   Kim

Kim
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry
It is so refreshing to have a great player, who can provide lessons and examples in a manner which is understandable to most any enthusiastic saxophonist who is ready to improve. not just the, do this, do that, memorize this, memorize that… while all that is absolutely necessary, you go on to give reasons and examples to explain and validate why you have to do all of these things, the benefits, if you will… that is the key for me, you tell, explain, demonstrate, explain some more, you give perso… Read more
Cedric
Hey Steve, My name is Jason Freese and I play keyboards and sax in the band Green Day.  I grew up taking sax lessons from Eric Marienthal when I was a kid and got out of it for a long time. I ran into you on youtube while searching for sax stuff. I bought a whole bunch of your lessons and have been loving it! Thanks! Here is my wikipedia so you can see the albums I’ve played on….Thanks again. It’s sparked my interest in practicing again.   Jason
Jason Freese (sax player for Green Day)
Hey Steve! I hope you and your family are well.  I’m just writing to say thank you so much for all the resources you have made available to the saxophone community. I have been using your material for many years and I always come back to it… in fact I just took a break from practicing to write this…( reviewing “CreatingModern II-V-I Lines with simple pentatonics”.) I am, and continue to be, one of your raving fans! Blessings to you and your family this holiday season! Wishing… Read more
Gerry Aylward

Your material is great! I got your New Altissimo Lesson 6 months ago and I have learned more from that than in all my 44 years of playing! I appreciate your down to earth teaching method and I really appreciate the heart that you teach with. I have been a subscriber to your lessons for the past 6 months and I have learned a great deal. Over that period of time I have had some questions and you have never failed to respond. Thanks! I have already recommended your lessons to a number of players in… Read more

Michael Byington
I am a music book junkie and I have to say that your books are the most clear, user friendly, and helpful books I own.  They are my absolute favorites and I only wish I had them years ago.  I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience I had in acquiring my degree at Berklee, but my playing has perhaps grown more in the time I’ve spent buried in your books and lessons.  Keep up the great work!!! Thanks, John
John

I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.  I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more bite sized way.

Milton
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
Thank you for all the educational information you provide.  I am a classically trained musician.  Professionally, I am a 4th and 5th grade band teacher.  I have played piano and sax for many years, but now I am starting to gig out more. I have always improvised by ear in the past. I have gotten by with my strong sense of pitch, rhythm and melodic contour. However, I want to go deeper. I want to play with a greater variety of melodic and rhythmic ideas to pull from.  I have studied to gain a … Read more
Ray

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