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You are here: Home / Jazz Lessons / Scale Studies / Pentatonics-Lesson 1
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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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I just started looking at my lessons and I have to say, dude you are awesome.  I ABSOLUTELY will learn from you!  I started the tenor about 1 ½ yrs ago and have since picked up an alto, and more recently a soprano.  I spend most of the time on the tenor, followed by soprano, and have only gotten to the alto a few times.  I think I’ll be sticking with tenor.  I’m having a great time and hope one day to play well enough to get regular gigs.  I’ve been playing keys for about 35 years (… Read more
Wil
I bought Steve’s dominant bebop book and took a couple of online lesson from him. I really appreciated Steve’s careful listening of what I wanted to get done in a lesson and his clear, concise ideas on next steps to improve my playing and musical interpretation.  His mastering  the Dominant Bebop Scale has lots of exercises to use a scale that addresses the largest percentage of chords I come across in pop/blues music. The dominant V7.  Needless say it has improved my playing.  I teach and a… Read more
Keith
Just a brief note to compliment you on your teaching skills and in particular for the honesty of your lessons.  I am a returning alto sax player in my 50’s and I was looking for a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of guidance. I had intended to email you with a few questions regarding the use of the bis key but then I noticed that there was a lesson on that specific topic and after viewing it,  all my questions were answered. I once took a group lesson with a well known professional sax … Read more
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Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin

After reading your story I will never feel quite right about complaining about any of my MINOR health issues!!    God bless Steve and I really hope that your health doesn’t stop you from fulfilling your calling.    These books have been such a help to open up my jazz vocabulary…   Thanks so much for sharing your story and for providing these great teaching tools…   John Leclerc   Saxophonist / composer/ EWI player and professional working musician of 35 years….

John Leclerc
I would like to say that in the last year my sax playing has progressed loads from your lessons. I have had a sax for about 20 years and dabbled with lessons from a few teachers and have learnt very little from them. As you have said in your lessons many teachers tell you to use the blues scale and leave it there, not even showing you the resolution points!!. I am now believing I can in time become a good improviser.
Thanks again,
Shane
Shane

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 can’t say enough about my membership at Neff Music. Steve has taken the mystery out of playing the saxophone well and improvising both jazz and rock music. Like most struggling players I have a load of all sorts of books on my shelf just gathering dust. Books that I didn’t understand or know how to put to use…or just have the time to go threw them. Steve’s lessons really simplify things and he puts it in a way that I can understand. They inspire me to keep pushing and having him as my guide or… Read more
Ken

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