As you know, there are many kinds of scales, the most familiar of

which is the major scale, on which the largest percentage of songs are

built.

There are also 3 types of minor scale — the natural minor, the

harmonic minor, and the melodic minor. Then there is the

Mediteranean scale, the blues scale, and all the “church modes” —

Dorian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aolian, Phrygian, Locrian, and Ionian.

But surprisingly, the most-used scale in the world throughout history

and even now in many Aisian countries is the pentatonic scale.

The Pentatonic scale is formed of notes 1 2 3 5 and 6 of the major

scale. It is a five note scale, hence the name “penta-tonic”.

To find any pentatonic scale, just leave out the 4th and 7th degrees of

any major scale, and presto — you have the pentatonic scale.

The most obvious way to play the scale on piano, is to play all the

black keys and none of the white keys. Many of our spirituals such as

“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and even the great classic “Amazing

Grace” can be played with just the pentatonic scale — nothing else.

Even the great composer Chopin got into the “black key act” by

composing Étude Op. 10, No. 5 in G-flat major, also known as the

Black Key Étude. He did use one white key — F — in one measure of

the melody, otherwise it’s all black keys.

Try improvising on the pentatonic scale — you can’t make a mistake,

as all the notes of the scale are harmonious with every other note.