Mastering Pentatonic Lines No.13: Unleashing The Power of Substructures and Upper Structures

🎹 Lesson 13: The VI Minor Pentatonic Over Maj7 and Maj6 Chords
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Pentatonic lines don’t always have to be fast or intricate. Today, we’ll focus on a melodic and harmonic approach by using the VI minor pentatonic scale over maj7 and maj6 chords.

📌 Step 1: Understanding Maj7 and Maj6 Interchangeability
✔ Maj7 and Maj6 serve the same harmonic function and can be interchanged.
✔ Maj6 avoids the b9 dissonance when the melody contains the root.

🎶 Examples:
🔹 Cmaj7 (C–E–G–B) → C6 (C–E–G–A)
🔹 Abmaj7 (Ab–C–Eb–G) → Ab6 (Ab–C–Eb–F)

💡 Takeaway: Using maj6 instead of maj7 can smooth out harmonic tension and improve melodic flow.

📌 Step 2: The VI Minor Pentatonic as a Source of Melodic Lines
Instead of using the major pentatonic, we’ll focus on the minor pentatonic built on the 6th degree of the chord.

🎶 Examples:
✔ Cmaj7 → A minor pentatonic (A–C–D–E–G)
✔ Abmaj7 → F minor pentatonic (F–Ab–Bb–C–Eb)

🔹 Why does this work?
✅ Contains all the chord tones of a maj6 chord.
✅ Includes the 9th, adding a rich color.
✅ It’s also the major pentatonic from a minor perspective!

💡 Takeaway: Thinking VI minor pentatonic instead of major pentatonic can open new melodic possibilities.

📌 Step 3: Application in Today’s Exercise
🎵 16-measure exercise covering 8 different maj7 chords.
🎵 Left-hand voicings often use maj6 instead of maj7.
🎵 Right-hand lines focus only on the VI minor pentatonic.
🎵 Syncopation adds rhythmic complexity and phrasing depth.

💡 Takeaway: Practicing this exercise will internalize the VI minor pentatonic sound and enhance your phrasing.

📌 Step 4: Practicing in All Keys
🎯 Play this in all 12 keys to master the concept.
🎯 Listen carefully to the difference between maj7 and maj6.
🎯 Syncopation makes phrasing more challenging—start slowly and stay accurate.
🎯 Use this technique to create smooth, lyrical pentatonic lines over major chords.

🔥 Final Takeaways:
✔ Maj7 and Maj6 are interchangeable—use maj6 to avoid tension.
✔ VI minor pentatonic provides a fresh melodic approach to major harmony.
✔ This scale naturally outlines maj6 chords and adds rich colors.
✔ Practicing in all keys will internalize this melodic technique.
✔ Syncopation enhances phrasing—focus on rhythm!

🎯 Challenge: Apply VI minor pentatonic phrasing in a solo over a jazz standard like Misty or All the Things You Are! 🎹

Lesson 13
Chapters
0:00 Pentatonic Lines Exercise 13
3:25 How To Practice Pentatonic Lines
4:04 Call & Response Pentatonic Line No.13

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