Improvising “By Ear” page 7

ALTERING COMMON PENTATONIC SCALES

purposeful bending

There are three common reasons to bend a note:

• to produce a vibrato with a slight bend, usually about an eighth of a tone (1/4 way to the next fret)
• to bend to the next higher scale tone
• to bend halfway or less (sometimes 75%) to a major third (E on a C chord), perfect fifth (G on a C chord) or
major seventh (B on a C chord) above the bent note, called a micotonal bend

If not bending for one of these purposes, you may encounter a problem. Bending part of the way
toward a note that is not in the current chord nor in a tonic chord (the chord after which the
key is named) usually sounds wrong.

If you begin to bend a note without forethought, you may be able to “save it” by purposing it to one of
the three types listed above.

• If you haven’t bent it too far, you could repeatedly bend and release it an eighth of a tone an produce a vibrato.
• If a bend to the next higher scale tone is practical with the finger you have chosen, you could do that. You
shouldn’t try to bend to the next higher scale tone if it is three frets higher with the index finger, though.
• If a major third, perfect fifth or major seventh of the chord is a half step (one fret) above the fretted note, it
can be bent as a microtonal bend (see below).

basic microtonal bends

Microntonal bends suggest a chord tone one fret higher by bending slightly toward it. The most common
microtonal bends are the next higher or next lower note in the minor (minor 7/11) pentatonic scale.
They should be bent a half a fret to a fret in pitch (an eighth to a quarter tone) and should not end on
the released pitch. After bending a note microtonally up in pitch, end by abruptly releasing the pressure
so you don’t hear the lowered pitch.
You can bend up microtonally and release repeatedly, making a microtonal vibrato, but the last sound
should be the bent note, not the released note.
In the major pentatonic, the second note above the tone center is the third. That third can be flatted to
darken the mood. The flatted third of the major pentatonic (minor 6/9 pentatonic) can be treated as a
microtonal bend, also.
see “BASIC MICROTONAL BEND EXERCISES” on page 15.

©2011 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 8 Improvising “By Ear”

advanced microtonal bends

If a major third, perfect fifth or major seventh of the chord is a half step (one fret) above the fretted
note, it can be bent expressively from zero to about 75% toward the tone up a half step, with a preferred
maximum of about 60%. Bending around 90% to the chord tone sounds flat.
If you are fretting a chord tone that is a minor third (b 3), diminished fifth (b 5) or minor seventh (b 7),
you can hint the raised version of the note by bending less than a quarter tone (1/2 fret), usually better
as an eighth of a tone (1/4 fret). These can be used with any scale appropriate to the style, but are
typically used in blues-related styles.

minor pentatonic with flat five (minor 7/11b 5)

When you have determined that you should use minor pentatonic, consider using the minor pentatonic
with a flat five wherever you want a darker mood. This works particularly well on IV or IV7 (F or F7
in the key of C) or bVI or bVI7 (Ab or Ab7 in the key of C). Typical of blues music.

major pentatonic with flat three (minor 6/9)

When you have determined that you should use major pentatonic, try it with a flat three wherever you
want a darker mood. This works particularly well on IV or IV7 (F or F7 in the key of C). Typical of
swing music.

Pentatonic Scales By Octave Shape

E shape pentatonic scales

7/11 type = IV9 6/9 type
minor 7/11 m7/11 add n 3 7/11 minor 7/11 b 5 minor 6/11 major 6/9 minor 6/9
fingering 1 fingering 1 fingering 1 fingering 1 fingering 1 fingering 2 fingering 2

©2011 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.