Pentatonic Rock Key Structure
The Major Key Structure discussed in the preceding eight
lessons is the most important to learn in terms of theoretical knowledge but
there are some other Structures - the basics of this one are fairly easy.
Step One
Play a pentatonic scale of C.
C - Eb - F - G - Bb [ also called a pentatonic minor scale ]
Step Two Put a Major chord on each of the five notes i.e.
: -
C Major - Eb Major - F major - G Major - Bb Major
These five chords are the basis of the structure.
Notice that the three chord trick [ C - F - G ] is still in the structure but
instead of adding three Minor chords we now add two Major chords - these are
found 2 frets below the root chord and three frets above the root chord respectively.
Other major chords are sometimes added but these five chords give us the basic
structure.
The scale used with these chords would usually be the scale they are derived
from i.e. in this example C Pentatonic.
Quite often the Major chords in this structure are abbreviated to '5' chords.
What is a '5' Chord ?
A '5' chord is just a root note and a fifth.
A Major or Minor Chord is made up of 1 + 3 + 5.
A '5' chord is just 1 + 5 [ also known as a power chord.]
The C version of this would be written as : -
C5 - or sometimes as : - C(no 3rd).
Exercise
Work out the Pentatonic Structure in the traditional rock Keys of E and A
plus any other Keys that might be useful.