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Evil Kramer's Theory Corner Today we will be discussing fromage and the minor pentatonic scale as I have often found that this particular scale to be very much like cheddar cheese. The minor pentatonic scale is like a relative minor scale or Aeolian. Relative due to it's relationship with the major scale and Aeolian due to the same reason. The difference between the pentatonic and the other is that in the pentatonic you remove key notes (2 and 6) and keep the others (1, 3, 4, 5, and 7. Five notes. Penta-tonic. Get it? Clever.) thus rendering it more usable in any given situation. It is near impossible to sound like you don't know what you are doing if you use this scale pretty much over anything. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good cheddar cheese on occasion. The slightly tart and mildly aromatic Wensleydale, for example, served with a plate of grapes and a vintage of Chianti will forever make me quiver with delight. The pentatonic scale resembles, however, a one pound loaf of orange, shrink-wrapped, mild American cheese. Everybody uses it, it's not offensive on anything and if you eat too much of it it blocks you right up. Add some sharpness to your playing; add a note that doesn't quite fit. Use a different scale. Please. Learn the whole tone scale. So the next time you hear someone doodling over a three-chord progression and he is giving you the pentatonic whipping of your life you can ask him when he is done, "Would you like some wine with that solo?"
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