“Pentatonic Mountain"

• 'Pentatonic Mountain' is based on a Pentatonic Scale of 5 notes.

• Pentatonic Scales work by using intervals (musical distance between notes) which work together and don't 'clash' or sound wrong when played in sequence.

• Although a lot of Chinese music can be based on a pentatonic scale, cultures and countries all over the world have used them.

A Chinese Guzheng. Like a Zither. Usually tuned to a Pentatonic scale and played with the fingers.

Learn to play the Pentatonic scale...

There are five notes in the pentatonic scale. We can remember this by jusing our five fingers;

These are the notes and strings we're going to use;

To play the pentatonic scale properly we have to go up AND down the Pentatonic Mountain...

Can you play all the notes of the pentatonic scale UP and DOWN the Pentatonic Mountain?

Push hard with your finger on 'C2! '

Playing along with the backing track...

'Chinese Chill Out...'

First lets learn the basic pentatonic scale up and down...

A --------------------------0----------------------------------

E --------------0-----------------------0----------------------   x 2

C --0----2------------------------------------2------0--------

G --------------------0----------0-----------------------------

Then, using these notes make your own short pentatonic sequence of 12 notes ending on an open, long  C note...

A -----------------0--3----

E ----------0---------------

C --0--2-------------------

G -------------0-----------

Finally, repeat the opening section...

A --------------------------0----------------------------------

E --------------0-----------------------0----------------------   x 2

C --0----2------------------------------------2------0--------

G --------------------0----------0-----------------------------

Pentatonic Composition

Why not have a go at writing your own 'Pentatonic Mountain Composition?'   Download this handy teaching and exercise sheet to help you!

'Pentatonic Mountain...'

First lets learn the basic scale up and down...

C   C2   E   G   A   G   E   C2   C (play two times)

Then, using these notes make your own short pentatonic sequence of 12 notes ending on an open, long  C note...

C   C2   E   G   A

Finally, repeat the opening section...

   C   C2   E   G   A   G   E   C2   C  (play two times)

If you 'Download Lesson Sheet' at the top of the page you will be able to write down your own 12 note sequence ending on an open C string.

Why not try it!?