8 Minor Pentatonic Sounds Over Dominant 7

The minor pentatonic scale is by far the most used scale in the world all styles taken together (jazz, blues, rock, reggae, pop, country).

One of the explanation is given by the structure. Indeed, there are no semi-tones in it. It is easy to play on the guitar and it can be used in a whole lot of very different contexts.

This lesson will show you eight ways to use the minor pentatonic scale over a dominant seventh chord. The principle is easy to understand, this consists in playing the minor pentatonic scale starting on each tone of the Mixolydian scale (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7).

 This method helps to highlight certain notes and brings interesting colors to your jazz guitar lines depending on you want to play outside or inside.

Mixolydian Mode and Minor Pentatonic Scale

The Mixolydian mode (fifth mode of the major scale) is generally the first choice when you want to improvise over dominant chord (not altered). This is the

It is a major type scale because it is built with a major third (3) and a minor seventh (b7). The Mixolydian mode formula is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7. For simply learning all the following examples are based on the C Mixolydian mode. 

The minor pentatonic scale is the fifth mode of the major pentatonic scale. As it is shown in the following chart below, the minor pentatonic scale is made up of  a Root (1), a minor third (b3), a fourth (4) a fifth (5) and a minor seventh (b7).

As its name implies, there are only five notes. Here is the minor pentatonic scale in the key of A.

Consonant Pentatonics

Example # 1 - Minor pentatonic scale from the sixth

The first example is to build a minor pentatonic scale from the sixth (or thirteenth) of C Mixolydian. This way, we get an A minor pentatonic scale made up of A, C, D, E and G respectively the thirteenth (13), the root (1), the ninth (9), the third (3) and the fifth (5) of C7.

By playing a minor pentatonic scale built from the sixth of the Mixolydian mode, you highlight the ninth and the thirteenth.

WARNING - The eleventh

Using the eleventh (11) over a dominant chord can be a little bit disturbing and dissonant due to the distance between the major third and the fourth (which is the eleventh). However, you can easily play the minor pentatonics that contains an 11th over a 7sus4 chords. 

Example # 2 - Minor pentatonic scale from the second (ninth)

This second example consist in playing a minor pentatonic scale starting on the second (or the 9) of the C Mixolydian mode, which is D. That gives the D minor pentatonic scale built with D, F, G, A and C corresponding to the fifth (5), the minor seventh (b7), the root (1), the ninth (9) and the eleventh (11) of C7.

In other words, when you play a minor pentatonic scale over a dominant 7 chord starting on the second, you bring interesting colors because of the ninth (9) and the eleventh (11).

Example # 3 - Minor pentatonic scale from the fifth 

Here is a third example that uses the minor pentatonic scale starting on the fifth of the Mixolydian mode. Since the fifth of C7 is G, we get the G minor pentonic scale (G, Bb, C, D , F) respectively the fifth, minor seventh, root, ninth and eleventh of C7.

Dissonant Pentatonics

Example # 4 - Minor pentatonic scale from the third

Playing a minor pentatonic scale starting from the third of a dominant 7 chord considered dissonant. It must be used with caution because of the presence of the major seventh, which will be very interesting whenever you want to play "outside".

So, the tones highlighted are the major third (3), the fifth (5), the thirteenth (6), the major seventh (7) and the ninth (9) of a dominant 7 chord.

Example # 5 - Minor pentatonic scale from the root

Playing a minor pentatonic scale over a dominant 7 chord that share the same root (which is a major chord) is surely the most favoured tool used by bluesmens. However, it sounds very dissonant because of the minor third (b3) and the fourth (11) and will be a very interesting device you want to play "outside" over a dom7 chord.

Example # 6 - Minor pentatonic scale from the major seventh

This minor pentatonic scale when played starting on the major seventh of a dominant seventh chord, contain two interesting dissonant notes, the major seventh (7) and the sharp eleventh (#11). 

Outside Pentatonics

Example # 7 - Minor pentatonic scale from the fourth

A minor penatonic scale starting on the fourth of a dominant scale obviously highlights the major eleventh (which is dissonant against the major third) and also contain two other dissonant tones as the flat thirteenth (b13), and the minor third (b3).

Example # 8 - Minor pentatonic scale from the minor seventh 

And the last one consist in playing a minor pentatonic scale starting on the minor seventh of a dominant chord. The tones are highlighted are minor seventh (b7), the flat ninth (b9), the minor third (b3), the eleventh (11) and the flat thirteenth.