Songs that use the Pentatonic scales

The pentatonic scale is sometimes looked down upon as "that scale that every amateur guitarist won't stop playing!" But the pentatonic scale is actually the closest thing we have to a universal scale of music. Across different cultures and styles, the pentatonic scale is often the foundational set of notes that writers and musicians just keep coming back to.

SOURCES:

An extra special thanks goes to Vidad Flowers, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇

0:00 Introduction
0:58 Songs with Pentatonic melodies
2:24 Why the Pentatonic scales are "fool-proof"
4:35 Pentatonic guitar riffs
5:15 Amazing Grace
5:48 The Blues
6:47 Black notes on piano
7:38 Non-western music
10:35 Pentatonic harmony?

[DavidBennettPiano]

❗️CORRECTION: at 1:10 the formula for the minor pentatonic scale should have a “b7” but I’ve missed out the flat symbol! Sorry for any confusion 😅 Thanks to Brion Reid for bringing it to my attention.

[connormacdonald]

"Wait... so it's all pentatonic?"
"Always has been."

[hawksoob]

I very accidentally discovered this as a little kid. I would sit at our piano and play just the black keys in random rhythmic patterns (basically what you're doing at about 12:30), and it never sounded bad. My family (who weren't very musical) thought I was some sort of 5-year old prodigy composing classical music. I was just mashing notes together that had no possibility of dissonance.

[edwinlundmark]

Almost no beatles examples... Blink twice if you are being held hostage

[stockicide]

Appreciate you showing examples from other cultures as well, to show how these ideas don't just apply to Western music.

[poiuyt]

The trick that Bobby McFerrin did was brilliant! :D

[GoviaM]

0:43 Ive never been so offended by something I 100% agree with

[mikepro]

The five modes of the pentatonic scale:

1st Major Pentatonic (Ionian mode):
1 2 3 5 6
C D E G A

2nd Egyptian Suspended (Dorian mode):
1 2 4 5 b7
C D F G Bb

3rd Blues minor/Mang Gong (Phrygian mode):
1 b3 4 b6 b7
C Eb F Ab Bb

4th Blues Major/Ritsusen/Yo Scale (Mixolydian mode):
1 2 4 5 6
C D F G A

5th minor Pentatonic (Aeolian mode):
1 b3 4 5 b7
C Eb F G Bb

[josh]

Music theory notes: If you take 5 notes in a row on the circle of 5ths you get a pentatonic scale. Also, the notes of C major pentatonic are part of the C major, F major and G major keys, which explains some of the versatility. If you think in terms of modes, then the notes of C major pentatonic are found in C Major, C Mixolydian, and C Lydian which further demonstrates the versatility.

[fabienbable]

Wow, the amount of "digging" you have to go through to achieve these kind of videos just blows my mind.
Very well researched!
Kudos to you my friend, keep it up, very interesting!!

[Stepski]

"First, and, sometimes only..."


I feel attacked

[Freudenfreude]

Of all the music theory YouTubers I find this channel the most helpful. I appreciate the straightforward explanation of each concept with ample use of popular music examples to illustrate the points. Not knocking Beato or Neely, but I find David’s approach very accessible and helpful to revisiting these fundamental concepts like modes, scales, etc. Also nice that because these videos are sponsored I don’t feel pressured to buy his course. Keep up the good work!

[ericrferreira]

This channel is changing my perception of music

[michaelnajoan]

My man David out here doing what every kid questioned wether it's possible or not, playing only the black keys on a piano. Great video!

[foolishpity]

That little composition at the end was really nice and left me with some really chill vibes. Beautiful, thank you.

[philburpalooza]

"The pentatonic scale is the first and only scale people often learn on the guitar" - I and 100, 000+ anonymous cynical keyboard and piano players who've played in bands THANK you for saying that.. 😄 ❤ ( My official nomination for 2020 YouTube Quote of the Year)

[lachinita_esa]

I'm from China and I realized the relationship between our five traditional scales and pentatonic scales long ago. These five scales are Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, yu.
In the case of C major, Gong would be 1 2 3 5 6 1, omitting the fourth and seventh
In Shang, it would be 1 2 4 5 6# 1,
(in D major would be DEGACD), omitting the third, seventh, raising the 6th.
In Jue, C major would be 1 3b 4 6b 7b 1. (starting from E, EGACDE)
In Zhi, C Zhi: 124561 (starting from G, GACDEG)
In yu, C yu: 1 b3 4 5 b7 1(starting from A, ACDEGA)

I learned a lot from watching ur videos BTW, I started from scratch one year ago and now I have written about 100 songs!!

[julienne.vanaken]

David could be anywhere from 11 to 35 years old

[BrankoVT]

Isn't "Minecraft" from, well... Minecraft pentatonic, even with the chords.

(Except one chord in the entire song, that is)

[diegogianoli]

This is the second video of David Benett Piano playing piano and it makes me happy