When a song uses chords that belong to the key, you are able to improvise using only one scale like the pentatonic, the major or the minor scale. The chart below shows you the scale tone chords of the key of C minor. So, if you were improvising over a chord progression using any of the chords in this chart, you could use the C minor pentatonic or the C natural minor scale throughout. For more info and a chart showing you the scale tone chords of every minor key click here.

But what happens if the chord progression contains chords that are chromatic (i.e. foreign to the key)? Look at the chord progression below. At first glance, you would think you could improvise over the all progression just using a scale like the C minor pentatonic. However, you will find that if you use C minor scale over the A minor chord, some notes will clash. This is because chord A minor is not a chord that makes up the scale tone chords of the C minor key. Therefore, what has happened in the example below (at bar 3) is a key modulation. That is, the chord progression changed from the key of C minor to the key of A minor.

So what is the solution? One option is to improvise using the C minor pentatonic scale over the C minor chord. Then, at the key modulation (when the progression changes to A minor), you improvise using the A minor pentatonic scale as shown below.

Below are diagrams for pattern 1 of the pentatonic scale in C minor and A minor. Notice that they are exactly the same scale but in a different position on the fretboard.

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It is now time for you to put what you have just learnt to a practical use. The track below uses the exact chord progression above. Press play and practice improvising and changing from C minor pentatonic to A minor pentatonic at bar 3. The track will keep repeating as a loop to give you a chance to experiment and create ideas.

<figure class="wp-block-audio"><figcaption>Progression with Key Modulation from C Minor to A Minor</figcaption></figure>

Improvising as you just did above (i.e. using pattern 1 of both keys) is only one way to do it. Another possibility that will make the contour of your notes sound smoother on the key change, is to use pattern 1 of C minor pentatonic scale (on bars 1 and 2) and then pattern 2 of the A minor scale (on bars 3 and 4) instead of pattern 1. See below.

This two patterns will provide you with a smoother melodic contour on the key change because the notes of both patterns are in a similar position (around fret 8). Below is C minor pentatonic scale (pattern 1) and A minor pentatonic scale (pattern 2). Compare how close their location is on the fretboard.

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As before, press play on the track above and experiment improvising using the 2 patterns above. For all the other minor pentatonic patterns click here.

I hope you all enjoyed this lesson. If you would like to further develop your musical skills on guitar or another instrument, please click here to find out about our music classes.

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