Hi Guys,

Could someone please suggest a fingering for Bb Minor Pentatonic over 2 Octaves for both the Left and Right Hands ... and Bb Blues over 2 octaves?

I've bought a few scale books and they all somehow sidestep this particular scale for me. The fact that I need to know the fingering over two octaves seems to be a problem because, at some point, the thumb (either hand) needs to hit a black note (is that a problem?)

Anyway, I'd appreciate suggestions from anyone for these two particular scales.

Thanks in advance,

Rob.

don't think that works in the left hand???
I must say as a classical player all my life - teacher of piano and singing - just turning to jazz I find jazz scale fingering a real trouble/
Iris

Well, I have a Rockschool exam on Wednesday and the syllabus states that for Grade 5, the Pentatonic and Blues scales must be played over two octaves.

I can find no books and teachers who can suggest a fingering for Bb Minor Pentatonic or Bb Blues.

I'll work out a fingering, practice it and hope they don't ask me those two scales :-)

Thanks for the replies, Guys !!

RH thumb on Bb and F (or E for blues scale), LH thumb on Db and F. Thumbs on black keys aren't illegal, how else would anyone play Gb major or Eb minor arpeggios? The thing to avoid is turning the thumb under from a white key to a black key.

Great !!! Thanks for the tip, Markeyz!! Looking forward to trying that out this evening !!!

Rob.

well if it'x good enough for Marc its good enough for me! Have you heard his playing? Lovely! Good to know you,
Marc

I do a couple Joe Sample tunes in Bb minor (Ashes To Ashes and Chain Reaction) - Using the RH thumb on Bb and F works pretty good for me for the pentatonic - and it works in nice for the Bb minor scale too. Unfortunately, in the LH I just comp so I can't help you there.

Thanks for the compliment, sylvainiris, although I'd say you're being a bit generous. All of the recordings I have contain pretty obvious flaws (to me anyways, I think it's pretty common to be excessively critical of one's self). Anyways, good to know you too.

Marc

Both of these scales involve the thumb on a black note.

Blues:
RH - 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
LH - 1 3 2 1 3 2 1

Minor Pentatonic:
RH - 3 1 2 1 2 3
LH - 1 3 2 1 2 1

(Thumb = 1)