How to Write a Melody on Piano Using the Pentatonic Scales
To write a melody over a chord progression on piano, build the major pentatonic (scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, 6) or its relative minor pentatonic, then create tunes from mechanical note patterns, by singing phrases and playing them back, and by repeating a short motif that fits every chord.
Key points
- A major pentatonic uses scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, leaving out the 4th and 7th: Bb major pentatonic is Bb C D F G.
- The relative minor pentatonic starts a major sixth above the major root: G minor pentatonic is G Bb C D F.
- Start with mechanical patterns like groups of three, then add rhythm and move the lick to different starting notes.
- Sing a phrase first and then find it on the piano to write more natural melodies and train your ear.
- Build a short motif that works over all four chords of the vi-IV-I-V progression for a memorable tune.
What this lesson teaches
In this lesson Jason Zac shows how to create a melody over an existing chord progression using the pentatonic scales. It suits beginner pianists and songwriters who know a few chords and want a reliable way to come up with tunes that fit them.
Step 1: Build the major pentatonic
Penta means five, so a pentatonic scale has five notes. To build a major pentatonic, take the major scale and keep only degrees 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. You leave out the 4th and the 7th, which are the notes that tend to act as tensions in the scale.
In Bb major (Bb C D Eb F G A), that gives:
- Bb major pentatonic: Bb, C, D, F, G
In swaras this is Sa, Re, Ga, Pa, Dha. Sing it a few times; it is a very pleasant sound. Jason calls it the anything goes scale, because it works over almost any chord progression, which is why rock guitarists improvise on it so freely.
Step 2: Find the minor pentatonic
Every major pentatonic has a relative minor version using the same five notes, starting from a different place. The relative minor of Bb is G, so:
- G minor pentatonic: G, Bb, C, D, F
A quick trick: from the root of the major pentatonic, move up a major sixth. Bb up a major sixth is G, and that is where the minor pentatonic starts. It is the same family of notes with a different flavour, and it sits especially well on a G minor chord.
Step 3: Choose a chord progression
The lesson uses the popular pop progression vi–IV–I–V in Bb major:
- vi: Gm
- IV: Eb
- I: Bb
- V: F
Loop these chords and try the three melody approaches below.
Approach 1: Mechanical patterns
Start with simple maths. Take the pentatonic notes and play them in groups of three, moving up one note each time: G Bb C, then Bb C D, then C D F, and so on. It may feel mechanical at first, but with practice it grows into something with more feel and creativity.
Add some rhythmic spice and a pattern becomes a lick. Then start the same lick from different notes of the pentatonic, such as from C, D, F or G. Because you stay inside the scale, it still sounds right, and one lick can generate many patterns.
Approach 2: Sing, then play
Sing a short phrase first, then work out how to play it on the piano. Singing removes the filter of worrying what is easy on the keyboard, so your melodies come out more naturally. Figuring them out afterwards also trains your ear and your ability to turn what you hear in your head into what your hands play.
It does not have to be exact at first; it just needs to match roughly. If you cannot work a phrase out immediately, record it on your phone and come back to it later. Jason also encourages every musician to learn some singing, since your voice is a free instrument you always carry.
Approach 3: Build a motif
Create a very short phrase, called a motif, and repeat it. Check that it works over all four chords of the progression, adding small variations where needed. If one little tune survives all four chords, listeners will remember it, and that is the heart of a catchy pop melody.
How to practise
- Play the Bb major and G minor pentatonic scales and sing along.
- Loop Gm, Eb, Bb, F and improvise groups-of-three patterns over it.
- Turn one pattern into a rhythmic lick and move it to different starting notes.
- Sing a phrase, record it, then find it on the piano.
- Shape a short motif and test it against every chord.
Questions about this lesson
What notes are in the Bb major pentatonic scale?
Bb, C, D, F and G. It is the Bb major scale with the 4th (Eb) and 7th (A) removed, leaving degrees 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.
How do I find the minor pentatonic from a major pentatonic?
Move up a major sixth from the root of the major pentatonic. From Bb that gives G, so G minor pentatonic (G Bb C D F) uses the same notes as Bb major pentatonic.
Why is the pentatonic called the anything goes scale?
Because it hides the notes that act as tensions in the scale, it fits over almost any chord progression. In this lesson one short pentatonic tune works over all four chords of Gm, Eb, Bb and F.
Why should I sing a melody before playing it?
Singing has no filter of what is easy on the piano, so melodies come out more naturally. Working out what you sang then trains your ear and your ability to turn ideas in your head into notes on the keyboard.
Practise it
- Melodic CurvesSketch a melodic contour, choose a scale and hear the line take shape.
- Solfa StudioPractise scales, solfège and swaras with visual and musical context.
- Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
Related lessons
- 10 Instant Melody-Writing Strategies for Pianists and ProducersTo write a melody quickly, Jason Zac suggests starting from at least two chords, using chord tones and landing notes on strong beats, building rhythm first, displacing beats, using the pentatonic or a smaller subset scale, singing and transcribing, turning practice patterns into tunes, and borrowing ideas from favourite songs.
- 10 Types of Cadences Explained: Theory, Ear Training and PianoA cadence is a short chord progression of two to four chords, such as V–I (authentic), IV–I (plagal), V–vi (deceptive) or i–bVII–bVI–V (Andalusian), used to end, extend or redirect a musical phrase.
- Beginner Piano Exercises That Actually Sound NiceThree musical beginner piano exercises from Jason Zac: repeat E G# A B over changing left-hand bass notes, improvise grooves on the E minor pentatonic over a steady pulse, and pair each note of the Ab major scale with the diatonic third below it in the left hand.
- How to Create a Blues Solo on Piano (Scales and Phrasing)To create a blues solo on piano, form the major blues scale (major pentatonic plus the minor third) or the minor blues scale (minor pentatonic plus the tritone), then build a short, singable motif from it and play it, and smaller pieces of it, over the 12-bar blues.