COLTRANE PENTATONIC (m7b5 pentatonic)

This is a scale that has been used by many jazz, blues, and funk musicians. Nick Homes of Jazz Duets called this scale the Coltrane Pentatonic because Coltrane often used this scale. The Coltrane Pentatonichas been popularized by other jazz greats like Kenny Barron and McCoy Tyner and is even used in other cultures (e.g., the Japanese Kumoi scale and Indian Shivranjini raag).

It can be seen as a minor pentatonic with a lowered 5th. If used in root position over a minor 7 chord, it consists of the notes R, M2, m3, P5, and M6. This makes the Coltrane pentatonic a really useful scale for getting a funky sound over a minor 7th chord. In root position it outlines a minor7b5 chord (R, m3, P4, d5, b7). It can also be used over an altered chord starting on the 7th. So, over a C7, you can play the Bb Coltrane pentatonic and get the tones, b7, b9, #9, M3, #5. So the Coltrane pentatonic can be very versatile.