The Dorian Pentatonic Scale aka Kumoï and John Coltrane Pentatonic For Guitar

The Dorian pentatonic scale is a minor scale built with five notes.

It is sometimes referred to as "Kumoï scale" (a Japanese scale) and also known as the "John Coltrane Pentatonic Scale".

SUMMARY

Pigmy Scale and Other Dorian Pentatonics

Guitar Lick

25 pentatonic licks for guitar pdf ebook

Interval Formula?

You can consider it as a part of the Dorian mode, second mode of the major scale.

Indeed, the Dorian mode is spelled 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7, by leaving out the fourth (4) and the minor seventh (b7) you get the 5 notes of the Dorian pentatonic scale.

D Dorian mode	D	E	F	G	A	B	C
Formula	1	2	b3	4	5	6	b7
D Dorian pentatonic scale	D	E	F	x	A	B	x

One Octave Shapes

Here are four guitar diagrams showing how to play the Dorian pentatonic scale (Kumoi scale) within the space of one octave.

Dorian pentatonic kumoi scale guitar charts

Two Octave Shapes

The following shapes show how to play the Kumoï scale within two octaves.

Dorian pentatonic scale kumoi guitar positions

5 Positions

Here are five positions for the Dorian pentatonic scale spanning the whole guitar neck.

Notice that each shape starts from a different degree of the scale.

Dorian pentatonic scale kumoi guitar shapes

Difference With Kumoï Scale?

The Dorian pentatonic and the Kumoï scales are simply the same.

The name is different according to the country and the style of music.

Difference With Hirajoshi Scale

The only difference between these two scales is that the Hirajoshi scale has a b6 whereas the Kumoi has a natural 6.

Thus giving the interval pattern 1 - 2 - b3 - 5 - b6 for the Irajoshi scale and 1 - 2 - b3 - 5 - 6 for the Kumoï scale.

Confusions and Differences

It seems there are many confusions about the construction of the Dorian pentatonic scale.

Some books and teachers give three other formulas :

1 - 2 - 4 - 5 - 6.
1 - 2 - 4 - 5 - b7, second mode of the major pentatonic scale.
1 - 2 - b3 - 5 - b7, also known as Pygmy scale, an African scale from Rwanda.

In any event, they all derive from the Dorian mode and works well over minor chords, it is up to you to choose the one you prefer, depending on the harmonic context.

Dorian pentatonic scale (Kumoï)	1	2	b3	5	6
Dorian pentatonic scale (2)	1	2	4	5	6
Dorian pentatonic scale (Degree II of the major pentatonic scale)	1	2	4	5	b7
Dorian pentatonic scale (Pygmy scale)	1	2	b3	5	b7

Here are four guitar neck diagrams to make the difference between these Dorian pentatonic scales.

Differences between dorian pentatonic scales

Dorian Pentatonic Lick Over a Major II-V-I

This simple lick below shows how the Dorian pentatonic scale can be applied to the ii chord of a basic II-V-I progression.

You can notice that this II-V-I jazz line is built only with pentatonic scales.

This is the purpose of the PDF eBook named "Mastering the pentatonic scale".

Guitar Scale Dictionary

This E-book is a printable PDF method including over 700 scale diagrams and formula charts for guitarists.
Guitar Chord Dictionary

This PDF eBook provides over 550 guitar chord shapes. This is the perfect reference guide to understand how chords are built and how to play them on the guitar neck.
30 Groovy Jazz Guitar Licks

This downloadable package contains a PDF WITH audio files giving access to 30 groovy guitar phrases mixing jazz, blues and funky licks for beginners.
172 Arpeggio Shapes For Guitar

This printable PDF is a method dedicated to guitarists of all styles who want to learn build and play the most important types of arpeggios.
126 Triad Chord Shapes

This handbook for guitar players is intended both for teachers and students. It includes 126 guitar shapes for mastering triads.
Major Scale Harmonization

This package provides a printable PDF with exercises and audio files to learn how to harmonize the major scale with 3 note chords and their extensions.
30 Minor Arpeggio Licks

This package includes a printable PDF method containing 30 exercises with tabs, staves and audio files for practicing minor arpeggios on guitar.
II V I Bundle - 170 Exercises

This bundle contains 4 PDF methods for a total of 170 exercises with tabs, staves, analysis & audio files for practicing scales, arpeggios licks & chords over the 2-5-1 progression.
Diatonic Licks Bundle

This package contains 120 jazz guitar lines based on diatonic modes as Mixolydian, Dorian and Ionian. PDF format with tabs, audio files and analysis.
30 Smooth Jazz Guitar Licks

In this package you'll get a printable PDF Method with tabs, notation, analysis, scale shapes and audio files for practicing 30 smooth jazz guitar licks.
40 II V I Jazz Guitar Licks

This pdf method for guitar contains fourteen 2 5 1 jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files.
50 II-V-I voicings

This printable PDF guitar method provides 50 exercises with audio files, analysis, tab and staves for learning major 2-5-1 chord voicings.
40 Minor 2 5 1 Chord Voicings

This PDF method contains 40 exercices with tabs, scores and audio files for practicing jazz guitar chords over the minor 2 5 1 progression.
40 Minor II V I Licks

This guitar method is a printable PDF with tabs, diagrams, theory and audio files providing 40 minor 2 5 1 jazz patterns.
40 Mixolydian Jazz Guitar Lick

PDF guitar method with tabs, audio files and theory providing 40 dominant jazz guitar lines for teachers and students.
40 Minor Jazz Guitar Licks

This printable guitar method in PDF format contains 40 easy minor jazz guitar lines based on the Dorian mode.
40 Major Jazz Guitar Licks

Printable PDF eBook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with tab, standard notation and audio files for beginners and intermediates.
Guitar Walking Bass Lines

This jazz guitar method about walking bass lines and chords is available as a PDF files containing 35 exercises with tabs, analysis and audio files
101 Dominant Arpeggio Patterns

This printable PDF method provides 101 dominant arpeggio exercises with tab, theory and standard notation for the jazz, blues and rock guitarist.
49 Essential Jazz Lines

This printable eBook method in PDF format provides 49 jazz solo transcriptions of the greatest jazz musicians. Tab, standard notation, audio files & analysis.
11 Jazz Blues Studies

11 jazz blues chord studies with tabs, standard notation, analysis, and audio recordings and PDF.
10 Easy Fingerstyle Blues

This PDF with Tabs and audio files provides 10 easy acoustic fingerstyle blues guitar studies for kids and beginners.
25 Altered Jazz Guitar Lines

This PDF eBook method contains 25 altered jazz guitar licks with tabs, patterns, scale charts and audio files to master, apply and develop the altered scale.
40 Blues Dominant Patterns

This printable method is available as a PDF file containing 40 easy dominant jazz-blues guitar lines with tabs, standard notation, analysis, audio files and scale charts.
25 Pentatonic Licks

This jazz guitar method is an eBook available as a PDF with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. You will find in this booklet 25 easy jazz guitar lines with theory using common and rare pentatonic scales.
25 Soul Jazz Guitar Licks

You will find here an eBook available in PDF containing 25 soul jazz and hard bop guitar licks in the style of Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, George Benson.
25 Diminished Patterns

This eBook PDF with audio files contains 25 dominant diminished jazz guitar patterns using the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggios.
6 Tritone substitution licks

This Printable PDF eBook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabs/notation, youtube video link and analysis about the tritone substitution.
10 Minor 7 Arpeggio Patterns

This printable PDF eBook offers 10 easy minor 7 arpeggio patterns with its related YouTube video for beginner guitarists.
10 Easy Major 7 Arpeggio Licks

This is a printable PDF for beginner jazz guitar players providing 10 easy licks to practice major 7 arpeggios.
10 Chord Melody Lines

Within this package, you'll discover a set of ten chord melody exercises for beginners. Printable PDFaudio files, a backing track, and a link to the associated YouTube video.
10 Minor Blues Scale Licks

You'll find here a PDF with 10 easy jazz guitar licks to practice the minor blues scale on guitar.

Guitar Arpeggios Poster

This giant guitar poster for any guitar player, student or instructor contains colorful arpeggio diagrams. Giant size 24 x 36 inches (60 x 90 cm).
Guitar Scales Poster 24*36

Guitar posters and wall art with eighteen neck diagrams representing the most used scales in music.
Guitar Chord Poster

This printed color posters contains 63 guitar chord diagrams for jazz players, students, teachers and schools.
Guitar Modes Poster

Guitar reference posters and wall art about modes of the major scale for guitar teachers, students and music schools.
Melodic Minor Modes Poster

Educative and decorative giant guitar poster with neck diagrams, interval names about the seven modes of the melodic minor scale.
Pentatonic Scale Guitar Poster

This guitar reference poster shows the positions and intervals of the major pentatonic scale.
Guitar Notes Poster

This is a giant poster showing the notes on the guitar fret board and their positions on a musical staff.
Triads Guitar Poster

This reference poster show the positions and intervals of the main triads used on guitar. This is a useful tool for guitarists, teacher and students.
Four Archtop Guitars Poster

This is a decorative poster with four archtop jazz guitars. Several size and colors in landscape format available on Teespring and redbubble.
Intervals On Guitar - Poster

This giant poster for guitar provides neck diagrams with interval positions.

Mini Lesson 01 (ML 01)

You'll find a mini guitar lesson about walking bass lines and chords containing a PDF with tab, score analysis, shapes, a video and a guitar pro file.
Mini Lesson 02 (ML 02)

In this mini jazz guitar lesson you will learn how to play easy and cool jazz lines over basic chord changes found in jazz. Pdf, tab and video included.
Mini Lesson 03 (ML 03)

With this short lesson you will learn how to play and connect basic guitar arpeggios over a diatonic chord progression.
Mini Lesson 04 (ML 04)

This is a downloadable package with PDF, Tab, guitar pro file and video to practice guitar arpeggios over a jazz blues chord progression.
Mini Lesson 05 (ML 05)

This downloadable package provides a PDF with Tab/score, a guitar pro file and a short video for practicing guitar arpeggios on a jazz blues progression in Bb.
Mini Lesson 06 (ML 06)

This package for guitarists contains a PDF with tab, video, backing track and guitar pro file for practicing arpeggios over a basic jazz blues progression.
Mini Lesson 07 (ML 07)

With this mini guitar lesson you will learn how to superimpose arpeggios over a diatonic chord progression. Video, pdf, jamtrack and guitar pro file included.
Mini Lesson 08 (ML08)

Mini lesson with PDF, guitar pro file, video and backing track for practicing scale and arpeggio connections over a Bb jazz blues progression.
Mini Lesson 09 (ML09)

This mini lesson is a downloadable package containing a PDF, video, backing track and guitar pro file of a jazz blues progression study in B.
Mini Lesson 10 (ML 10)

This mini guitar lesson provides a printable PDF with tab/notation, video, backing track and guitar pro file for practicing open triads over Fly Me To The Moon.
Mini Lesson 11 (ML 11)

This guitar lesson is a package inlcuding a PDF transcription with analysis, a short video, a backing track and a guitar pro file to learn to play jazz solo lines over Blue Bossa.