A Flat Six Pentatonic Tres Cubano Scale
Tres Cubano scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
A Flat Six Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Flat Six Pentatonic scale is a modern synthetic pentatonic used to imply the sound of the melodic minor system. On Tres Cubano, its notes are A, B, C#, E, F. It provides a poignant and slightly altered texture to major melodies, making it a favorite for contemporary jazz players looking for fresh melodic paths. Commonly used in Contemporary Jazz, Fusion, Post-Bop. Notable players include Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel. Use over Maj7, mMaj7, and altered dominant chords. A modern jazz tool for fresh melodic paths.
Notes: A, B, C#, E, F
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 5P, 6m
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 b5
Formula: W-W-WH-H-4
Number of notes: 5
Musical Character
Implies the melodic minor sound through only 5 notes, providing a contemporary jazz texture that is slightly altered without being fully 'outside'.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Contemporary Jazz, Fusion, Post-Bop
Notable players: Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel
How to Use the A Flat Six Pentatonic Scale
Use over Maj7, mMaj7, and altered dominant chords. A modern jazz tool for fresh melodic paths.
Origin & Background
A contemporary jazz pentatonic extracted from the melodic minor system.
How to Play A Flat Six Pentatonic on Tres Cubano
Begin by locating A on your instrument and play through the 5 notes of the Flat Six Pentatonic scale slowly, ensuring each note rings clearly before increasing speed.
The A Flat Six Pentatonic scale contains 1 sharp (C#). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing
Begin by playing the A Flat Six Pentatonic scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (A-C#, B-E) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in A. Try a A5 - E5 - F5 progression. This scale is especially effective in contemporary jazz contexts.
Tres Cubano Tips
Practice the A Flat Six Pentatonic scale slowly and evenly on your instrument, focusing on tone quality for each of the 5 notes before building speed. Aim for a poignant quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
Flat Six Pentatonic is the Melodic minor-derived pentatonic. View A Melodic minor scale
The A Flat Six Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (A, B, C#, E, F). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each shape and pattern on Tres Cubano with different tunings and fret ranges. Practice ascending and descending from the root note to learn the sound of this scale.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Flat Six Pentatonic
The A Flat Six Pentatonic scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 5-note pentatonic scale, 2-notes-per-string patterns are the most ergonomic way to traverse the fretboard. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.