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I have noticed that everything I play on the black keys only sounds oriental. I wanted to know what is the standard fingering to go through this pentatonic scale?

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It can also sound African. I highly recommend this video about the "black keys": youtube.com/watch?v=DMF_24cQqT0 – Matthew Read♦ Jun 8 '11 at 19:19

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The black keys do indeed form a pentatonic scale, with the major mode starting on Gb and the minor mode starting on Eb. Here's the full list of modes for this scale. Personally, I wouldn't call the pentatonic scale particularly oriental in sound since it lacks the most commonly associated intervals (minor second, diminished fifth) for that sound.

One common fingering for the major pentatonic starting on Gb would be 1-2-3-1-2 (thumb is 1). Another (that involves less third skips on the thumb tuck) would be 1-2-1-2-3.

Here's a very interesting jazz improvisation over a pentatonic scale to get your creative juices flowing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkpQbjkRbzs

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The mode build on Db provides a rather interesting sound, for instance. The mode built on Ab is called "egyptian". Major and minor pentatonic sound decidedly non-oriental to me :) – Rein Henrichs Jun 9 '11 at 17:32
I've cleaned up the comments here, I think they got a little away from the point of the question :P – Matthew Read♦ Jun 29 '11 at 22:14

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