Music theory question

[Willy25]

Any YouTube video explaining why you can use/how to apply it for example playing an A minor pentatonic scale over a C chord progression? Don't how to explain it. I thought that if you're in the key of C you have to play scales that are in C?

[NegativeEase]

Re: Music theory question

A minor is the "relative minor" of C Major

Every major key that you play a song in, the relative minor scale is the optimal blues pentatonic scale -it's always 3 half steps down. So if a song is in G Major, solo in the E minor pentatonic. If the song is in D Major, solo in the B Minor Pentatonic.

Got it?

Of course this just the basics and there's a crazy amount of options outside of this -but this is the very basics you need to know.

[Clint 55]

Re: Music theory question

A minor pentatonic haz the exact same notes as C major pentatonic. That's why it works.

[Gtrjunior]

Music theory question

A minor is the "relative minor" of C Major

Every major key that you play a song in, the relative minor scale is the optimal blues pentatonic scale -it's always 3 half steps down. So if a song is in G Major, solo in the E minor pentatonic. If the song is in D Major, solo in the B Minor Pentatonic.

Got it?

Of course this just the basics and there's a crazy amount of options outside of this -but this is the very basics you need to know.

The important difference is the chord tones.
In C you would shoot to resolve on C, E, and G. (Not including the 7th for simplicity).
In Am your shoot for A,C,E.

And of course, this is the tip of the iceberg. It only get deeper from here. Lol

[JMP/HBE]

Re: Music theory question

Been playing 40 years.
Ive approached Theory several times.
I don't have time for Theory, im too busy playing guitar.

[GuitarStv]

Re: Music theory question

A minor pentatonic = 1 b3 4 5 b7 of A = A C D E G

C major pentaonic = 1 2 3 5 6 of C = C D E G A


As mentioned, the same notes in both scales which is why it sounds like it works. You just have to remember not to target the A root note of A min pentatonic . . . it's pretty natural to play a minor pentatonic lick and end on the root note, but the A ends up sounding like a 6th of the C major scale which will not sound as strong for a phrase resolution as landing on the C, E, or G.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Music theory question

A minor pentatonic haz the exact same notes as C major pentatonic. That's why it works.

Indeed, forgot to mention that -the only difference between either is what note you start or feature versus the steps you take which suggest to the mind a key foundation.

Really if you think about it, a song written with only the chords C and A minor -really is a one chord song with 2 chord voicings.

[RorySquier]

Re: Music theory question

I believe or sense there is some underlying darkness lurking in thine pentatonic scale...no?





;>)/

[Mincer]

Re: Music theory question

Well, C major and A minor are the same notes. A minor pentatonic and C major pentatonic have the same notes. Those keys also contain the same chords. That's why it works.

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Music theory question

As already mentioned, both scales are the same notes. Solos usually heavily rely on 1, 3, 5, as resting notes, which are C, E, G in C major and A, C, E in A minor. Depending on your phrasing, it can be unclear from the listeners perspective which key you're soloing in.

What you hear as the root in a song depends on a lot of things, like where a chord progression starts or ends and how it changes throughout the song. If the chord progression isn't firmly rooted (somewhat subjective), the solo can definitely be enough to pull it over from C to A.

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[Aceman]

Re: Music theory question

Now - why does an Am work over a C7 chord?!?!?!?!?

- It SHOULDN'T, but it DOES!!!! BWahahahahaha

[Gtrjunior]

Music theory question

Now - why does an Am work over a C7 chord?!?!?!?!?

- It SHOULDN'T, but it DOES!!!! BWahahahahaha

Sure it should...
The 7th of C7 is B. B is the 2nd of Am. It’s all within both keys.
In Am, B isn’t exactly a good note to land on for resolution but it completely works in C, especially in a bluesy setting.

Revision:
Diatonic to C, the correct chord would be Cmaj7.
If you play C7 (Dominant) and solo with Am penta, there is neither a B or Bb in the scale, so you sort off “skirt around” the issue of the B (or Bb note).

[Sirion]

Re: Music theory question

Now - why does an Am work over a C7 chord?!?!?!?!?

- It SHOULDN'T, but it DOES!!!! BWahahahahaha

Am7/C is a fine chord, isn't it? Just be careful with the spacing and the resolution.

If we are talking about an Am pentatonic scale, it avoids the Bb/B (or B/H) clash that might arise from use of the full A minor scale.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Music theory question

Am7/C is a fine chord, isn't it? Just be careful with the spacing and the resolution.

If we are talking about an Am pentatonic scale, it avoids the Bb/B (or B/H) clash that might arise from use of the full A minor scale.

There is no Bb in an Am scale.

[Mincer]

Re: Music theory question

The real reason is that we are so used to hearing minor pentatonic soloing over chords with a major 3rd and minor 7th that it sounds perfectly normal even though it is 'wrong' theory-wise.