Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

That's a good point, but I guess I need to learn the basics before I can go further and add notes from other scales, etc... Or do I have the completely wrong mindset?

Just play notes. Experiment.

[Sune]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

I can see where you're coming from, but I need to learn the basics of music theory, or else building a song might feel a whole lotta harder than it really needs to be.

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

I'm pretty sure that is not possible around here. So the only way I can learn is by asking others and by reading stuff. Another thing I was wondering about is: can I use major scales even if the song is in a minor key?

If you play the scale of the "relative major" of the minor scale, sure. If you're in A minor, soloing in C major will work. Just play in the major scale of the key one minor 3rd (3 frets) up from the minor key of the tune. If it's A minor, play in C major, if it's G minor, play in B-flat major, and so on.

Later you'll learn how to make passing tones and other little "outside the box" moves work to create tension, but the above is a good starting point for what you're asking.

One thing to avoid in the meantime, and that is solos that sound like scales because that is BOOOOORING. Play in arpeggios (i.e., 1-3-5, 3-7-5, 5-9-7-2, etc., instead of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 or vice versa, etc.) the way horn players naturally do and the solos will come to life because they will be far more melodic and compelling.

[Sune]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. Sounds like I've got it right in my head then.

I won't make solos that sound like scales, because as you say, that's boring. But in the book there are lots of examples how you can solo with the scales, so I'll learn some different phrases, and not just 1-2-3-4-5-6-7.

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

One thing you should know is there are different minor scales. There are three. The one you're speaking of is the Natural Minor, which is the relative minor scale to C Major. There's also the Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor scales, which are a bit different. I'm not sure of how well using those scales would work if you were to play a solo over those with the C Major scale. I guess that's kind of irrelevant, though, since you're probably not referring to those scales. But... just a thought. Might help you out in the future to know that there are 3 different minor scales.

[Sune]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

Thank you, I didn't know that. But I think starting out with the major scales and then the "natural minor" scales we've been talking about would be the easiest for me as a beginner, then I can always expand on it.

[Sune]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

What about seventh chords, are there special scales for those or do you just use the regular major scales, since the basis of the chord is just a regular chord with a seventh?

[tone4days]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

What about seventh chords, are there special scales for those or do you just use the regular major scales, since the basis of the chord is just a regular chord with a seventh?

do you mean dominant 7th, minor seventh? major seventh?

in short, yes, there are different modes that work best over chords with a 7th ... mixolydian works nicely over dominant 7th, dorian works wonderfully over minor seventh, lydian works onver major seventh (i think)

t4d

[Sune]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

Well, I guess what I was mostly thinking about was major 7th and minor 7th.

The book I have doesn't say anything about mixolydian, dorian, lydian, phrygian, ionian etc...So I guess I'm a bit lost there.

[Osensei]

Re: Can I solo with major scales over minor chords?

Here is a post just for you Sune.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=87251