Recommend scales for soloing?

Jaganath

New member
Can anyone recommend some scales that would be good to learn for soloing?
Just been listening to Soulman's 'Classic Rock Solo' and it got me wondering what scale/s where used?

Cheers :dance:
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

That really depends man, what do you want to sound like? Pent scales will let you sound like everyother lead player playing rock and roll. If you want to sound different, learn the upper extensions of chords that sounds cool, and add them into your pent scale. For Example, lets say your soloing over G - C - D each chord getting one bar. A major pent scale is R - 2 - 3 -5 - 6 - 7 so in G that translates to G, A, B, D, E, F# . . . so some great color tones over the G chord would be your A and F#, over the C they would be your D and B, over the D Id say the E and C. So bassically, to stay inside Major pent, go with 9's and 7's. If you want to start sounding a bit outside, try bringing in things like a chords 4th (Playing a C over a G chord for instance) and as you do that, you can venture further and further outside (like #4's over major chords). If you want to sound "different" I would say listen to a bit of Steve Lukather or Larry Carlton, although Fusion may not be your forte, give these guys a listen, then bring some of their licks into your rock playing, I guarantee that your playing will turn heads . . . any questions, pm me
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

HAHA, sorry guys my bad, major pent is r 2 3 5 6 there's no natural 7, so that is a note you would have to bring into the scale,
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

There is no right, wrong, good, or bad scale.
There's a really interesting book called Scales and Modes In the Begining which shows you how scales relate to chords, as do Frank Gambale's amazing instructional videos and book.

I would advise taking lessons for at LEAST 6 months for a respected teacher. You will learn more than 5 years of self-tuition. :)
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

TO, have you seen Frank Gambale's video "Mastering Modes" or something of the sort???? He really does a great job of translating the moods of the different modes, great great guitar player.

Do you approach things on a more modal basis?
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

GandLMan said:
TO, have you seen Frank Gambale's video "Mastering Modes" or something of the sort???? He really does a great job of translating the moods of the different modes, great great guitar player.

Do you approach things on a more modal basis?
Yes, I have all his videos, and books, actually. Very very good stuff!
There's a Vinnie Moore video (Speed, Accuracy, and Articulation)that has some great information on playing modes, as well, but it's not for the beginner.
I think that I'm a very modal player, but I usually write around melodies more than thinking about the notes.
Check out the solo to NEAR DARK at http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/twilightodysseymusic.htm for an example of this. So, when I'm writing a solo, I'm usually not thinking about which mode will work. I usually run through an exercise which I call "Linking Modes" that basically links every modal position, pick the notes that seem to stick out the most, and then think about stringing them together.
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

Wow, great Idea man, thats awesome, thanks muchly, I've been messing around with modes myself, just trying to get more and more comfortable with each of the modes tonality . . . thanks for the great tip
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

One word: PHRYGIAN. No matter what, this scale has never let me down. always sounds good and you can get any kinda mood out of it. Check it out; you won't be disappointed.
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

TwilightOdyssey said:
I would advise taking lessons for at LEAST 6 months for a respected teacher. You will learn more than 5 years of self-tuition. :)

TO is right...i tried learning it all on my own wth little luck...there is just something abut a techer in front of you who plays it and says ok play it back and tells you what your doing wrong or some tips and tricks to make it easier or faster that most times you can't learn yourself. i took lessons for a bit to brush up on my lead work but i didn't give it enough time and wasn't thrilled with the teacher at all so i'm still only so-so with it and could use more tips/lessons for sure but finding a good teacher is hard IMO who plays the style you want to learn and who is a person you can get along with!!

speaking of teachers...TO you got any free time for lessons hehehe...your lead work is te style i'd love to learn but i just can't do it myself

-Mike
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

I agree with the other guys. I learned more in the last 3 months with a pro teacher than I did in 5 years self taught.

Oh, and before that I had two teachers that had both their masters and doctorate in guitar and I didn't learn a damn thing from. You really have to find a teacher you mesh well with. Those aforementioned teachers were both classical guitar teachers and they just didn't teach anything practical and everything was straight out of the book reading. The only thing I think I got out of it was some smokin' right hand picking technique (fingerpicking)
 
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Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

XSSIVE said:
Tspeaking of teachers...TO you got any free time for lessons hehehe...your lead work is te style i'd love to learn but i just can't do it myself
Thanx for the compliment, Mike!
I've been teaching guitar since 1990. I currently teach 3 nights/week, actually.
You can PM me for my rates, but if you're really serious about coming out to Brooklyn for lessons (even once/month), I think we can come up with a special arrangement, either some kind of travel discount, or extended lessons, or something.
 
Re: Recommend scales for soloing?

I'm with TO too...

Modes make it all blend. At some point in my 20's I stopped thinking about scales and modes because it all just blends together once you know them. I see the entire fretboard as a playground in any given key. Altering or substituting modes of the same tonality off the cuff to get different vibes is very liberating. Gambale and even Satch do this really well. Knowing when and where to play a pentatonic, (there are 3 minor pentatonics in every key) is great too. Try substituting the standard relative minor pentatonic with the ii and iii and you'll get some cool Scott Hendersony type sh1t going on. Its limitless.
 
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