Your favourite scale for soloing!

[gordon_39422]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Not to start a technical argument, but just simply jamming a random cgosen scale over any chord or progression would result in dissonance. If the band was playing a C Major Chord and you were to jam on a C Aeolian or Pentatonic the result would be several bad notes. I Chose C Major because it contains no accidentals so the examples will stand out.Observe the following:

C Major Chord (build chords by stacking 3rds)
1 3 5
C E G

C Major Scale or Major Pent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
C D E F G A B C

The major quality of the 3rd within the major chord is complemented by the major scale

C Minor Chord (also built by stacking 3rds, you just use a minor 3rd)
1 b3 5
C Eb G

C Major Scale or Major Pent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
C D E F G A B C

Obviously the 3rds are going to clash. By ommiting the 3rd interval, you have restricted the definitive tone of the chord/scale relationship.

I chose the Major/Minor comparison to simplify the illustration. This principle carries over to all other scales and modes. In fact, this principle is THE REASON modes exist.

If you were playing a blues tune that used seventh quality chords (G7, C7, D7) for the I, IV, V progression, then you would flatten the 7th of a major scale or Ionian mode to create the Mixolydian mode.

It is easy to fall into the whole explanation that any given scale/mode is actually another one that starts on a different interval, but this actually defeats the purpose of learning the modes in the first place. For example if you started the F Ionian (major) on the 4th interval, you would get a C Mixolydian

F Major
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
F G A Bb C D E F

C Mixolydian
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
C D E F G A Bb C

An easy way to learn the notes of modes, but what of the application. The same goes with all other modes, they can be analysed to reveal a corresponding major scale.

C Lydian has a sharp 4th interval
1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 1
C D E F# G A B C

G Major
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
G A B C D E F# G

The point is that you should learn WHY each mode would be appropriate for which cirumstances.

Next---->

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

I feel bad because I only know the minor pentatonics

Bee

 

[gordon_39422]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Once you understand the individual scales/modes and their relationships with the corresponding chords, disect songs to understand how to fluidly move from one scale to the next, also known as "playing the changes." For example I will use a I, IV, V Blues progression in the Key of G.

G Blues
1 b3 4 b5 5 b7
G Bb C Db D F

C Blues
1 b3 4 b5 5 b7
C Eb F Gb G Bb

D Blues
1 b3 4 b5 5 b7
D F G Ab A C

Note the common tones present in all three scales:
G, C, F

You could play these tones at anytime during the song in any order and have a bland but correct riff. BORING!!, yet an essential principle to understand as beginning lead guitarists.

Now to forsehadow the upcoming key changes lets look at the G > C change.
G, Bb, C, and F are present in both, but you want to anticipate the change and set up a smooth transition into the C Blues by leading into a tone that is exclusive of the C Blues scale.

You could play a lick that contained G, Bb, C, & F but slide down from a G to a Gb right when the change occurs. Then you just pick up the C Blues pattern knowing that you are now on the b5 interval of the scale. You could also go from the D in the G Blues down to the Db in the C Blues, or even bend/slide up from the F in the G Blues to the Gb in the C Blues.

Reverse this principle for going back from the IV to the I or tonic.

From G to D there are only a few options for exclusive tones available:
G < Ab, or Bb>A

The V to IV or D>C change has a few more unique flavors:
D<Eb, F<Gb, G>Gb, or A<Bb.

Just remember that the bass player is sounding root so it will tend to get lost in the mix. The same is also true with the 1st, 3rd, and 5th of the chord if you have an rhythm gitfiddler. So, to really punch through and to sound technical, try to use notes outside of the chord structure that are within the scale.

Also, when playing the changes, try to land on notes that are excusive for that scale. It really speaks out and inspires a whole new language to soloing.

If anyone is interested, I have a chart in MS Excel that you can use to document the progression, identify the tones within the scales, and isolate the unique tones all in one 8 1/2 by 11" page. Just PM and I will be happy to provide.

Happy Jamming,
Allen

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

I like to play major scales in anything Ionian. But when it comes to soloing over a song, I go by the mode it's in.

 

[gordon_39422]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Ionian IS the mode in which we refer to as a major scale. A rose by any other name is still but a rose.....

 

[gordon_39422]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Just some more FYI for those interested,

In music, a SCALE is an ascending or descending series of notes or pitches,
as opposed to a series of intervals, which is a musical MODE.

Modes are defined, surprisingly enough, as major or minor.

Major modes
Ionian (major scale) ----- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
Lydian ------------------ 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 1
Mixolydian -------------- 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 1

Minor Modes
Aeolian (relative minor) -- 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 1
Dorian ------------------ 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 1
Phrygian ---------------- 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 1
Locrian - 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 1

Now that the modes have been identified by intervals, lets look at HOW to use them.

Ionian can be used over the respective chords and througout the respective key. Of course if you stay in the same scale through the song, the changes are not accentuated

Lydian, Ionian with a sharp 4th degree, is primarily used over jazzy major sharp eleven chords. Of course it can be viewed as a major scale starting and ending on its 4th degree.

Mixolydian, which is simply an Ionian mode with a flat seventh degree, is primarily used over a respective dominant 7 chord and progressions.

Aeolian is another name for RELATIVE minor. There are other minor scales which I will define after the mode section. Obviously aeolian is used over respective minor chords.

Dorian is a Aeolian (b3rd) with a b7. Can be cautiously used over the respectibe m7 chord. The flat seventh can also be viewed as a sharp sixth since the notes are enharmonic, but this only limits the use further.

Phrygian is an Aeolian mode with a flattened 2nd degree. Can be cautiously used over a minor chord. Since "power chords" are actually diatonic 5ths, and dont contain a defining 3rd, they add an interesting jazzy tone over 5 chords.

And finally, the Locrian mode is Aeolian with flattened 2nd and 5th degrees. This is actually a fun mode because it really defines a good blues progression. Great to use over minor seven flat five (-7b5)chords or diminished 7th chords.

Hope this helps clear things up for some of you. Any more questions I can help with, I will do my best for you.

Allen

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

I jam with my gf's uncle who does a lot of jazz/fusion. I'm not sure what makes the scales I play in dorian, but he says that's mostly what I play in.

 

[stevie ray]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

i suppose i mix up the Pentatonic Minor and Majors together *nice for blues* and mix those blues scales with the extra little "blue" notes in there.

I guess i also use the mixolydian mode but i have a long way to go in terms of theory... i m practicing tho

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

When improvising with other people, I generally fall into harmonic minor, which doesn't always go good...

But by myself, harmonic minor and phrygian.

 

[The Owl]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Sometimes, I'll play a major scale a whole step above the key that's being played, makes for some VERY interesting harmonic tensions if done right.

 

[Kac]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Em

+1 yup... and Am too...
Rock On :13:

 

[Mr Wolf]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Minor Pentatonics and blues scale are what my hands naturally do. Some Major pentatonics, and some harmonic minor.

 

[gordon_39422]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

Talk about thread resurection!!! I thought this thing died with the New Year!

 

[Maximusgordon 2.0]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

I tought myself all the modal stuff awhile back and understand it all in my head, but the actual terms for the stuff i dont always know, but some of it i know very well. I used to think about that stuff a lot, but now i really dont need to think about what mode or scale to play in, i just play and it happens naturally. But when i hear myself recorded, its mostly Pentatonic major and minor stuff with all kinds of "extra" notes that suggest Aeolian mode and sometimes Phyrgian or Mixolodyian... Dorian mode is practical to use because you can still use just your first three fingers to play it when your in a pentatonic "box", if you know what i mean, but the major sixth is kind of annoying in many situations i find, and my ear always tells me to stick with the minor sixth when in a minor key.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Your favourite scale for soloing!

My favourite scale is the MIXOBRONTOTONIC "d"