Somebody help me remember the theory I have forgotten!

[Alpine86]

Ok.. heres my dillema..and its driving me crazy... in another life before playing guitar.. i played quite a bit of piano.. classically trained yadda yadda.. so I know a bit of theory.. however.. I was always a guitarist at heart.. went that route.. and over time.. the theory kinda.. fell out of my head. Or alot of it anyway..

So here it is.. Playing a song and its G-C-D.. simple enough.. nothin fancy.. go to improvise and try it on for size.. so I go to my usual startin point... I figure.. G-C-D.. so.. key of G.. G Pentatonic.. just for the heck.. well.. some notes fit.. but alot of them felt a bit outside.. so I thought.. huh.. wierd.. so I noodled around a bit.. and it wasnt until I got to E that it all fit.. so..

Song in G.. soloing in E .. where did I go wrong in starting with G..
(and just to clear it all up.. yep the guitars were all in tune and all that stuff..)

Anywhoo.. its been buggin the heck out of me! Oh if my Piano teacher could see me now.. hahaha.. the shame.. the shame..

[Guitar Ray]

I'm guessing tht you started playing a G minor pentatonic scale and then tried an E minor pentatonic. Well the E minor pentatonic is also a G major pentatonic scale. That would sound very good (and somewhat southern rockish) with the G - C - D progression.

Essentially you're playing the same chords as found in Sweet Home Alabama, and the solo in that is done with a G major scale.

[Alpine86]

Of course! Totally makes sense.. G Min pentatonic felt outside cuz the song was G Maj.. I totally wasnt thinking Maj or Min.. good lord.. I needs to hit the theory books a bit..

Thank you! I think my brain has stopped smoldering for the time being!