Printable View
Keeping it simple... when you are soloing over a 12 bar blues progression (I, IV, V) do you resolve your note with the chord according to this chart? What chord/s resolves to the "?" note? Is it both the I and IV chord?
http://www.6webs.com/scale.jpg
Using the pattern shown starting at the 5th fret it would be the A minor scale, which is the relative minor of the C major scale. The ? note on the 5th fret of the the 3rd string is a C so you can look at that note in either the context of the related major scale's root (or tonic) tone or you can think of it as the 3rd of the Am chord (A - C - E). This is an important note of the Am chord since it is the "flat third" of the chord that makes the chord a minor chord (vs. a C#, which is the 3rd of the A major chord). At least that's the theory behind the C note and how it relates to the scale you're playing from. How you use that tone depends on what else is going on in the song (e.g., some songs tend to switch back and forth between a minor and a major feel - in which case that C will be played a lot to give it the proper feel)
what he said
It bends nice too, though I tend to bend it one octave higher in that fifth fret position, that is 8. fret on the 1. string. OR using much the same patern 3 frets down, bending B on 3rd string, 4th fret up to the actual ?-marked C note. That said, the IV-marked note bends nice too :-)
Thinking about it, that C sounds nice pre-bend, then "sink back down" too.
Oh well.. Bend away
That note is also the dominant 7th of the V chord, so it sounds good over it. You can also bend it up just a half a step or even a little less than half to "tease" the major 3rd of the I chord.
IMHO what you gotta bear in mind is to keep the chords in a blues a little "unresolved" (dissonant) which is done most of the time by adding a minor seven to them. Otherwise playing the strict minor penta (the one in your pic) over major chords will sound too harsh.
The ?-tone becomes (as stated by mmcquain) a flatted third played over the I, a minor seven over the IV (which sounds beautiful) and a sharp fifth over the V (also nice sounding).
You can raise your ?-tone by up to a semitone by bending as mgade & 71818 told you, but that only works over the I.
What he said! The interplay between blue notes and a major emphasis can be used with great effect. Adds a dimension to an otherwise vanilla minor pentatonic. What others have said, though...use over the I.Quote:
Originally Posted by 71818
A good example of this is Clapton/Cream's "Sleepy Time Time".
Tenebrae
Thanks guys! I've feel that I've always had some trouble with the Minor Penatonic over a I, IV, V progression. When I hear some of the people play in the jam zone, it sounds like they're solo is resolving nicely over the chords. I don't always hear that in my playing. Here's a clip of me playing over a I, IV, V progression trying to have everything resolve nicely.
You might hear a certain phrase a couple times because I just learned it. It's from :39 to :41. Major/Minor lick.
The song is in B but if it were in A I do use the "C" sometimes to resolve over the I chord.
Sample Playing
Pretty, SilverStrat. Have you been jamming in the Jamzone?
I have a couple of songs. I listed them below.
I've been playing for about ten years and within the last few I've been tyring to improve on my skills. I wish I knew about sites like this a few years ago. It never even crossed my mind. I need to increase my lick vocabulary. Sometimes I feel like I'm playing the same stuff over and over again. That's why I need for someone else to listen to my playing. I've been playing the minor penatonic for about ten years too but never really used it effectively until recently. My goal now is to build more of a lick vocabulary and make sure I'm resolving everything correctly (no sour notes).
Flight To Nowhere
Merlot - A little sour at times
Good Ol Boys
Well, I'm not really in position to tell you much, but my strategy are different :D I just throw myself head first down any nearby hole :blbros
Will listen later!
once you get to the bottom of the hole - there I'll be - then we can jam with reckless abandonment mgade :lol See you when you get on down here - This is a great post - I really enjoy learning from the "seasoned players" and frankly am pleased to see a question such as this...cause it's one thing I have been coming to grips with as well. TFF is the stuff without the fluff!Quote:
Originally Posted by mgade
I'd only add one thing to the advice provided above. When playing against the I chord (assuming you are playing a dominant 7th chord) you don't want to linger on that note. It's OK as a passing tone, but you want to bend or hammer to the C# (the major third of your dominant chord). At least to my ears (and I suspect others as well), nothing sound worse against that major third in the I7 chord than that minor 3rd.
You playing sounds pretty cool. Has a laid back quality to it. If you think your tredding the same ground and your licks are getting tired why not learn a few tunes that use the scale you are interested in. It's a great way to find out what other people are doing with the scale you are using.
I disagree - the minor third against the major third IS the blues :dudeQuote:
Originally Posted by Guitar Ray
Actually I think the flatted 5th is the blue note.Quote:
Originally Posted by matsb
Some nice tasty licks in there (I hear a little bit of Allman Brothers feel in spots)... keep up the good work and Merry Christmas!Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverStrat
OK OK: the minor third against the major third AND the flat fifth AND the minor seven is the blues - let's see, in A that would be A C C# Eb G - Eb13#11!!! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Guitar Ray
And SilverStrat: I think your playing sounds just fine. Plus you have more than just penta stuff in there. Keep rocking and a Merry Christmas!
Using the box as shown will yeild some yawners of solos if you're not careful. If you come away from with this thread with anything, it should be that there are no wrong notes. Some notes won't feel right as part of the melody, but used as passing tones can be quite effective. For example, if you're playing in A and the solo is becoming mechanical sounding, use 16th or 32nd notes chromatically to change the rythym in parts of the solo. So, an A# fits in perfectly as you run up to a C, and a B is perfectly acceptable as it is the second degree of the A Ionian scale and just fine to use for the melody in a blues tune.
Confused? Good. But the point is, like I said, there are no wrong notes. Just some that fit all the time and some that fit sometimes.
Boxes are helpful tools when you learn ALL of them, and then learn how to connect them. This makes a handy-dandy little trick for moving around on the fretboard.
Boxes are cool, but spend AT LEAST as much time practicing out of them as in them. My issue with them is they are quick and easy to master, but are hard habits to break. Plus, they completely remove the opportunity for opens and odd intervals which are what will make your playing sound interesting. If you must play them, practive two-string octave phrases to spice them up.
Take the box shown, and then find the boxes above and blow it. Next move around in them and try not to get into the "Solos in A are on the 5th fret" mindset.
Last, every time you pick up your guitar to play, spend one minute and go through the notes and say aloud what note it is. After one week of doing this you'll be ahead of the game. Then once you learn the notes You can say "well, D is next, but I can play the D up here instead, or maybe play the open string" and your solos will have that nice angular and thought-out feel. The worst mistake you can make is to get into the mode where when you play a note, you always play either the note above or below it in the box next.
Kudos to you for thinking about it and being serious about playing good solos!
Exactly. Learning your stuff all over the fretboard is very important. Scales will give you the vocabularly to express yourself as you want to. How you express yourself is where the art comes into play. This is what I take OA's point to be. Knowing a lot of words doesn't mean you're going to be an interesting person to talk to; knowing how to use language inventively, with humour, intelligence, panache and originality will make you someone that people will want to listen to.Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Angler
Indeed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Angler
Cheers
Tenebrae
Well said Tenebrae!
whassamatter, TB. not feeling frisky this week? or have you just decided that this particular pony is on it's way to the elmer's factory?
:couch
Offshore Angler - GREAT POST!
And then you "nurse it, rehearse it and send out the news..."
Who knew you fellers were so articulate? Great thread. Wonderful posts.