How to solo over progression E-A-F-Em

I'm attempting to learn a bit of theory to help my guitar improvisations, but one thing I am struggling with is what I could play to go well with the chords of rhythm guitar that i'm playing to.

At the moment i'm playing to a track strumming a sequence of E A F Em chords.

Where to from here with the lead?

Dugggy

Knowing what key center(s) the chords create is a good start. It does not always tell you exactly what scales or notes to use because of stylistic variations.

E A F Em

There is no single key that fits all these chords. There are at least two keys.

First let's look at E and A. You can fit both into one key.

E and A can be the "I" and "IV" in the key of E major. E and A can also be the "V" and "I" in the key of A major.

Depending on the style you could start with either the E or A major scale or the E or A major pentatonic scale.

E major: E F# G# A B C# D# E major pentatonic: E F# G# B C#

A major: A B C# D E F# G# A major pentatonic: A B C# E F#

I like the second choice (A major or A major pentatonic) because the upcoming F chord does not fit as easily with an E tonal center, even though that's the first chord. E as the tonal center would require a modal approach in the next two bars, which is not the first thing you want to learn. (It'll be the second thing!)

---

Now to the chords F and Em.

These may be the "vi" and "V" chords in A minor.

So to get a really simple solid approach to playing in a non-jazzy way over the progression, try just playing:

A major or major pentatonic for the first two chords, then A minor or minor pentatonic for the second two chords.

There are many other ways to do it, but this is a good start that lets you concentrate on your phrasing rather than jumping through lots of scales in your head.

---

The source of this thinking is knowing how to find all the chords in a key center. This is done by harmonizing the scale.

You create the chords I-vii by stacking 3rds above each note.

If the scale is A major: A B C# D E F# G#

it produces these chords:

I           A C# E    (A)
ii          B D  F#   (Bm)
iii         C# E G#   (C#m)
IV          D F# A    (D)
V           E G# B    (E)
vi          F# A C#    (F#m)
vii         G# B D    (G#dim)

CAGED system review

Tim writes:

I've recently bought Chord Tone Soloing and for the first time in a long time am excited to get stuck in to some proper learning, it's brilliantly written so thank you for that. I have a quick question if that's ok: At the start of section II you set out the octave shapes and the corresponding major scape shapes. Now I've stumbled across CAGED references before but never done anything with it, but what I do notice is that most other places refer to your 'shape 1' as 'shape 3' - obviously it's only a small terminology discrepancy, but I wondered what the thinking behind it was? I'm happy to stick with the nomenclature in your book and make mental note to translate when I read about CAGED shapes elsewhere but just thought I'd ask.

Anyway thanks again for what looks to be a great learning resource,

Tim

Hi Tim,

If you go through the book and identify and mark some of the diagrams with your previous numbering system, soon you'll be familiar with both ways and can decide if you'd like to adopt the new way.

The system you learned before probably started its numbering on the basis of which chord shape is easiest to play or most likely to be used by a beginner. An E-shaped barre chord is used as pattern 1 in those systems. (That makes the D shape into pattern 2, and the C shape into pattern 3, etc.)

The CAGED system and the 5 patterns derived from it that are used in all Musicians Institute programs (including my books) start with the C shape as pattern 1. The logic here is based on music theory instead of physical reasons. For example, the key of C is the first you should learn to read music in as it has no sharps or flats. You'll also begin with the C major scale to study how chords and intervals are built.

Here is one octave's worth of the pattern 1 major scale tabbed out in open position. Key of C major. (An octave is the eight-note distance up the scale to another note with the same letter name.) In tablature, the top line is the string closest to the floor.

-----------------
------------0-1--
--------0-2------
--0-2-3----------
3----------------
-----------------
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The C major "campfire chord" in open position is then also called pattern 1, and the shapes move up the neck from there. You don't have to finger and play these chords in their entirety. To get the sound of the chord in any position you only need to play the root, 3rd and 5th: one instance each of the C, E, and G notes. Try playing these examples one note at a time instead of trying to finger the entire shape right off. The eventual goal is just to know where the chord factors (Root, 3rd, 5th) are in relation to each other in each shape.

From left to right in each, we have the fretted string (starting with the string closest to the floor), the note name, and the scale degree, which is also the chord factor.

Pattern 1 (C shape)
0 E 3rd
1 C Root
0 G 5th
2 E 3rd
3 C Root
0 E 3rd

Pattern 2 (A shape)
3 G
5 E
5 C
5 G
3 C
3 G

Pattern 3 (G shape)
8 C
5 E
5 C
5 G
7 E
8 C

Pattern 4 (E shape)
8 C
8 G
9 E
10 C
10 G
8 C

Pattern 5 (D shape)
12 E
13 C
12 G
10 C
10 G
12 E

Thanks for getting my book, and thanks very much for the compliments.

For everyone else, the book we are discussing is here:
Chord Tone Soloing.

Thanks again, and I hope you're having fun!
Barrett

Minor Pentatonic Scale over Major Chord Progression

Hi Barrett,
I just bought your book "chord-tone soloing" and I have a question with the first chapter. You are a playing A to D which is just a I IV chord progression in A major. Why is it that you are using the minor pentatonic scale and not major scale? Would both scales work? A marriage of major and minor? Your using the C note to lead in to the A major chord. Is that just considered a passing tone? I guess this all just boils down to why does the minor pentatonic scale work over an exclusive I IV V major chord progression? Any help would be great. Thanks a lot for your time!
Steve

Hi Steve,
To your questions:
"Would both scales work?"
Yes, both major heptatonic and minor pentatonic scales would work, depending on the stylistic context.

"Your using the C note to lead in to the A major chord. Is that just considered a passing tone?"
Yes, the C notes on track 3 would be melodic passing tones in harmonic common practice. (See Piston, Harmony, 5th edition, p.116.)

"I guess this all just boils down to why does the minor pentatonic scale work over an exclusive I IV V major chord progression?"

This is a stylistic sound that is best considered outside common practice harmonic theory. Most guitarists have heard plenty of rock and blues music where minor over major happens all the time, so I start the book with it. It's a type of dissonance that people are accustomed to now but might have been strange during the "common practice" era of harmonic theory in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Minor-based notes over major harmonic progressions (interpreted into a series of dominant chords) are usually attributed to Western classical harmony blending with African influences to give birth to blues, ragtime, jazz, gospel, and similar styles.

The Chord Tone Soloing book has three parts. On page 2 it says "Part One is a very simple preview to show you where the book is going." It helps everyone---including beginners who may have never heard of a key center or don't know the difference between major and minor chords---to understand what's coming. This means you're ahead of the game a little, so that's good.

The examples in Part One just show how important it can be to choose the right note when the chords change, even when playing within a single scale. They do not teach any new information for most players. I use A minor pentatonic in 5th position because even beginning guitarists are likely to know the fingering already.

Right from the beginning we get a non-chord target tone, in Chapter Two. This shows that while we need to know where chord tones are, they will not always be our targets.

Analysis of chords and progressions comes after the foundation of scales, chords, arpeggios, and diatonic harmony. Later we go back and see how blues and rock conventions let you play minor sounds over dominant 7th chords and major triads. Starting after p. 74, non-diatonic notes of this type appear throughout the rest of the book.

It sounds like you know some theory already, but please make sure to read all the introductions and all the text in the book as you go. I tried to make it short, but sometimes people skip the words and go straight to the examples. For this book that can cause problems because we're learning concepts, not licks.

Thanks very much for the excellent questions.
Barrett

The m7sus4 chord

Hi barret,
I like your book Chord-Tone Soloing,
In page 108 (track 69) at the beginning of the chorus you have a Dmi7sus chord.
How do you construct such chord?

Dmi7 has b3, but a suspended chord replaces the third. So, how do you build it?
Thank you,
Armando

Hi Armando,

The m7sus chord has the same notes as a dominant 7sus chord.

1 4 5 b7

For the Dm7sus chord on page 108, those notes are D G A and C. On the guitar I'd put the 4th an octave higher like this: D A C G.

The different chord name is there to provide a context for improvisation. In the progression

Cm/Eb Dm7sus

you would play a scale that includes the minor 3rd, F natural, not the F# that would be implied by D7sus4.

The book tells you to play C Dorian over the chord progression. That gives you D Phrygian over the Dm7sus chord. You would not want to play D Mixolydian.

Also, if you were playing rhythm guitar instead of soloing, you might want to play a riff or embellished chord figure instead of just strumming the chord as written. The m7sus chord symbol assures that your rhythm playing should not include F#, the major 3rd.

Barrett

Practicing Cumulative Material

This was in response to Roxine, who wants to know how to practice material in the Rhythmic Lead Guitar book/CD and the Guitar Fretboard Workbook at the same time.

I get a lot of inquiries on how much to practice exactly which items in specific order, when to move on to a new exercise, and so on.

The main advice is that whenever a topic is new for you it needs to be practiced for at least 2 weeks in order to enter your long term memory and for you to be able to use it without stopping to figure it out again. It could be 4 weeks or 6 weeks. The test is whether you know it enough to use it easily.

That means you should review any unfamiliar material in one chapter of any book every day for 2 weeks before moving on to any other topic that has that material as a prerequisite. This way you're not figuring out two things at once. When you feel this happening it means you are advancing too quickly.

I believe this applies to any educational process, not just music.

For these two books in particular, there's no worry about pacing one to match the other, because the two books cover different areas. I always write a book to stand alone as much as possible. You can study one for 10 minutes, then the other for 10 minutes, doing that once a day for several months, and see a lot of improvement in both fretboard knowledge and rhythmic command of music.

creating your own jazz soloing ideas

> DLE
> writes:
>
> I have your fretboard and chord tome soloing books.
>
> I'm in a jazz band. Pretty much self taught, and still
> learning. Your books are terrific.
>
> I'd love to have some soloing ideas stemming out of the
> standard jazz progressions. Any thought to applying your
> skills to such a work?
>

Hi,

Thanks for using my books! I'm glad you like them.

You'll find chapters 20-23 of Chord Tone Soloing contain major and minor II V I progressions to play over with linear targeting.

I have a new book out, Rhythmic Lead Guitar, which discusses motific development, long (4- and 8-bar) phrasing, and handling song forms (12, 16, 32 bars, etc.) when soloing. These are all very important concepts for jazz improv. It also has examples of solos for jazz waltz, 4/4 swing, 16th-note shuffle and other grooves on the accompanying CD.

Along with checking that out I'd suggest that you include regular transcription and analysis of your favorite solos by other players. Take time with the analyses to look for elements that you've been exposed to in your studies, so you can see how they are applied to make the solos stronger.

Thanks again,
Barrett

Pacing Your Practice Schedule

> Hi Barrett,
>
> first I just wanted to thank you for the work you have put
> in your books, I am currenlty following the Chord Tone
> Soloing. I have to tell you it has help me fill the gaps and
> have a more rounded picture of music.
>
> Barret, I wanted to ask you if you could share more
> Practice Plans, that could help me organize the content of
> your book as i progress.
>
> I would appreciate if you could do that.
>
> Again, thanks for sharing your knwoledge.
> Ivan

Hi Ivan,

Thanks for writing, and for using my book!

I often get asked to create a schedule telling how many minutes to practice each thing, and how many weeks to keep it on the practice list.

I could only do this if I watched your every practice session and constantly tested your ability to apply what you've learned. A private instructor can help, but you should learn to take responsibility for your own development and your retention of material. I am not copping out; it really has to be your job.

When you find you are using elements of an exercise in your own soloing vocabulary, that means you know that exercise well enough to retire it from your practice schedule to make room for advancement. If you forget how to use it in your playing, it's time to go back and review.

To learn anything takes repetition, so your first practice schedule should include reminding yourself daily of the above parameters for moving ahead in your practice. Otherwise, you might forget what we talked about here and find yourself either repeating stuff you already know when you could be moving ahead, or setting material aside before you really have a handle on it.

If you are a beginner, you should only practice for short sessions, playing slowly and accurately so that you teach yourself good technique habits. With time you will be able to cover more material in a session, and the sessions can get a little longer. New exercises are added each week, while the old ones get covered in less time because 1) you already know them and 2) you can now play them faster.

Barrett