Soloing Over Chords As Individual Identities

Once I was looking for some guidance on soloing over a major chord. I went through the internet and studied very thoroughly whatever was provided online. I found somewhere about how to solo over a C major chord.

The points mentioned there were so much and i am going to mention here all of them. Before that let me remind you that the C major triad has the notes C-E-G. Whatever point is mentioned below, please notice the notes very carefully, because this lesson will conclude concerning the notes.

The first one was to play the C major scale. This is a very good way and gives a happy bright feeling. The notes of the C major scale are C, D, E, F, G, A and B.

The second one was playing the major bepop scale. The notes are C, D, E, F, G, Ab, A and B.

The third way is to play the C major seventh arpeggio. The notes of which are C, E, G and B.

Fourth way can be playing E minor seventh arpeggio. The notes are E, G, B and D.

Another was playing the C major pentatonic scale which can be called a subset of C major scale, so no need to mention the notes here. (Actually find it on your own)

Another way can be E minor pentatonic scale. (Find the notes on your own)

Another can be an A minor seventh arpeggio. The notes are A, C, E and G.

Next, you can use the C lydian mode which is same as the G major scale. It will be more brighter sounding.

The notes are same as the C major scale except that F changes to F#.

Others can be a G major seventh arpeggio, B minor seventh arpeggio and others. Try to figure out the notes in G major seven chord and B minor seven chord.

Now if you analyse the ways closely, you will find that everything is following a very very simple rule. If you get that thing correctly, you will never hover around searching about how to solo over chords.

There is a very simple rule to it. Whenever you require to add notes over a chord, the first thing you must understand is that the chord notes will be best suited. So the chord tones are the resolving notes. Rest others are tension notes. They will try to create a tense situation. This tense situation can be pleasing to the ears or can be very harsh.

So the only problem while soloing over chord changes is how to choose the tension notes. Because you have already figured out that the notes present in the chord will be the resolution notes. Now how to decide which tension notes will work over which chord.

For example, the C major triad has three resolution notes namely C, E and G. Other nine notes may act as tension notes. All those nine notes are useful and are really used while soloing. So you are free to use all the twelve notes but which to use when?

Now here comes two paths. One path is to do harmony study (as i did) and the other is to just start experimenting with the guitar (which i am presently doing). I suggest you to do the experiment. As you already know your resolution notes, try different tension notes and try to capture the feel of each tension note.

Because no tension note is superior or inferior, but gives a different mood to the solo. And every one has a different mood. So why follow the same tension notes? Put your feel and make your own rules about which tension note sounds superior to your ears!

This rule applies to each and every chord in this universe and if you master this thing, you will never be stuck playing like stranger.