which notes to use in a solo

[korbbit]

hey,
how do i know which notes i can use in a solo?
like if your other guitarist is playing a G# chord, does your solo have to be in a G# scale or something?
iv heard about scales that ppl use in solos, are they the same scales you would come up with using the wwhwwhhw thing?

[Malcolm]

hey,
how do i know which notes i can use in a solo?
like if your other guitarist is playing a G# chord, does your solo have to be in a G# scale or something?
iv heard about scales that ppl use in solos, are they the same scales you would come up with using the wwhwwhhw thing?
Kinda, almost, pretty close.
Well, let me start with what a key is. A key is a range of sound made up of a specific bunch of notes and chords. Now any note from within, the same scale will sound good with any other note in that scale. We normally make seven chords from those scale notes and all seven of those chords will sound good together.

And yes if you were to look at the chromatic scale and apply the wwhwwwh format to the chromatic scale you would end up with a Major scale. Lets use the C Major scale as an example:

Scale interval....1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
C Major scale = C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C octave
Remember that Key - the key consists of both scale notes and chords. Here is how the chords come into being. We can use another formula and come up with the chords found in any major key. The Major key chord formula is:
I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, viidim and it is applied like this.

Scale interval....1, 2,.. 3,. 4,. 5,. 6,.. 7,..... 8
C Major scale = C, D,.. E,. F,. G,. A,.. B,..... C octave
Chord formula...I,..ii.... iii, IV, V,. vi, viidim,.. I
Chords in key...C, Dm, Em, F, G,. Am, Bdim,. C

Notice the upper case numbers became major chords, the lower case numbers became minor chords. We end up with 3 major chords, 3 minor chords and 1 minor diminished chord in each key. We normally understand that the diminished chord is also minor and just call it diminished.

One last part of the puzzle. For a melody note to harmonize (sound good) with a chord, both should have some of the same notes.

We established that any scale note will sound good with any other scale note from the same scale.
We also established that any chord will sound good with any other chord from the same key.

Now we need to establish which notes sound good with what chords.
The C major chord is made of the C, E and G notes. So, the C, the E or the G notes will sound great over a C major chord.
The Dm chord is made of the D, F and A notes. So, the C major chord will no longer harmonize the Dm chord tones of D, F and A notes. What do we do? Well there are several things that could be done. But we are getting too deep into the story.

I'm going to give you a scale chart. Looking at the chart - now see if you can answer your questions. I'm sure you will have other questions - ask.

These may come in handy:
http://www.smithfowler.org/music/Chord_Formulas.htm

http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/
.

[gersdal]

Malcolm. Can you please rename your document to "Malcolms Magical Major and Minor scale Map" :D It's great!!!

[JonR]

hey,
how do i know which notes i can use in a solo?Same notes as in the rest of the song (the tune and chords).
like if your other guitarist is playing a G# chord, does your solo have to be in a G# scale or something?Not necessarily.
You can define the scale as a "G# mode", if working from the chord root - and there would be different G# modes depending on the type of chord, and the key of the sequence - but this makes it far too complicated! ;)
iv heard about scales that ppl use in solos, are they the same scales you would come up with using the wwhwwhhw thing?Basically, yes.
A song is usually written in a key. That means using one scale throughout, with maybe the occasional extra note thrown in. The tune and chords all derive from that scale. And you use the same scale to solo with - although you can usually expand on it, adding passing notes.

On guitar, any single scale runs all over the neck, and is divided into patterns to enable you to play in one position at a time without moving your fret hand. Sometimes these patterns are given mode names, but don't make the mistake of thinking these are different scales. They are all part of the same scale (if they contain the same 7 notes), and you can use any pattern of it at any time.