This is another rock jam using power 5th chords that is fairly wide-open. Remember that rock jams using power 5^th chords are usually wide open and often scream out for minor key soloing devices.

In this jam there is not that much time on each chord so again you will probably be playing more of what relates to all than soloing treating each chord as a separate event. 

What Relates to all the chords:

Try D Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords. Minor pentatonic sounds awesome over rock jams. This is not a major sounding or a major key ballad jam so Minor Pentatonic & Blues works well.

D Minor Pentatonic & Blues Scale – D, F, G, Ab, A, C

(See all the scales diagrammed out in the written lessons section of this series.)

When soloing in minor key usually either Aeolian or Dorian can also be played over all the chords. To determine which to utilize we have to analyze the chords and apply our minor key rule:

When playing over all the chords in minor key, what “relates to all”, you can always use Natural Minor Scales, (Aeolian Mode), UNLESS there is a major IV chord or a minor ii chord, in those cases use the Dorian Mode. For more on that read the “Minor Key Soloing” written lessons in the written lessons section of this series.

Since power 5^th chords are considered more major, when we analyze this jam we see a major IV chord, G.

So that points to try D Dorian over all the chords.

The Dorian Mode is a seven-note scale often used in blues, rock, and many other musical genres. Dorian is considered a minor mode and is always the 2nd mode in any major key. Dorian produces a mystical, minor sound that is a bit sweeter than Aeolian. There is only one note difference between Dorian and Aeolian – the 6^th note:

Dorian Mode = 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7

Aeolian Mode = 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7

Remember that Dorian is the second mode in any major key. So to play D Dorian in this jam we have to ask what major scales 2^nd note is a D note. The answer is C. C major has the same notes as D Dorian:

D Dorian = D, E, F, G, A, B, C

C Major = C, D, E, F, G, A, B

(Same notes – just emphasize the root of the mode, D.)

So try playing all your C Major scales but start on and emphasize the D notes and you will be playing in D Dorian. Give it a try and get creative. If you want to learn more about modal playing, major scales, and Dorian please see the coinciding written lessons in this series.

Also mix both D Dorian and D Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords for some killer sounds. You can create some fantastic sounds and textures by mixing the five note pentatonic scales with the seven note diatonic scales.

Treat each chord like a separate event:

In this jam you don’t have much time on each chord. So there is not much time to solo over each chord independently. You are probably going to solo more with what relates to all as explained above.

You have the most time on the D5 and G5 chords.
So if you want to experiment over those chords try some of these suggestions:

• Over just the D5 chord try D Aeolian (=F major), or D Dorian (=C major), or some Dm type arpeggios. Minor arpeggios will sound dark and cool like Dm, Dm7, or Dm9 arpeggios over the D5 chord.
• Over just the G5 chord try a G major arpeggio or G major lick. Experiment and see what sounds best to your ears. Feel the rhythm and time your changes appropriately so you don’t get caught playing the wrong scale over the wrong chord.

Here we have another rock jam that utilizes power 5th chords. The 5th chords contain just two notes, a root and the 5th. There is no 3rds in power 5th chords so there is nothing to clash against the flat 3rd in minor pentatonic scales.

This is why minor pentatonic sounds so awesome in rock jams. Because there are so few notes in the chords this jam is wide open for a few different solo avenues to try. This progression is not real major sounding or a ballad jam so I suggest in leaning more toward treating it like minor key.

There is a b2 chord in this progression, F5. As soon as you see a flat 2, (b2), chord in a jam you want to examine Phrygian mode as a possibility.

What Relates to all the chords:

Try E Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords. In general pentatonic scales sound great over rock tracks:

E Minor Pentatonic & Blues  = E, G, A, Bb, B, D

Try E Phrygian over all the chords. Phrygian would be the mode that would apply to all the chords, as there is a b2 chord in the progression, F5. The Phrygian Mode produces a very distinctive dark, exotic, Spanish type of sound. Often it’s called the Spanish Minor Scale. Phrygian is a minor mode and is always the 3rd mode in any major key.

Often you will hear the Phrygian mode played in hard rock, metal, fusion, and flamenco guitar. You may not hear this mode utilized as often as Aeolian or Dorian, but it is super fun to experiment with and enjoy producing some exotic tones.

You can try this mode over minor chords, but it can sound a tad exotic, some may say dissonant. But certainly try it and see how it sounds to your ears. Often it’s the mode of choice when you see a b2 chord, or an m7 chord, minor triad, or over power chords.

Phrygian has only one note different than the Aeolian. Phrygian has a flatted 2nd, (b2), while Aeolian has a natural 2^nd note:

Phrygian Mode = 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7

Aeolian Mode = 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7

Remember that Phrygian is always the 3rd mode in any major key. To play in E Phrygian ask what major scale’s third note is an E note. The answer is C. The third note of a C Major scale is an E note.

Play C Major scales over the track but emphasize the E notes for E Phrygian. C Major and E Phrygian consist of the same notes:

E Phrygian – E, F, G, A, B, C, D

C Major scale – C, D, E, F, G, A, B

(Same notes – just emphasize the root of the mode, E.)

Another way to look at it is by examining all the notes in the chords. In this jam we have an E5, (E and B notes), an F5, (F and C notes), and a G5, (G and D notes). The E Phrygian scale is E,F,G,A,B,C,D. It’s the same as C major, no sharps or flats. Look how that will work over the chords in this jam, no rubs at all. Try it over all the chords as E Phrygian relates to all and sounds killer over all the chords.

Remember, that it’s all about MOOD and EMPHASIS when playing in the modes. Which note you start on and emphasize produces the different moods and textures of each mode. Refer to the coinciding modal written lessons in this series to learn more about modal playing.

Technically speaking E Aeolian can be played over all the chords but you have to be careful as in that scale there is an F# note, (E, F#, G, A, B, C, D). That F# note will rub if you hit that note over the F5 chord. So, in my opinion, E Phrygian is a better choice over all the chords.

Remember the only difference between Phrygian and Aeolian is Phrygian has a flat 2nd while Aeolian has a natural 2nd. The F5 chord is going by fast so that is why I list it as a possible choice.

Treat each chord like a separate event:

In this jam the chords are moving very fast so there is not much time to solo independently over each chord. You are probably going to solo more with what relates to all as explained above. The F5 chord is way fast so very little time is spent on that chord. There is a little more time on the E5 and G5 chords. You can try a few different things independently over those chords. Her are some suggestions.

• Over just the E5 chord try E Aeolian (=G major), E Dorian (=D major), or some E arpeggios. The minor arpeggios work best here and sound dark and cool. Try minor type arpeggios like Em, Em7, or Em9.
• Over just the G5 chord there is enough time to blast a G major arpeggio or G major lick. Give that a try and see how it sounds to your ears. Experiment and get creative, and most of all enjoy the journey!

This is a cool mellow groove with a two-chord change. This jam really lends well to treating each chord as a separate event as I will explain below.

Even though there is an F# major chord in the progression, this jam has a real dark minor vibe to it. That tells me automatically that major sounding lead elements will probably not work as well. So I would suggest leaning more toward minor sounding soloing techniques and devices.

In this jam things get a little tricky as we are in minor key, but there is a V major chord. You can usually utilize Minor Pentatonic over all the chords when playing in minor key. Well, the exception to that rule is when you are in minor key but have a V major chord like in this jam.

Even though we are in minor key Minor Pentatonic & Blues won’t not sound great over that major V chord. That scale won’t relate to that V major chord, just the Bm chord. So this jam is an example of the exception. You can play B Minor Pentatonic & Blues over the B chord and then steer around the rub on the F# chord.

Now if there was a lot more chords in the progression and that major V chord does not come up for a while then you may be able to play Minor Pentatonic over the other chords and hang on it for a while, until that major V comes up, then you have to switch or you will be playing some sour notes over that V major chord.

Lets examine the reasoning a bit deeper by analyzing the chords. In this jam the V chord is F#. That chord is made of the notes F#, C#, Bb. In B Minor Pentatonic the notes are B, D, E, F#, A. The b7 is an A note. So if you play that scale over the F# chord and you hold on that A note over the F# chord there will be a rub as the F# chord has Bb note. Not so pleasing to the ear. Another not so great note is if you play that root note B or D over the F# chord. Again the F# would rather hear resolution to the Bb note or C# note as both notes are in the F# chord. This is why you have to be careful when you see a V major chord in a minor key progression.

When you see this exception, the V major chord in minor key, consider utilizing Harmonic Minor over the V chord (see below).

While there is only one major scale there are three types of minor scales, Natural minor (Aeolian Mode), Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor. The Harmonic Minor scale is a very exotic sounding scale that will add color and depth to your sound.

While you hear Harmonic Minor played often in neo-classical, metal, and shred guitar, the scale is also utilized in flamenco, East European, Middle Eastern, and Indian music, as well as mainstream rock, jazz, and even bluegrass music.

Harmonic Minor has a very distinctive tone, kind of Spanish or Middle Eastern sounding. It is a Natural Minor scale with a raised seventh. Natural minor has a flatted seventh while Harmonic minor has a natural 7th. Remember the keynote in the scale is that 7th, and it is always a half step behind the root note. The scale degrees are almost the same as Natural Minor except for the 7th:

Harmonic Minor – 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7

Natural Minor – 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7

Treat each chord like a separate event:

• For this jam treating each chord as a separate event is the way to go.
• Over just the Bm chord try B Minor Pentatonic & Blues, B Aeolian (=D major), B Dorian (=A major), and B Minor type arpeggios.
• Over just the F# chord try B Harmonic Minor. Harmonic Minor sounds awesome over the V chord in a minor key jam. Utilize B Harmonic Minor over the F# chord, not F# Harmonic Minor.
• As soon as you see a V major chord in a minor key jam then BAMM, hit that V major with Harmonic Minor over that chord.
• Try B Aeolian over the Bm chord then switch to B Harmonic Minor over the F# chord and you will be wowed!

Remember that keynote in the Harmonic Minor Scale is the major 7th – it’s located one half step behind the root. You get great tension and release playing that 7th and then going up a half step resolving to the root. Learn more about the Harmonic Minor scale by visiting the written lesson section of this series.

This track is a minor key rock jam in the key of A minor. To help determine soloing avenues remember to analyze the chords and examine if there is a major IV chord or minor ii chord.

The chords are Am-F-G, so there is no IV chord or ii chord. You only have half a measure on the Am and F chords, and a full measure on the G chord. So you will probably be playing more what relates to all in this jam as chords change relatively fast.

What Relates to all the chords:

Try playing A Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords. We instantly know since we are in minor key with no major V chord, we can solo with Minor Pentatonic & Blues scales over all the chords – those scales relate to all.

A Minor Pentatonic & Blues – A, C, D, Eb, E, G

Remember in minor key a minor mode usually relates to all the chords. That minor mode is usually either Aeolian or Dorian.  To determine which will work we have to analyze the chords and apply this minor key soloing rule:

When playing over all the chords in a minor key progression, what relates to all, you can always use Natural Minor Scales, (Aeolian Mode), UNLESS there is a major IV chord or a minor ii chord, in those cases then use the Dorian Mode.

When analyzing the chords we see that there is no major IV chord or minor ii chord. This tells us that we can play A Natural Minor, (A Aeolian), over all the chords as those scales relate to all.

Aeolian is the 6^th mode of the major scale. So first we must determine the parent major scale for A Aeolian. Ask what major scales sixth note is an A note. The answer is C. The sixth note of a C major scale is an A note. Both these scales have exactly the same notes, A Aeolian = C Major:

A Natural Minor (A Aeolian) = A, B, C, D, E, F, G

C Major = C, D, E, F, G, A, B

(Same notes – just emphasize the root of the mode, A.)

So if you are not familiar with Natural Minor scales just play C major scales but start on and emphasize the A notes. By shifting emphasis to the root of the mode, A, you are now playing in A Aeolian and you get those dark, minor sounds.

Also try mixing A Aeolian and A Minor Pentatonic & Blues scales over all the chords for some killer sounds. You can create killer sounds going between the five-note pentatonic scale and the seven-note Natural Minor scale. Be creative and try to resolve your licks on strong chord tones.

 Treat each chord like a separate event:

• Since the Am and F chords move pretty fast there is not a lot of time to treat each as a separate event. However, the G chord is held for twice as long so try treating the G chord as a separate event and try using G Major Pentatonic scale licks and G major type arpeggios over just the G chord.

Here is a rock jam using power 5th chords. Remember that Minor Pentatonic & Blues really lends to that rock vibe. So when you see power 5th chords one possible choice may be Minor Pentatonic & Blues.

In this jam there is not a lot of time on each chord. The chords move by pretty fast with just a half measure per chord. So this jam lends more to playing what relates to all then treating each chord as a separate event.

Another interesting thing about this jam is that it sounds a little major sounding, it sounds happy. So we want to explore that and possibly try a few new things. This is where you need to use your discretion and try various avenues to see what sounds best to your ears.

What Relates to all the chords:

This is a rock jam using power 5th chords in the key of G. So we instantly know G Minor Pentatonic & Blues scales works over all the chords. No matter which chord you are playing over, solo with G Minor Pentatonic & Blues scales as those scales relate to all the chords. Minor Pentatonic sounds awesome over rock jams with power and 5th chords:

G Minor Pentatonic & Blues – G, Bb, C, Db, D, F

In rock jams, as well as in minor key, a minor mode usually relates to all the chords. Try G Dorian over all the chords. Dorian would be the safest mode that would apply to all the chords in this jam. The Dorian mode sounds great over minor type chords.

The Dorian Mode is a seven-note scale often used in blues, rock, and many other musical genres. Dorian is considered a minor mode and is always the 2nd mode in any major key. Dorian produces a mystical, minor sound that is a bit sweeter than Aeolian.

Dorian is the 2^nd mode in any major key. To determine the parent major scale ask what major scales second note is a G. The answer is F. An F major scales second note is G. The notes in G Dorian are the same as in F major. So play all your F major scales but start on and emphasize the G notes making it G Dorian.

G Dorian= G, A, Bb C, D, E, F

F Major = F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E

(Same notes – just emphasize the root of the mode, G.)

Try mixing G Dorian and G Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords for some killer sounds.

Another avenue to try is G Major Pentatonic over all the chords. Here is where creativity and mood comes in and you have to use your discretion. The jam sounds a bit happy sounding and playing major pentatonic will mirror that vibe. Notice the scale sounds a bit sweeter than the bluesy Minor Pentatonic. Try both and see what sounds best to your ears.

G Major Pentatonic – G, A, B, D, E

Remember your relative majors and minors as you can use them to your advantage, BIG TIME! G Major Pentatonic is the same as E Minor Pentatonic.

G Major Pentatonic – G, A, B, D, E

E Minor Pentatonic – E, G, A, B, D

So if you think of your Pentatonics as minors play all your E Minor Pentatonic scales but start on and emphasize the G notes. That switching to the root of the mode, G, makes it G Major Pentatonic and exudes the sweet, happy, major sounds.

Treat each chord like a separate event:

In this jam the chords are moving pretty quick as you only have a half measure on each chord. So there is not much time to solo independently over each chord. You are probably going to solo more with what relates to all as explained above. Try and pop a few arpeggios over each chord but you have to move quickly, give it a shot!

This is a fun rock jam in the key of E using power 5th chords. Power 5th chords really lend to the rock Minor Pentatonic sounds. The chords in this jam are an I–b3–b7-IV or E-G-D-A

What Relates to all the chords:

Try E Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords. Minor Pentatonic sounds awesome over rock jams. Since this is not real major sounding or a ballad and no major V chord, Minor Pentatonic & Blues scales work well.

E Minor Pentatonic & Blues  = E, G, A, Bb, B, D

Also try E Dorian over all the chords. Dorian would be the mode that would apply to all the chords in this jam as all the notes in all the chords are in the E Dorian mode:

E Dorian = E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D

Dorian is the 2nd mode of the major scale. To determine E Dorian ask what major scales 2nd note is an E note. The answer is D. So E Dorian is the same as D major. Play all your D major scales but start on and emphasize the E notes making it E Dorian. Resolve to and focus on those E notes and you are playing in E Dorian.

E Dorian = E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D

D major = D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#

(Same notes – just emphasize the root of the mode, E.)

The tip off to why use Dorian over all the chords in this jam for that minor sound is that we have a IV major chord, (A) in the progression.  You don’t want to play a C note over the A chord as it will rub. The note of choice over that A chord would be a C#. That C# note is in the E Dorian mode as opposed to E Aeolian which contains the C note.

Try mixing E Dorian and E Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords for some killer sounds.

Treat each chord like a separate event:

• In this jam the chords are moving pretty quick as you only have a half measure on each chord. There is not much time to solo independently over each chord. You are probably going to solo more with what relates to all.
• You can try and pop a few things in independently over each chord. But don’t get caught playing the wrong scale or arpeggio over the wrong chord. This is why you need to determine the amount of time on each chord. As you move forward in your playing and are aware of this it will become a more “feel” type technique and more automatic than pure analyzation.