What to play?

amiller

amiller

New member
OK, really can't get anything going with this one. The chords are 1 measure of C Maj with an A in the bass and 1 measure of B Maj with an A in the bass. I'm playing the C Maj on the 5th fret with the open A droning...then I slide down a half step to the B Maj with the same open A droning. I tried a A Aeolian over the whole thing but it's just not happening.

Whatcha think? :doh: :confused:
 
FrankBlack":18i6po3g said:
Try B Phrygian Dominant aka E Harmonic minor.
Notes are
E, F# G, A, B, C,D#
Click to expand...

OK, me like. Now, can you tell me the how and why it works? What was your thought process in determining that it would work? Do you have any thoughts on how you would apply it against those chords?
 
Well I looked at your chords
Cmaj/A: A C E G or A minor 7th
BMaj/A: A B D# F# or B Dominant 7th with A in the Bass

and then looked at the notes and said well the only scale that has these notes that are relative to both chords would be
E harmonic minor which is E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#
or looking at it from A you have A, B, C, D#, E, F#, G which is Dorian #4.

Well when applying this to the chords I would emphasize the chord tones within the scale and use the other notes as passing tones

when looking at your progression when transitioning
A stays at A
C goes to B
E goes to D#
G goes to F#

So all the notes move down a half step so when you transition from one chord to the next I would emphasize one of these half step movements,

Like say first time say your going to target the E to D# half step than on the next pass use one of the others and so on for starters.
Hope this sheds some light on the subject.
 
FrankBlack":2bfc2ssr said:
Well I looked at your chords
Cmaj/A: A C E G or A minor 7th
BMaj/A: A B D# F# or B Dominant 7th with A in the Bass

and then looked at the notes and said well the only scale that has these notes that are relative to both chords would be
E harmonic minor which is E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#
or looking at it from A you have A, B, C, D#, E, F#, G which is Dorian #4.

Well when applying this to the chords I would emphasize the chord tones within the scale and use the other notes as passing tones

when looking at your progression when transitioning
A stays at A
C goes to B
E goes to D#
G goes to F#

So all the notes move down a half step so when you transition from one chord to the next I would emphasize one of these half step movements,

Like say first time say your going to target the E to D# half step than on the next pass use one of the others and so on for starters.
Hope this sheds some light on the subject.
Click to expand...

Yes, it makes is much clearer. Now, where can I find some good examples of someone using this mode that's NOT shredding? :LOL: :LOL:
 
Are there other scales and approaches to playing over those changes? For instance, "A" Aeolian over the "C" and "B" Phrygian Dominant or "A" Locrian over the "B"...?
 
amiller":1mvgs5wt said:
Are there other scales and approaches to playing over those changes? For instance, "A" Aeolian over the "C" and "B" Phrygian Dominant or "A" Locrian over the "B"...?
Click to expand...
There are many....if you go the chord approach like you're saying which is what I would do, these are some examples:
C Maj with an A drone= ionian, lydian, mixolydian, lydian dominant, lydian#2, dominant b2, hungarian major, half-whole diminished...the list goes on. As long as it has the major triad and the 6th in the scale you're good to go.

B Maj with an A drone= mixolydian, lydian dominant, hindu, phrygian dominant, dominant b2, hungarian major, half-whole diminished...list goes on again as long as you have the major triad and the b7 in the scale.
 
Man, I see how the "B" Phrygian Dominant works, but, that mode is SOOOOO middle eastern sounding that I just couldn't get much happening with it. Yeah, it's not enough to have the right color paints...ya gotta know how to freak'n paint with those colors. I'm just not used to that mode...'just not that familiar with it.

I decided to look at the C/A as an Amin7 as was mentioned previously. Also, I changed the second chord to a D7. Now, it's pretty easy to just play "A" Dorian over the whole thing. :D
 
FWIW...for me it's always preferable to view everything from the root...
So C/A is always Am7 for me. B/A I'd ordinarily view as a B7 with the 7 in the bass...the V chord in E.

But this thing the easiest way to go across is making A blues (a,c,d,d#, e,g) or A dorian with the b (a,b,c,d,d#,e,f#,g)
 
Thanks, Ed...

Yeah, you're right, I think viewing chords that way is good advice. It just makes it easier for me. That chord combination is from a song I'm working on. I like the sound of the Amin7 going to the B7, however, the half step down was just too dark for the vibe of song. Changing the B7 to a D7 and using "A" dorian just fits the overall song better.
 
amiller":35ceryqy said:
Thanks, Ed...

Yeah, you're right, I think viewing chords that way is good advice. It just makes it easier for me. That chord combination is from a song I'm working on. I like the sound of the Amin7 going to the B7, however, the half step down was just too dark for the vibe of song. Changing the B7 to a D7 and using "A" dorian just fits the overall song better.
Click to expand...
Am-D7 is always a good think...plus you can go to town on the D7 with A melodic minor as well...

BTW, I meant to mention that earlier, if you feel like fucking with it...play Am-F7. And play D min pentatonic over it...
Not very Rock sounding but super sweet nevertheless. And the reason bring it up is that F7 is the tritone sub for the B7.
 
degenaro":c0yv5jpz said:
amiller":c0yv5jpz said:
Thanks, Ed...

Yeah, you're right, I think viewing chords that way is good advice. It just makes it easier for me. That chord combination is from a song I'm working on. I like the sound of the Amin7 going to the B7, however, the half step down was just too dark for the vibe of song. Changing the B7 to a D7 and using "A" dorian just fits the overall song better.
Click to expand...
Am-D7 is always a good think...plus you can go to town on the D7 with A melodic minor as well...

BTW, I meant to mention that earlier, if you feel like fucking with it...play Am-F7. And play D min pentatonic over it...
Not very Rock sounding but super sweet nevertheless. And the reason bring it up is that F7 is the tritone sub for the B7.
Click to expand...

I most definitely will mess around D min over Am-F7. The song I'm working on is not very rock...kind of has a mid-western thing happening...most of it is acoustic...not the norm for me. :LOL: :LOL:
 
most of the time I start with a basic three or four chord standard pattern.. that I know already works....then I work with the scales that will work with those patterns, then I look at the scales and try to use some of the non-standard notes as variations to my already existing pattern...

sometimes they work...sometimes they don't..... but the fun is the experimenting with different concepts of a tonal range....

anyway.. just my approach to having fun with chords,scales, and progressions.......

btw...... the only limits that we have are no limits at all...... Have Fun....
 
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