This is something I've thought about for awhile and now have the time to get it “on paper.†Many of you know I don't solo: I'm a rhythm player. Normally I listen to a song on CD and play my rhythm with it. Sometimes I get bored so lately I've been messin'around and playing note from the pentatonic scale and with no actual order.
Say a song's in G. The major pentatonic would be G A B D E. If I start on the E note it would be the Em pentatonic. Well, as I said, I don't pay attention to which note I start on but at least I'm trying. This song was the typical 1-4-5 progression and I was trying to keep playing the pentatonic notes but I thought I heard something I didn't like.
If a rhythm player is playing a G chord if I hit
G = root
A= 2nd (add 9 to chord)
B = 3rd
D = 5th
E = 6th (add 6 to chord)
If I stick within the pentatonic and the rhythm player plays a C chord, if I hit
G = 5th
A= 6th (add 6th to chord)
B = 7th (chord becomes M7)
D = 9th (add 9 chord)
E = 3rd
Again, I stick within the pentatonic and the rhythm player plays a D chord, if I hit
G = 4th (chord becomes add 4 and may not sound cool)
A= 5th
B = 6th (chord becomes a 6th)
D = root
E = 2nd (chord becomes an add 9)
Of the above, I don't like the B solo note over a C chord. Just me. I didn't like when I played G over the D chord either. Maybe there's nothing wrong with it and it works but I'm not used to playing single notes.
Okay, now for the fun. I ended up stopping the CD player on that song and played the pentatonic of the chord that was currently playing. The progression was G C D so for the G chord I played the normal G A B D E. For the C chord I played C D E G A. When the CD was playing a D chord I played D E F# A B.
I'm guessing that this is NOT the thing to do. It would require so much thought for every change that our brains would explode. So, I guess I'm just asking if it's okay to simply play the pentatonic for the key over any chord and just deal with it?
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
Of the above, I don't like the B solo note over a C chord. Just me. I didn't like when I played G over the D chord either. Maybe there's nothing wrong with it and it works but I'm not used to playing single notes.
You have a good ear. Those are indeed the "theoretical" dischordant notes.
For the B over C, note that if they are close together they will rub against each other harder. A b2 interval sounds harsher than a M7 interval. The B is likelier to get by if played in a considerably higher register than the chord.
I suspect that this may be why "improvisers" tend to play in the upper register of the instrument, while those that play melodic lines in the bass register, like surf players, tend to pre-plan (write) their lead parts.
The G note over a D chord (4th or 11th) will indeed sound dischordant. Sounds like two roots fighting for dominance to me. Actually, over the V, you want a little dischordance (tension). This should make the resolution back to G (I) all the sweeter.
Think of it this way, you're making the D into a Dsus4 and you want to resolve back to D. Alternatively, you could resolve to G. Either way, you don't want to hold the G too long.
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Helgi Briem
hbriem AT gmail DOT com
Sorry, forgot to address your second point.
I ended up stopping the CD player on that song and played the pentatonic of the chord that was currently playing.
This is indeed possible and lots of players can do this on the fly.
It doesn't require as much thought as you might think. You simply centre on the root with a particular finger (some use index, others middle) and move it for each chord.
However, you lose out on that nice dissonance over the V ;)
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Helgi Briem
hbriem AT gmail DOT com
