thinking enharmonically

[Zako]

Now we all know that there are predominantly major and predominantly minor songs, and we all know that major and minor are the same thing three notes over. This is very useful for soloing and such. However, I find that when I get into a complex minor tune like Minor Swing or a ice-cream truck type song such as some bluegrass standards, I cannot think in terms of the other scale for soloing or harmony, and neither can my fingers, once they get too deeply rooted in my major positions (ex. the 1st position ffcp) or my minor positions (ex. an A minor scale with the first finger on the low A). This is all on the spot, meaning improv. My question: When do you break out the other way of looking at the melody, chord progression, etc., and how do you do it? Does this make sense?

[John Ritchhart]

It's an interesting way to look at improv. You're in Don Stiernberg country up there. If you get a chance go and see him. I got an idea from someone once that used a different scale pattern for each chord in a song. When on the tonic of the key your in, you play over the major (or minor) scale, the fourth degree had a different scale and a fifth a different one again. This kept the scale notes of the original key in play but allowed improv over each chord in the progression by looking at that degree as a different scale pattern.

[Jim Broyles]

This is the problem with approaching improvisation from a "scale position" point of view. I believe you have to know chords, know what notes are in the chords and base your soloing on chord tones, not scale tones. I have never heard of such things as a "major position" or a "minor position." As to when, just start doing it. Take a simple song and play chord tones over the changes, whether they are strictly scalar in sequence or not. If you are in the key of C major, make your solo has an A note right when it goes to F - stuff like that. To me, practicing scales is ear building and warming up, but I never strictly play scales when improvising. I disagree that a minor is just a major three notes over. It's possibly true if you keep the same key signature, but to me, three notes over is just a different major scale. Learn arpeggios along with your scales and use them in your improvisation. Don't get stuck on scales.

[Rob Gerety]

I agree with Jim 100%. I worked scales for a long time and then one day it dawned on me that I need to think in chords and get the scale notes out of the chords. It made a world of difference in my playing. I kind of knew it all along but it was a mental block that still haunts me a bit. I suspect if I had a teacher instead of teaching myself I would have avoided a lot a time spent with inappropriate practice playing scales without thinking about chords and arps while I worked the scales. This is especially true playing guitar - but really applies to any instrument. The other thing about this approach is that when you work a tune this way you are able to seamlessly move from lead to rhythm and back and forth and see double stops etc.

[John Ritchhart]

The problem is if you are playing in the key of C as an example, the notes are C to C with no sharps or flats. (not counting blues notes etc.) When you play a song in C and the chord moves to the fourth (F) you can't just move to the F root note and play in the F major scale pattern. You can play everything there except the Bb so you better know where it is or understand that there is a different scale pattern while you're playing over the F. Same thing when you move to the G or Am while playing in the key of C, etc. Other keys (B for example) are way more complicated from a noting perspective. You can either remember what notes are good for that key and know where they are, always, or learn a pattern that works for the tonic, subdominant and dominant chord positions. I'm not advocating one over the other. I like to play in scale patterns because it's easier for me to make jumps up and down the neck without worrying about what the specific notes are except for the chordal root that I'm playing over. Not sure this makes sense. It's easier to do than to explain. Anyway once you learn the pattern for the 4th, 5th, 6th minor, etc. It works everywhere in all keys. I'm just saying...

[Don Julin]

One technique I use when playing over simple changes is to use the pentatonic scale for each chord. Let's say we are in the key of G major. (G,A,B,C,D,E,F#,G). Our 3 most common chords will be G major, C major, and D major or D 7th. Try playing G major pentatonic (G,A,B,D,E) over the G chord, C major pentatonic (C,D,E,G,A) over the C chord, and D major pentatonic (D,E,F#,A,B) over the D chord. All notes in the G major scale but broken into 3 groups. Once you are comfortable making the changes, start experimenting with some blue notes. I like to add the flat or minor 3rd to each scale along with the regular or major 3rd. I just posted a youtube video that demonstrates this technique.

[Grommet]

Way cool Don! Thanks for posting.

Scott