Guitar Soloing-Guitar Scale and Chord Relationships
Learning which guitar scale or scales goes with guitar chords is a MUST if you want to play killer solos!
In this lesson, learn how to use a Pentatonic, Major, and Blues guitar scale over a simple chord progression.
The first step is figuring out the key of the solo progression
The guitar chords in our progression are: E - B - C# - A
These chords are all from sharp keys. Sharp keys contain from 1 to 7 sharps depending on the key. Here are the sharp keys and the the number of sharps that are in each:
G-1, D-2, A-3, E-4, B-5, F#-6, C#-7
Now you can use the process of elimination to narrow your choices. G can't be it because it contains no C# note. B, F#, and C# can't be it because they don't contain the A note. So now you know the key is either D, A, or E.
Now you can play the D, A, or E Major scale along with our E - B - C# - A chord progression. Listen to see which scale works better with the progression. An easier way to figure out which guitar scale goes with a progression is to memorize how many sharps or flats are in every major scale or minor scale.
The Guitar Chord Progression:
|| E B | C# A || Slow (HEAR IT!) Fast (HEAR IT!)
The Guitar Scales:
If the progression is in a Major Key, then a Major or Major Pentatonic scale of the same key will almost always sound good. The Blues guitar scale works over many chords and progressions - Major and minor.
The Solo
(HEAR IT!)
This guitar solo begins with licks from the 9th position E Pentatonic scale. The solo then briefly moves to the 11th position E Pentatonic, then stays on the 12th position E Blues until the end. Some of the techniques used were:
- Bends
- Bend and Release
- Pre-bend and Release
- Hammer-ons
- Vibrato
- Double Notes
- Slide
After you learn the 4 scales very well, try making up licks or ideas.
When you are ready, try to solo along with the slow progression. When
you improve on that, then try the fast progression!
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