Scales over chords tips/help

[H-evolve]

Hi all,

I don't write too often in here, but I do read a lot of stuff.

I've been playing guitar for quite some times, but I feel like my playing is not what it should be, considering I've been playing for 22 years. I guess I am ok at shredding or playing lead guitars, but there is one thing I feel I am not so great at, and it is creating my own guitar solos.

I know the main 7 modes (but not in every position). Though I do not know how to properly use them. I have read a lot of stuff on this forum and others, yet I don't feel I understand how to work with them. I have recently purchased the "Guitar Grimoire Scales and Modes", another book called "Scales over Chords, Foundation of Melodic Soloing" and I also have the "The Complete Contemporary Guitarist". They are all nice books, but I still don't feel I know how to use scales after reading them. Especially when it comes to metal songs.

My main BIG problem is that those books explain, for example, what modes to use on what types of chords, but they never refer to the damn power chords (A5, C5, etc). So everything related to "Check if the 3rd is a half step or a full step in the chord, to know if you can run a minor mode" does not apply easily with power chords.

Moreover, am I suppose to only play scales where the scale root (first note) correponds to the chord root? For example, I made some attempts at running some licks using all modes from the C major (the 7 modes with no sharps or flats), in a riff progession of, say, A5, G5, E5, F5. But then this sounds quite boring... it feels like only one scale repeated at different positions.

So, I guess you guys can see my point. I would really like any advice, material I could buy to educate myself. DVDs perhaps, from some known guys, other good books, etc.

I'm willing to put some work into it. I want to understand the theory. Not just learn by heart scales "That sound good in a metal song". I also don't feel that just experimenting is going to cut it. For sure, it is a good idea to experiment, but I really feel understanding the theory is critical.

Thanks for all the help

 

[varobinson]

Hi,

I'd only classify myself as intermediate player in terms of technique and theory but I've wrestled some with those questions and will try a limited answer:

First, you have of course to identify a key center of whatever the backing riff is you're soloing over. I take it you got that. Depending on the backing riff, you can simply stay in the mode that sounds good over that key center, and move around in the various relative positions the whole time. It won't sound too interesting as you found out. Naturally, you'd need some licks and phrasing to not sound like some guitar exercise.

So - with a root/5th type chord at A, you'd gravitate to the A natural minor mode or A phrygian/phrygian dominant and work in some diminished or augmented and chromatic passing notes to spruce it up. Also, you can just randomly flatten out some notes or lines in the scale to give it an 'outside' sound. Work in an arpeggio, a powerful bended vibrato note, and you have the beginnings. In other words, very loosely use the mode you're in as a starting point and then break out.

Other ideas: chord tones -- beyond scales. Don't worry about scales and just play the right notes: the same as those in the chord. This requires you really know the fretboard. Ultimately a scale will limit you. It just matters it sounds appropriate to the song and backing riff and be interesting. Remember: don't think of a single note you're soloing over as a single note -- it's part of a chord. You just aren't playing all the notes of the chord. You can imagine the chord as something funky and play chord tones that suit it.

Andy James Lick library DVDs: These are really good ways to get solo ideas and phrasing. Also: Guitarpro. I learned a lot of solo ideas from tab such as from Marty Friedman. You can see what they are doing over a given chord and learn from that.

I don't think this was too helpful but hopefully there's some value in it.