MINOR KEY SOLO THEORY:
Let’s analyze some minor key examples and be very structured about the progression and
include the key points of application. Over time your ear will develop to the point where you
wont have to write out the structure. Your ear will eventually guide you to the hip sounding
notes, but that takes time and practice to develop.
Before we move to other scales lets keep it basic and examine when to utilize Minor
Pentatonic, relative major scales, Aeolian Mode, and the Dorian Mode.
For this lesson we will work on the first choice, from back on page ten, and play what relates
to all over the changes. We will examine using the same scale, mode, or arpeggios over all
the changes. Practice this first to analyze the chords and play a mode over all the changes.
KEY POINT: When playing over all the chords in a minor key progression, use the
AEOLIAN mode, UNLESS the IV chord is major or the II chord is minor, then use the
DORIAN mode. Exception - If there is a major V chord then use Harmonic Minor over
just the V chord.The above rule is absolutely critical and I strongly suggest that you burn it into your brain. You
will be utilizing this rule all the time because many songs and progressions are in minor key.
When soloing in minor key, minor pentatonic and blues should be your default setting. In a
minor key progression, you can utilize Minor Pentatonic and Blues over all the chords (unless
there is a major V chord).
If there is not a change to a II or IV chord, then Aeolian is implied and you can utilize the
Aeolian mode over all the chords as well as the default setting of using Minor Pentatonic &
Blues scales. So always think Aeolian unless you see a major IV or V chord, or minor II chord.
There is only one note difference in the Dorian and Aeolian modes: the sixth. Aeolian has the
b6 while Dorian has the major 6
th
. If you hit the wrong one over that chord it will sound
extremely out of key. So it’s super important you play the right mode over all the chords.
If you are soloing over all the chords in minor key and there is a major IV or minor II chord
somewhere in that progression, then you don’t want to play Aeolian mode over all the chords.
This may result in a very sour note, the b6, being played over the IV or II chord. So, with a
major IV chord or minor II chord in the progression you want to use Dorian mode over all the
chords. Dorian will yield the 6th, not the b6th – so no possible rub on the chords.
The reverse also applies. If you are utilizing Dorian over all the chords in a progression with a
minor IV chord, you will hit a very sour note over that IV minor chord, the major 6
th
. You want
to play the b6th, that is why Aeolian would be the choice mode to play over all the chords in
this scenario.
Minor pentatonic works regardless as there is no 6
th
in that scale, it’s a root, b3rd, 4
th
, 5
th
, and
b7th. The examples below illustrate this very important rule. Remember we are talking about
playing over all the chords in a minor key progression: playing what relates to all.