What Relates to all the chords:
- C Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords. It’s a rock track that is not a ballad or major sounding and uses
power 5th chords, so it tips us off that Minor Pent will be one avenue. Just be wary that over the F# chord there
can be a slight rub, but that chord comes and goes very fast so you have some leeway.
Treat each chord like a separate event:
- Over the C5/C#5 play C Minor Pentatonic & Blues and C Phrygian. C Phrygian is a perfect modal avenue as
the chords change from C to C# or I to a b2. That b2 tells us to check out Phrygian, and it works great over the C5
and C#5 chords. C Phrygian=G# Major. Play G# major scales but start on and emphasize the C notes. - Over the F5/F#5 play F Minor Pentatonic & Blues and F Phrygian. If we look at just the F to F# change as a
separate event then just like in the previous change we see a I chord going to a b2. So Phrygian would be the
mode to try. F Phrygian=C#major. Play C# major scales but start on and emphasize the F notes. - Switch Pentatonics and play C Minor Pentatonic & Blues over the C chords and then when the change
happens switch to F Minor Pentatonic & Blues over the F chords. - Switch modally and play C Phrygian over the C chords and when the change happens switch to F Phrygian
over the F chords. This sounds amazing over this jam – give it a try!
TRACK 7 – G Rock G5-A5-C5-D5 98 BPM Key of G 3:46 min
Here is a rock jam using power 5th chords. Minor Pentatonic & Blues really lends itself to that rock vibe. So when
you see power 5 th chords one possible choice may be Minor Pentatonic & Blues. There is not a lot of time on
each chord. The chords move by fast with just a half measure per chord; so this jam lends itself more to playing
what relates to all then treating each chord separately. An interesting thing is that it’s a little major sounding, so
we want to explore and possibly try a few new things. This is where you need to use your ear and your discretion.
What Relates to all the chords:
- G Minor Pentatonic & Blues. Minor Pentatonic sounds awesome over rock jams with power and 5th chords.
- G Dorian. Dorian would be the safest mode that would apply to all the chords in this jam. Dorian is the 2nd mode
of the major scale and G Dorian is the same as F major. So play F major scales but start on and emphasize the G
notes making it G Dorian. G Dorian = F Major - Mix both G Dorian and G Minor Pentatonic & Blues over all the chords for some killer sounds.
- G Major Pentatonic, but you have to use your ear as the jam sounds a bit happy sounding. There are no major
rubs with G Major Pent so give it a try as it does work and sounds a bit sweeter than the bluesy Minor Pent.
Remember your relative majors and minors. G Major Pentatonic is the same as E Minor Pentatonic. So if you
think of your Pentatonics as minors play all your E Minor Pentatonic scales but start on and emphasize the G
notes which make it G Major Pentatonic. For a complete list of Majors and their Relative Minors check out the
lesson on the Circle of Fifths on page 98. - Switch back and forth between G Minor Pentatonic and G Major Pentatonic
Treat each chord like a separate event: In this jam the chords are moving pretty quick as you only have a half
measure on each chord. So there is not much time to solo independently over each chord. You are probably
going to solo more with what relates to all as explained above. Try and pop a few arpeggios over each chord but
you have to move quickly – give it a shot!
TRACK 8 – A Minor Rock Out Am-F-G 85 BPM Key of A minor 4:16min
Here is a minor key rock jam in the key of A minor. Remember, in minor key always see if there is a major IV
chord or minor II chord. The chords are Am-F-G so there is no IV chord or II chord. The chords move relatively
fast. You only have half a measure on the Am and F chords, and a full measure on the G chord. So you will
probably be playing more what relates to all in this jam.