Key of G solo in Gm pent? Why not Em pent?

[corbind]

I've read a couple of books and it seems rock solos would generally be a pentatonic minor based on the 6th degree. Yet I have another band mate who (I think) does good solos but always plays the minor of that key. If a song's in G he plays a Gm pentatonic, if in C a Cm pentatonic...

 

So in G I'd normally do Em pentatonic: E G A B D where he'e play G Bb C D F. Three of the notes he's playing don't match what I'd play. I'm confused.

[deepblue]

What's wrong w/ GMajor Pent.? G Minor Pent is G A Bb D E, one note different (a blue tone)

[DaveGrima]

You can play a minor pent. scale over a major chord but you can't play a Maj Pent. scale over a minor chord. In the case of G major. You could play either a G minor or G major pentatonic depending on what sound youre going for. I use them both interchangably.

[astring]

repost, plaese erase

[astring]

This thread really gets into pentatonics heavy (Gennation puts in an appearance too).

http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=18290

[dsimon665]

 

I've read a couple of books and it seems rock solos would generally be a pentatonic minor based on the 6th degree. Yet I have another band mate who (I think) does good solos but always plays the minor of that key. If a song's in G he plays a Gm pentatonic, if in C a Cm pentatonic... So in G I'd normally do Em pentatonic: E G A B D where he'e play G Bb C D F. Three of the notes he's playing don't match what I'd play. I'm confused.

 

 

Well, Em pentatonic has the same notes as G major pentatonic. So you're playing major pent and he's playing minor pent. In G, your Em pentatonic will have a different sound than if you played the same scale over a song in E. The individual notes have a different function depending on the key. So your notes are:

1 2 3 5 6

and his notes are

1 b3 4 5 b7

 

Where G is 1. You can also combine the two to get:

1 2 b3 3 4 5 6 b7

 

This scale has all the notes from mixolydian and dorian modes.

 

And also don't forget the blue notes...

[corbind]

My head is spinning! I'm a rhythm player just starting to learn scales. I thought I had a decent knowledge of theory but have seen you guys really know your stuff.

 

I failed to mention we just play classic rock for the most part.

[Jeremy3]

What I'd use depends on the chord progression. I tend to avoid using one scale throughout a whole progression, unless it's a short solo.

[dsimon665]

 

My head is spinning! I'm a rhythm player just starting to learn scales. I thought I had a decent knowledge of theory but have seen you guys really know your stuff. I failed to mention we just play classic rock for the most part.

 

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much. The important thing is that both you and your band mate were playing something that sounded good. A way to explain why your "pentatonic minor off the 6th degree" was ok is because those set of notes is also called pentatonic major.

[corbind]

Well, we weren't play them at the same time. He took a solo I did it the next one.

[bigboy_78]

This is a really simple explanation and I will probably get shouted out of the place for saying it but.....

 

You're using Em Pent (which are the same notes as Gmajor pent) where you mate is playing Gm Pent.

 

I'd say with the classic rock, you're using simple I-IV-V type progressions so either will fit.

 

My thinking on the major/minor has always been

Minor pent=Bluesy sound

Major Pent=Country Sound.

 

Its way more complicated than this, but that's how I think on it.

[HairyScaryMark]

I don't think this is a good way to approach scales and theory in general.

 

You should start by learning and keys, major and minor

 

Then learn about the chords which make up keys

 

However,

 

 

What's wrong w/ GMajor Pent.? G Minor Pent is G A Bb D E, one note different (a blue tone)

 

 

that is not G minor pentatonic, for a start

 

G minor pentatonic is

G Bb C D F G

 

G major pentatonic is what you want if you are playing over a major key.

G A B D E G

 

However, if you were to play over G major using a minor pentatonic scale you would use E min as it is the relative minor (something you would understand better if you knew about keys).

 

The notes for E minor pentatonic.

E G A B D E (notice how it is the same as G major pentatonic but starts on a different note).

[Dubb]

I'd say with the classic rock, you're using simple I-IV-V type progressions so either will fit. My thinking on the major/minor has always been Minor pent=Bluesy sound Major Pent=Country Sound.

This is basically it. In a classic rock/blues type context, they are basically interchangeable. However, if you were playing over like a piano ballad in G major, minor pentatonic would probably not "fit."

[astring]

 

I don't think this is a good way to approach scales and theory in general. You should start by learning and keys, major and minor Then learn about the chords which make up keys However, that is not G minor pentatonic, for a start G minor pentatonic is G Bb C D F G G major pentatonic is what you want if you are playing over a major key. G A B D E G However, if you were to play over G major using a minor pentatonic scale you would use E min as it is the relative minor (something you would understand better if you knew about keys). The notes for E minor pentatonic. E G A B D E (notice how it is the same as G major pentatonic but starts on a different note).

 

 

What you say is accurate, but there are many other options if the 1-4-5 uses altered chords (dom 7's). There are many ways to think about it, the way you outline is cool though.

[HairyScaryMark]

 

What you say is accurate, but there are many other options if the 1-4-5 uses altered chords (dom 7's). There are many ways to think about it, the way you outline is cool though.

 

 

I think he is looking for one scale to play over everything and I suppose you can do that with minor pentatonic, if you know what the relative major/minor is.

 

As you desire to learn more, you learn more options which should (in theory) make your soloing more interesting.

[corbind]

Yes, one type for the whole solo.

[Z_Zoquis]

I find soloing in the minor pent gives an edgier, slightly atonal sound to the solo while the major pent generally gives a more melodic "in the pocket" sort of sound. Depends on the chords you're playing over of course, but in general in most rock songs that's what I've found...