How To Solo Over Minor Chords 4 - Melodic Minor
The Professor
Aug 30 2013, 11:29 AM
Theory Instructor
Posts: 888
Joined: 8-January 13
From: Manchester UK
Melodic Minor Over Minor Chords



In today’s lesson, our first look at various ways that you can explore when soloing over Minor Chords, we’ll be looking at different sounds that come from the Melodic Minor Scale.

We will check out triad pairs, arpeggios, pentatonic and full scales, how to build and practice these different melodic ideas as well as how to apply them to your soloing ideas.

The Melodic Minor sound is a great way to bring a Jazz, Fusion or Shred vibe to your minor chord soloing ideas, as it is found in many of the memorable solos by legendary players in those genres in this context.

So without further ado, let’s dig into soloing over Minor Chords using Melodic Minor sounds!



Melodic Minor Triad Pairs



The first idea we’ll look at is using two 3-note triads to outline the Melodic Minor sound over a minor chord in your solos.

We’ll be playing a major triad from the 4th of the given chord, and so you are playing the 4-6-R of that chord when using this triad, as well as a major triad from the 5th note of that chord, 5-7-9.

In the key of Am, this would mean playing a D triad, D F# A, to produce the 4th, 6th and Root of that chord, as well as a E triad, E G# B, to produce the 5th, 7th and 9th of that same chord.

Here is a fingering to get you started with this triad pair on the fretboard.



Attached Image




Click to learn more about Major Triads for Guitar



Melodic Minor Triad Soloing Exercise



Once you have learned the Triad Pair fingering above, put on the backing track at the bottom of this article and practice soloing over those chords using only their related minor triad pair to bring a Melodic Minor sound to your lines using these fun shapes.



mMaj7 Arpeggios



You can also use arpeggios to outline a Melodic Minor sound in your minor chord soloing lines, in particular the mMaj7 arpeggio.

Built from the first, 3rd, 5th and 7th notes of Melodic Minor, 1-b3-5-7, the mMaj7 arpeggio is a great way to get right to the heart of the Melodic Minor sound as you create lines over minor chords on the guitar.

Here are a few fingerings to check out to get you started with learning how to play mMaj7 arpeggios on guitar.



Attached Image



Click to learn more about mMaj7 Arpeggio for Guitar



mMaj7 Arpeggios Soloing Exercise



Once you have learned one or both of the above mMaj7 arpeggio fingerings, put on the backing track at the bottom of this article and practice soloing over those chords using only their related m6th arpeggio shapes.

Start by sticking to the 6th-string root shapes for each mMaj7 arpeggio, then move on to the 5th-string root, and finally move between both shapes as you navigate the chord changes on the backing track.



Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scale



You can also use the Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scale to solo over minor chords in order to bring that Melodic Minor vibe to your licks and riffs.

Built by taking the Melodic Minor Scale and leaving out the 2nd and 6th notes, you form the intervals 1-b3-4-5-7, the notes of the Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scale.

This allows you to use the pentatonic sound as it directly relates to the underlying Melodic Minor Scale for the chord you are on.

Here are two examples of the Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scale to help get you started.



Attached Image




Click to learn more about Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scales




Melodic Minor Pentatonic Soloing Exercise



Once you have learned one or both of the above Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scale fingerings, put on the backing track at the bottom of this article and practice soloing over those chords using only their related Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scale shapes.

Start by sticking to the 6th-string root shapes for each D Melodic Minor Pentatonic Scale, then move on to the 5th-string root, and finally move between both shapes as you navigate the chord changes on the backing track.



Melodic Minor Scale



The last approach to bringing a Melodic Minor sound to your major chord soloing ideas is the Melodic Minor Scale itself.

The first mode of the Melodic Minor scale, the Melodic Minor Mode has the interval pattern 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7, allowing it to outline the mMaj7 arpeggio, with the 9th, 11th and 13th thrown in for good measure.

Here are two fingerings for the Melodic Minor Scale that you can check out in order to get started with this scale on the fretboard.



Attached Image



Click to learn more about Melodic Minor Scales for Guitar



Melodic Minor Scale Soloing Exercise



Once you have learned one or both of the above Melodic Minor Scale fingerings, put on the backing track at the bottom of this article and practice soloing over those chords using only their related Melodic Minor Scale shapes.

Start by sticking to the 6th-string root shapes for each Melodic Minor Scale, then move on to the 5th-string root, and finally move between both shapes as you navigate the chord changes on the backing track.



Minor Triad Backing Track



The following backing track was built for you to use with the above improvisational exercises. Here is the chord progression on that backing track so you can work through a number of different keys when soloing over this track. Have fun!

Bm-Em-Am-Dm-Gm-Cm all 4 bars each, listen for the changes!


Attached File  Minor_Backing_Track.mp3 ( 4.58MB ) Number of downloads: 416



Do you have any questions or comments about applying Melodic Minor sounds to a Minor Chord? Post your thoughts in the comments thread below.

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tonyk
Jan 19 2014, 10:56 AM
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Hey Prof.If chord is a minor 7th, is melodic minor still an appropriate choice.If yes,should maj 7th only be played on off beat.thanks Tony

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The Professor
Jan 19 2014, 11:01 AM
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Hey

Yeah, if you see m7 then you can use Melodic Minor, it's a quite common scale choice for that chord. You don't have to put the major 7th on an off beat. In fact, I would try and accent and highlight that note as much as I could, as it both builds tension in your lines, and it's the characteristic note of that scale, so accenting it is the best way to emphasize the fact that you are playing Melodic Minor and not something like Dorian.

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tonyk
Jan 19 2014, 10:04 PM
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Thanks Prof.does accenting include ending phrases on maj7th or is this going too far

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The Professor
Jan 19 2014, 10:26 PM
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You can do that. The final judge is your ears. So if you think that it sounds good then go for it!

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