This is annoying me so much! So I got to find the corresponding scale to the FMaj7 chord starting on a string 8th fret. Do I just follow the whole whole half whole whole whole step>
?????? Sorry for asking so much but this is confusing me alot.

You did a D Dorian scale, actually.

D minor scale: D E F G A Bb C D

g----------------5-7------------
d---------5-7-8----------------
a----5-7-8-----------------------

Often we make the minor scale a harmonic minor where the 7th degree is augmented. So, C becomes C# and 5 on g string becomes 6 on g string.

HUH? HOW THE CRAP DID I GET DORIAN? I followed my major pattern:( haha, thanks alot buddy! Hmm

This doesn't sound right with the chord, could be my bad ear:D

No problem.

D Dorian scale is actually built like this: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 8
in other words: D E F G A B C D

Major shape: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
D E F# G A B C# D#


Edit: Just saw you diagram. It doesn´t sound that good because you use a Dmin chord to determine a scale. A 7th chord is most often used in Jazz. Sometimes, it defines the D Dorian scale.

Hey Guys,

Don't overcomplicate this thing.

There was a recent post that deals with diatonic seventh chords:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...showtopic=21015

Here's the easiest was to pull off what you're trying in C Major...
First, realize that the seventh chords which are diatonic to the C Major scale are the following C Major 7 (CEGB), D Minor 7 (DFAC), E Minor 7 (EGBD), F Maj 7 (FACE), G Dominant 7 (GBDF), A Minor 7 (ACEG), and B-7b5(BDFA, sometimes called half-diminished). By overlaying the C Major scale, you can see how this works....

C D E F G A B
E F G A B C D
G A B C D E F
B C D E F G A

CMaj7 DMin7 EMin7 FMaj7 G7 AMin7 BMin7

Notice that each of these "layers" is just the C major scale starting from a different note. Also notice that I've rotated the scale so that it's stacked in thirds. This is how most chords are built.

So, to keep things simple. Now that you've figured out that the C Major scale sounds good over the C Major 7 chord (which is exactly right!), try D Dorian (which is not quite what you had indicated in your fingering above) over the D Minor 7.

Start out by using the same fingering you did for C Major, but start on the second note (D) and play until you hit the next D.

Based on your fingering for C Major above this would be

E---------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------3--(Back at D!)
G-------------------------------2----4----5--------
D-------------2----3-----5-------------------------
A--(3)---5-----------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------
Skip the C, third fret on A string for now, and start your same C Major scale fingering on the fifth fret as indicated.

Yeah, in time it'll be cool to play melodic and harmonic minor over the certain minor seventh chords in certain situations, but it's really key to spend some time playing diatonically over them at first to understand the underlying harmony.

I hope this makes some sense.
_Bryan

Sorry, my spacing didn't really work out the way I wanted on the stacked scale diagram above. Each chord below it (CMaj7, DMin7, etc....) should line up with one of the columns above.

Thanks! Yeah, I have to start the scale with the root notes from the chords:D

Yes you did followed the major scale key and used the notes from it, but what you don't realize is that every note in C major scale (key) builds it's own mode.

whaha, so i actually did it right?