Playing Over Minor Chords

[dirkji]

In this thread we discuss this lesson: Playing Over Minor Guitar Chords

If you have more ideas to add to the list or questions, post them here.

Cheers,
Dirk

[Pieter]

Another way to play over the Dm chord is by using the G7 arpeggio. The G9 arpeggio sounds even better!

grts

Pieter

[Ornithologist]

The Bb 6 9 arpeggio also works pretty well...

[dirkji]

You're right Pieter, I forgot the G7, I'll add it to the list.
Orni, I'm not such a fan of the Bb, do you like the b6? It sounds ok when the minor chord has a III function though.

- Dirk

[griphon ii]

I tend to over simplify, but the logic works. When improvising, one doesn't tend to think theory. Chords or harmony appear in keys in a certain way. Just using a major scale, extrapolation to minor can be done later, life improvising can be easily done. There are only 2 chords in music. I realize this statement will bring an onslaught, but might help the geography problem. Please, just hear me out; in time. The logic is simple, our ears can now take and understand it. We really can get away from the "Classical theory?" presentation of Bach and really find out; we're playing what he did. All the music after is just an expansion. The only real problem for guitarists is the ear and geography.

[griphon ii]

My Logic...
There are only 2 chords in traditional music.
I/(i, extrapolation, later) and V or V7
I, being a place of rest and
V, a place to get you somewhere.
Maybe to rest or not, but nonetheless...
I or i is anything without a tri-tone.
V or V7 is anything with a tri-tone.
When one stacks chords or harmony atop any one
of these chords (I or V), one can see where rest and
movement are. Regardless, of any extension, 99 plus
percent, a tune becomes a simple progression. The
geography solution.

[pete]

As these things aren't yet readily "visible" to me, I put together the three suggested pentatonics; Dm, Am and Em. Combined, they yield 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7, which is Dorian mode.

E Aeolean obviously contains the Gmaj7, G9, Am7 and Em7 arpeggios, which can also be looked at as D Mixo, which yields 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7. The 3 seems to be the obvious ringer in there, as well as possibly the natural 6.

So that's a quick way to "boil down" seven of the choices into two broader choices, if I haven't wandered too far afield here.

[mr. beaumont]

simplification is a good thing... i tend to look at everything as major, minor, or dominant. gets me thru a lot of situations.

[pete]

And if you further combine the two, (D mixo and D dorian,) it yields only three avoid notes - the b2, b5 and 7... all of which would still have their place in creating and releasing tensions, along with the natural 3 and 6...

I suppose the useful bit about not combining things like this is using the arps and pents as a set of "target notes," maintaining a particular flavor or tonal color to the phrases that would probably be lost in the broader scales and combinations.

[aPAULo]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

simplification is a good thing... i tend to look at everything as major, minor, or dominant. gets me thru a lot of situations.

Could you play a minor scale, like the blues scale, over a dominant chord and it sound alright? And vis-versa?

[mr. beaumont]

blues scale sounds good over dominant chords-- quite hip over an altered dom.

[griphon ii]

Note in major keys, minor is ii, iii, and vi, I also slop in vii. Each one of
these changes exist in three keys (less vii, like V7 only exists once,
it never repeats anywhere else.) Therefore, one has, at least, three sets of scales, licks, arps, pents, to play. I and IV repeat twice. Much of the control is the tune itself.

[griphon ii]

The blues is more or less a minor pent over a major type progression.
Country is the major pent over the same set of changes. Modern country
or blues is the variation of the two. Whatever your bent is, POV. What you
are used to listening to. The way blues is written I7 IV7 V7, in true terms
of Classical notation is a completely different puppy... cycle of dominants.
Real important to learn and understand.

[gravyTrain]

How about using the C major scale to improvise over D-minor?

It seems to work pretty well if you combine playing the c major scale 3rd fret, and the d minor scale 5th fret and just throw in notes from both.

[mr. beaumont]

sounds good because the C major scale is the same thing as D dorian.

[griphon ii]

It has to work because Dm7 is ii in the key of C.(dorian)
Also, vi in the key of F. (aeolian) iii in the key of Bb. (phrygian) This one
Dm7 has these scales also. Including some not so advanced notions
in alterations. The next question is "where's Dm7 going?" There are many
options.

[Ornithologist]

The C melodic minor is also an interesting choice...

[dirkji]

You're right Orni, but I'm keeping m/maj7 for a different tutorial.

- Dirk

[Ornithologist]

Uh, actually, the melodic minor has a II - 7, that's what I'm talking about... I mean, The C melodic minor works over a D-7, as its chords are Cm/maj7, D-7, etc...

[mr. beaumont]

orni-

see, that seems like a lot of thinking for me (my old dumb brain, i guess...) if i wanted that sound, i'd just add the flat 9 (the Eb that makes it C melodic minor) as a target in a Dm7 arpeggio...i mean, that's all that's happening there, right? or am i missing something?

[dirkji]

Originally Posted by Ornithologist

Uh, actually, the melodic minor has a II - 7, that's what I'm talking about... I mean, The C melodic minor works over a D-7, as its chords are Cm/maj7, D-7, etc...

You're right about that Orni, in theory it's possible, but do you actually use it that way? I don't really like the sound of the b9, it's an avoid note (if you want to call it that way).

Cheers,
Dirk

[Ornithologist]

Well, it's not a strong note, but it's a beautiful chromatic... But, anyway, I guess it depends on the ear...

[Ricardo Mena]

Over a Dm7 chord, I find the Fmajor7 arpeggio the perfect blend ascending (starting with B and C notes on the sixth string, up to the E note on the third string, then playing the Am7 arpeggio over there up to the A note on the fith string, going over E minor pentatonic scale on the twelve and forteen frets, stressing the E and C (its major scale) notes.

[sinisake]

Hi,
maybe Cmaj7 or, even better, Cmaj7/9 arpeggio?

Great site, btw!

And, maybe little exotic - A minor harmonic scale! (B dim arpeggio, too)