I have a lot to thank Tomo for in my journey as a guitar player. Luckily I found him on YouTube early on in my progress of becoming a guitar player. I can't explain how helpful his approach is for learning guitar but just overall music. The degrees early on really help solidify music function and why things work. I am not sure if Tomo reads these, or gets asked these questions but either way, tell him thank you if you can.
That being said, I am a person who needs to understand why something works for me to consciously use it. I have never been one of those 'feel it' kind of players. I am having a difficult time understanding why I can get a C# Minor/E Major Pentatonic to sound good over C Major 12 Bar Blues. It seems like there are a lot of notes not directly in the key of C, but it still sounds pleasant to the ear when playing despite the main notes being a single step above their counterparts. is there a reason for this? Is there any type of harmony topics that discuss this or modal relations of E major to C major? While know its the (3rd) in chord/scale it isn't in the Phrygian mode so it doesn't directly relate. Is there a topic that discusses this I can research? Half the battle is just finding the vocab words to research but I am not sure what to call this. My initial thought is that because F# is the tritone of C, and since F# and C# are only (1) note away from being the exact same notes in the respective scales, that this is the reason it sounds good because of how its spaced frequency wise. Would love to hear from Tomo if I can on this.
Thanks so much for sharing! So happy to hear that!
C Blues... Technically you can play C minor Pentatonic or C Major Pentatonic (0nly C7)
You are talking about minor pentatonic / Major pentatonic relationship.
Like you said... C #minor Penta & E Major Pentatonic. (Share those same notes)
A minor pentatonic
A = Root
C = b3
D = 4th
E = 5th
G =b7
C Major Pentatonic
C = Root
D = M2
E = M3
G = 5th
A = M6
You see...share same notes but values are (intervals) are different.
So I think you needed to see all Theory section scales (Intervals) on one string.
And learn R 3 7 swing groove for learning blues chord progressions
And learn triad inversions so that you can hear scales much better with basses on chords.
That's why I don't show just vertical scale shapes.
Super easy and you can stay same place for a long time!
That's the most common problems as guitar hobbiest on YouTube videos.
Could you tell me, anything was helpful?
Thank you.
Hi Tomo,
I was more looking for why E Major/C#minor notes work over those chords since they don’t share the notes or chord centers of the chords. It’s not that I don’t understand the relative major/relative minor topic but more so not understanding why a half step up from where I should be sounds pleasant/interesting. Does this have anything to do with tritone substitution like I originally thought or is it a jazz harmony type thing?
Thanks for sharing your view.
Basically Major & minor relationship.
E Major scale & C# minor scale shares same notes.
Same as C Major scale or C Major Pentatonic & A minor scale or A minor pentatonic.
You are mixed up foundation of this topic to improvisation topic way too fast!
So next question, what are you trying to learn or achieve next?
If you are working on your soloing technique then you need to explain who is your main influences (maybe list 3 artists & any favorite songs) so that we know what sounds you are looking for.
More specific, what chord progressions are you thinking talking about here?
Did you study triads yet?
Can you play C Major Scale on 2nd string and understand each intervals?
Then can you change to C minor scale? What notes are different from C Major scale?
Tritone subs?
That's jazzy topic.
Are you listening a lot of jazz?
Any standard songs that you like?
Thank you!
Tomo,
I understand the relationship of the Major/Minor relatives having the exact same notes so my next question(s) may come off rude which I am genuinely not intending so please do not take offense, because I am ecstatic that you are discussing this with me directly. Are you being coy? Are you saying the answer I am seeking is as simple as the relationship between the relative major/minor concept?
It is a tough question in regards to "...what am I trying to learn or achieve next?" with this initial question/topic. I initially got the idea listening to one of John Mayer's social media live videos which was saved by some fan from back in 2018. (the name and time stamp of the video noted below) But just took it with a grain of salt and forgot about it until I was tiredly playing along to a backing track with the following progression a few years later, Cm7 F7 G7#9 (also put that video name below in case).
John says in his video verbatim "...throw that shit up a half note. Everyone is playing in the box, just break the box up. Like, if you're in D, (he plays some music in D).." and he finishes his thought. I think the best way to describe what I am seeking is trying to understand harmony (at least I think that's the correct term) for composing. John mentions Aretha Franklin and how this concept was brought on to him but I wasn't sure if there was a formal explanation for it other than; it just sounds good, it's emotional, it's authentic, etc. I know in a few of your videos you have mentioned to not get too into the weeds and just play which this question may be guilty of.
Video name on Youtube: "John Mayer Gives Guitar Lessons to his fans | Instagram Live Stream |15 January 2018" by the "Guitar Music Pro" Channel
Time Signature 8:37 - 11:12
Backing Track Video Name on Youtube "Smooth Funky Blues Jam in C Minor | Guitar Backing Track" by the "Now YOU Shred Backing / Jam Tracks" Channel
My guitar playing influences are legitimately; you on studying/composition, John Mayer and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age). Any influences they have had I have looked into as well, but for the sake of the conversation three widely different guitarists/genre's. But I grew up listening to my parents music, 50/60s bands, and Punk music which is all over the place. My very first exposure to you was a random video you had on triads and playing them up and down the neck, so I am very familiar with triads but more importantly intervals as you have noted. Because as you study the degrees it becomes second nature on understanding where and what I can add to build chords from major, minor, sus's, slash chords, diminished, etc. and the relationships to the chords these degrees have. To answer your questions directly, yes I understand triads thoroughly, I can play the C major scale on any string and between strings and then swap to the minor scale. The different notes between the Major and minor scale is the minor 3rd (m3), minor 6 (m6), and minor 7 (m7/dominant 7) so in this case of C; Eb, Ab, and Bb.
I thought the answer to my initial question on this thread had to do with tritone substitutions because F#7 and C7 share E and Bb they harmonically related to each other so that's why it sounded good substituting it. I thought since E major/C#minor pentatonic have the notes C#, E, F#, G#, B that this was more related to tritones but didn't understand how E major pentatonic and C major Progression could work well together. No I do not listen to jazz. I have only gotten exposed to it through you and want to study it because of the benefits of the theory and composition.
Thank you so much for your time, eager to hear your response/guidance.