So you've learnt your scales, you have good rhythm and you're been playing a few licks here and there. Now it's time to put the theory into practice. This improvisation MP3 uses the G Major & E Minor scales with a definite Laid Back Easy Listening feel to it. So get your fingers ready and see what you can do with this backing track.
Audio
Track Title: 70's America
Chords Used
Chord Progression
Intro
| Am7 | Dsus2 | Am7 | Dsus2 |
Progression 1
| Am7 | Dsus2 | Am7 | Dsus2 |
| Am7 | Dsus2 | Am7 | Dsus2 |
| G D/F# | Em | C G/B | Am |
| G D/F# | Em | C G/B | D |
Repeat Progression 1
Variation
| Bm7 | C | G | D |
| Bm7 | C | G | D |
| Am | C | Em | D |
| Am | C | G | D |
| D |
End
| Am7 | Dsus2 | Am7 | Dsus2 |
| Am7 | Dsus2 | Am7 | Dsus2 |
Scales
Use the E Minor Pentatonic Scale...
R = Lowest Root Note
r = root note (other)
---|-r-|---|---|-o-|---
---|-o-|---|---|-o-|---
---|-o-|---|-o-|---|---
---|-o-|---|-r-|---|---
---|-o-|---|-o-|---|---
---|-R-|---|---|-o-|---
R --> starts on the 12th fret or Open (E Minor Pentatonic)
...or the G Major Scale
---|-o-|-r-|---|---|---
---|---|-o-|---|-o-|---
---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---
---|-o-|---|-o-|-r-|---
---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---
---|---|-R-|---|-o-|---
R --> starts on the 3rd fret (G Major)
...or the E Minor Scale (Relative Minor)
---|---|---|-r-|---|-o-|-o-|---|---
---|---|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|---
---|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|---
---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-r-|---|---|---
---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|---|---
---|-o-|---|-R-|---|-o-|---|---|---
R --> starts on the 12th fret (E Minor)
Scale: G Major Scale
1 - [T] - 2 - [T] - 3 - <S> - 4 - [T] - 5 - [T] - 6 - [T] - 7 - <S> - 8
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| G | A | B | C | D | E | F# | G |
Scale: E Minor Scale
1 - [T] - 2 - <S> - 3 - [T] - 4 - [T] - 5 - <S> - 6 - [T] - 7 - [T] - 8
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| E | F# | G | A | B | C | D | E |
Chord Key Relation (Common chords used in this key)
|
Degree
Formula |
Chords
|
Chord
Formula * |
Chord
Notes * |
Progression
Chords |
Chord
Formula ** |
Chord
Notes ** |
|
1st Major
|
G Major
|
1-3-5
|
G-B-D |
G
|
1-3-5
|
G-B-D
|
|
2nd Minor
|
A Minor
|
1-3b-5
|
A-C-E |
Am7
|
1-3-57b
|
A-C-E-G
|
|
3rd Minor
|
B Minor
|
1-3b-5
|
B-D-F# |
Bm7
|
1-3-5-7b
|
B-D-F#-A
|
|
4th Major
|
C Major
|
1-3-5
|
C-E-G |
C
|
1-3-5
|
C-E-G
|
|
5th Major
|
D Major
|
1-3-5
|
D-F#-A |
Dsus2
|
1-4-5
|
D-E-A
|
|
6th Minor
|
E Minor
|
1-3b-5
|
E-G-B |
Em
|
1-3b-5
|
E-G-B
|
|
7th Diminished
|
F# Diminished
|
1-3b-5b
|
F#-A-C |
D/F#
|
3-1-3-5
|
F#-D-F#-A
|
|
8th Octave
|
G Major
|
1-3-5
|
G-B-D |
|
|
|
Above Table Glossary
Degree Formula - This is a formula that work out the chords used in any key
Chords - These are the common chords used in the key of D Major
Chord Formula * - This is the formula that creates chords, 1-3-5 representing the 1st, 3rd & 5th notes of any 8 note Major Scale
Chord Notes * - These are the notes created from the previous column, Chord Formula
Progression Chords - These are the chords used in the song
Chord Formula ** - This is the formula that creates the chords in the previous column
Chord Notes ** - These are the notes created from the previous column, Chord Formula