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I’ve seen some videos on blues improvisations where the solos are based on a call/response basis and start on the root note and end on the root note. If you take this principle it seems to be very restrictive. For example, if you were playing an A minor pentatonic then there are only 3 root notes in position 1 starting on fret 5. So, you would only have 3 root notes to begin and end your solo. What I’m trying to get at is how do the licks tie into this principle of beginning and ending on the root note when many licks do not start on a root note or end on one.
Hope this makes some sense to y’all. Just trying to get more into lead blues improvisation and I know you can move from one position to another and start or end on a root note in another position but just not sure where the licks tie into that methodology when their notes may or may not include a root note. -
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bluesguitarlvr,
I’ve been experimenting using the chord notes, assuming it’s a dominant 7th chord. The root, 3rd, 5th and b7th notes. If you follow the chords, I believe you can land on any of these notes.. But as I stated, I’m just at beginning stages of this so, it might not be correct in all cases..
Mark
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Hi John, I’m kinda starting out on this improv thing and I think I know what you’re getting at but I’m looking at this on a very simplistic basis just playing licks within the A minor pentatonic box. If I look at Brian’s blues lessons the licks he has illustrated for pattern 1 do have some where they resolve to a root note or some start at a root note but others don’t at all. So, with that being said I guess you don’t have to start and end on a root note, however, if you do play a call/response it does tend to flow well starting and ending on a root note. I’ve seen some videos where the melody improv always starts and ends on a root note and ends on a root note and in the hands of a skilled guitarist it sounds great of course. I guess there is no hard and fast rule but I do like the root note methodology. I’m not advanced enough in my playing to visualize chord shapes and 4th and 5th’s – kudos to you for being able to.
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Mark & John, Check out the attached video which I found to be very informative. This is what I’m trying to get at. Thanks for responding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yAzhfWjHTA&list=RD7yAzhfWjHTA#t=0
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Hi bluesguitarlvr,
I haven’t got this all figured out, but, you should be able to end a lick on any note that is in the chord you are playing. In fact, it can be effective to resolve a lick to the root note of the new chord you are playing, ie. the 4th or the 5th.
JohnI like the idea of resolving to the root note of the next chord in the progression. That would give a strong push in overall melodic progression
Taking John’s advice one step further – record a simple progression and try playing a lick and ending the it with a note of the:
* Minor pentatonic
* Major pentatonic
* Chord being played in the progression Expand it out by playing the 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13thThe resolve of some of the notes will be silky smooth, some of them will be like fingernails on a chalkboard. It takes time to develop this
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GnL, Sorry you lost me on that one. Don’t know as much as you do about this. I’m taking the video as I attached and trying to apply it by randomly playing notes that begin and start on a root note whether in position 1 or another position. Not getting as technical as you are as I don’t know enough yet.
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I am myself kind of working on this part of theory as well.. In most examples Brian gives, he seems to resolve on the 7th of the scale, which is leading to the next chord. I am sure this is not a solid “this is how you do it” scenario, but, it sounds good to me. I like @GnLguy suggestion too. It may depend on the root chord too, i.e., whether you are playing a Maj, Maj7th, etc. I am just guessing here though.
Don't practice till you get it right, practice till you can't get it wrong.
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@bluesguitarlvr, there have been a few threads about improvistion in the last few months. Scotty did a video lesson on finding the root note in all five pentatonic positions and this is important because as you said, so many licks resolve on the root and this will always work, but it’s just the beginning.
I encourage you to learn what those intervals are between the three root notes in box 1, those are 1(root), flat 3, 4, 5, flat 7 and continues up to the flat 3 on the high E. End a phrase on the 4 during the 4 chord, end a phrase on the 5 on the 5 chord.Start to hear the difference.
I believe knowing what these intervals are will help you understand what Brian is doing in his lessons.
John -
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HI bluesguitarlvr..your original question around the starting and ending on root notes…..there is no musical rule that I know of that requires you begin and end on the root note. You are free to do what sounds good in the context you are playing in. Having said that, there are situations where that approach may sound best…you can begin on the root…but then you can end an individual lick on the 1, 3, 5, b7 or even b3/#9…in the context of the chords you are playing….which I think has already been posted…..it usually sounds very good to end the whole solo on the root…I think the only thing I’m adding is to differentiate between a lick…beginning and ending….versus the compete end of a solo….the intermediate licks…don’t need to end on the root…..
Roberto
Roberto
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@bluesguitarlvr, look at the lead tab for “Key to the Highway” EP 129. Song is in the key of A, the last two bars are over an A chord and then an E chord. The phrase in the second last bar doesn’t resolve but carries through into the last bar and resolves on the 7th fret, 5th string, ie. the 5th in box 1, over the E or 5th chord. Definitely doesn’t sound finished and indicates you are going around at least one more time.
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