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How Do You Use Chord Tones?

[lollum_dropcap]Y[/lollum_dropcap]ou’ll want to use chord tones when soloing or writing melodies.

They are the building blocks of all songs and can be used to guide your writing as the chords change.

Your melody will sound as if it blends with the chord progression simply because they are both created from the same few notes.

Your solos take on a powerful new dimension when they sync up with the chords.

Even without accompaniment it’s possible to hear the chord progression hidden in the melody line.

To highlight these chord tones in your own solos, try using these three simple techniques.

Three Ways to Use Chord Tones When Soloing

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 Holding chord tones longer…

 than non-chord tones gives them time to harmonize with the melody.

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 Adding large leaps…

 in the melody from chord tone to chord tone reinforces the chord’s structure.

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 Playing chord tones on downbeats…

 in your melody stresses their importance rhythmically.

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Comfortably Numb (First Solo):

Let’s take a look at the ways David Gilmour uses these three techniques during his lyrical 1st solo from Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”. One of my favorites. All of the colored notes are chord tones.

Play the track here.

[powerpress url=”http://scaletrainer.com/pro/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2013/06/Comfortably-Numb-First-Solo.mp3″]

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