# Soloing over 9th chords?



## Cabinet (Mar 11, 2012)

I had recently programmed the solo chord progressions from Proto Cosmos so I have a backing track to play over with it.

I was wondering if anyone had any sort of ideas as to what to play over 9th chords? I know you can accent the 9th in the scale, which works, but maybe there's a larger picture I can look at instead of one particular note?

Here are the chords for the solo:
C#-9 x4
A&#8710;#11 x4
C#&#8710;#11
B&#8710;
E-9 x2

The first 8 bars I stick with E Major, playing Aeolian and then switching to Lydian during the A&#8710;#11.
Then I play Lydian again over the C#&#8710;#11, then Ionian over the B, but I'm not sure what might work with the E-9. I think the two best choices would be either Aeolian or Dorian.

Thoughts?


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## Beowulf Von Thrashmeister (Mar 11, 2012)

Cabinet said:


> I had recently programmed the solo chord progressions from Proto Cosmos so I have a backing track to play over with it.
> 
> I was wondering if anyone had any sort of ideas as to what to play over 9th chords? I know you can accent the 9th in the scale, which works, but maybe there's a larger picture I can look at instead of one particular note?
> 
> ...


 

The best thing I would suggest is to experiment with both and see what sounds best to your ears, and the overall vibe of the piece of music your working on !!!.


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Mar 11, 2012)

2009


2006


Non Holdsworth versions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBwmcpxRug&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAHAlvjrhQg

About the Composer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Pasqua

Add 9 chords don't add any major or minor harmony, but if you were to think like that Ionian, Dorian then Aeolian would be most correct.

But, really Holdsworth is Holdsworth, your not meant to copy him. He's crazy. 

I had to study this tune once... I called in sick that day. 

He's got a saxophone obsession right? Maybe ask a saxophonist's forum what they think of it? 

Does my head in just listening to him. I bought Rusty Metal... argh! Metal Fatigue..... oh the nightmares.......

Email him
The Real Allan Holdsworth Interviews


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83Vi0yhoBfM

You hurt my brain Holdsworth *shakes fist* 

How does he do it?


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Mar 11, 2012)

Here's his tuitional video, if you can get any sense out of him, best chance is here. But you probably knew that already. I'm seeking to try and understand why my brain hurts when I hear him.




*takes a pack of paracetemol*


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## Cabinet (Mar 11, 2012)

Well, he's got more of an outside sound than inside. He just has a very different way of hearing music.
Also yeah, I've seen that video and there isn't much for me to really pick up from it, it isn't the most helpful video out there 
The world will have to settle with never truly being able to understand Holdsworth, I suppose


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## Trespass (Mar 11, 2012)

Guide tones, arpeggios not scales! Thirds and sevens on downbeats are your vanilla safe sounds. Phrase simple melodies into those guide tones.

You'll sound a lot better than trying to make scalar ideas sound good. The changes are simply moving too quickly.

Besides, playing the right scale over the right chord is _the_ most boring playing in the world unless that scale is sequenced in an interesting way, or rhythmically displaced.


Melody is more important than anything else. Phrase melodies into the guide tones of upcoming chords. Target semi-tone voice movement* for smooth playing over the changes.

*third to seven movement is an older, bop oriented example of this

Dm7 -> G7 -> Cmaj7
C->B F->E

So playing C on beat 4 & into B on beat 1 of G7 highlights a cadential kind of sound, same with F to E.
C is the seventh of Dm7, moving to the third of G7. F is the third of G7, moving to E, the third of Cmaj7.


But you can take any chord progression and find where the notes of those chords voice lead nicely by a semitone, and target that to get a smoother sound.


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