power chord possibilites

[BarHook]

Now im pretty familiar with the fact the you can only really play a mode, if the chord behind it contains those notes etc, but would like to know, If you are playing over an E power chord vamp, you can obviously solo with E ionian, F# Dorian G# Phrygian and what not, but can you also play in any key which has E in it?
thanks

[SLY]

The Power Chords are like an abbreviation for full chords.

For example you're playing a progression in Emin scale & using power chords, the E5 chords is like an abbreviation for Emin chord.

[BarHook]

but how do you know that its an abbrev for a minor how do you know its abbreviating a minor chord and nota major chord becuase there is no IIInote in a power chord

[SLY]

You can guess it, it's not hard at all. ;)

[Christoph]

Power chords just contain a first, a fifth, and an octave. Depending on the chord progression, the third (major or minor) can be suggested, but since the third isn't actually being played, you have a wider range of available keys.

Say you have E5, D5, A5. You could play any number of modes over that - E minor/harmonic, E phrygian, E mixolydian, etc.

Try recording that progression in a loop and then solo over it using each of those modes for 4 bars. This is what Satch does a lot (called pitch axis). You'll find that the feel of the progression changes for each mode that you play. This is because when you change modes/key over that progression, the suggested major/minor tonalities of the chords shift. Have fun. :)

[BarHook]

k thanks alot

[TheDirt]

E Power Chord = E5 = E and B

To solo over an E5 vamp, you can use any scale or mode that contains both E and B. It's that simple!

You can use
E Lydian - E, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#
E Ionian (major) - E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#
E Mixolydian - E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D
E Dorian - E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
E Aeolian - E, F#, G, A, B, C, D
E Phyrgian - E, F, G, A, B, C, D

These are the E Modes that have a natural 5th (B). Notice that they are similar, but they all give different results.

E Harmonic Minor - E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#
E Melodic Minor - E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D#
E Phyrgian #3 - E, F, G#, A, B, C, D

These are three other scale choices. There are MANY others. Just use anything with both an E and a B.

Have fun trying these out.

[BarHook]

oh cool,
so could u play the C maj scake and its mode (d dorian e phrygian etc) because it contains E + B?

[TheDirt]

Well, technically yes, you could play the C Major scale over the E5 powerchord, but it wouldn't be the C Major scale. You see, since you're playing over a tonal center of E, any scale or mode you play will have a tonic of E. So even though you're playing C Major, D Dorian, E Phyrgian F Lydian, G Mixolydian, A Aeolian, or B Locrian, (which all have the same notes) they'll all sound like E Phyrgian

[TheDirt]

In case that last answer didn't make sense, here're a few more examples... The key to scale choices is the TONAL CENTER!!!

"Anything with E and B... I could play..."

A Ionian", but it will sound like E Mixolydian
B Ionian", but it will sound like E Lydian
C Ionian", but it will sound like E Phyrgian
D Ionian", but it will sound like E Dorian
E Ionian", which will sound like E Ionian (duh)
G Ionian", but it will sound like E Aeolian

"Hey, I could play F# Mixolydian! That's got an E and B!"

Well, if you did that, you'd be playing E Lydian, due to the tonal center.

Get it? Since the tonal center is E, no matter what scale you play, it's tonic will be heard as E by the listener, so when playing over single chords or vamps, think about your tonal center and pick a mode with that tonic. If your tonal center is C, pick the best sounding C scale, be it C Locrian or C Lydian or C Aeolian, it's up to you. Let your ear be the guide, but don't think that playing B Locrian over a C Major progression will sound any different than playing C Ionian over the same progression.

[BarHook]

k thanks for clearing that up