Originally Posted by: ChristopherSchlegelHey, Jonny! Welcome to GT.
Originally Posted by: Jonnybgoode1990I am struggling to find a scale that fits a chord progression I want to solo over.The chords are D5, F5, G5, G#5The notes in these chords are A, C, D D#, F, G, G#.
But as far as I can tell there are no scales that fit this, where do I go from here and what is the logic behind it?
You've got the right idea to start by looking at all the notes in all the chords & try to form a scale. But sometimes you need more info!
1. What order are the chords in?
2. What rhythm? How long does each chord last?
3. What style of music is this?
How you decide to play a melody or solo over those chords depends on the answers to those question.
But remember, you don't have to use all the notes in all the chords all the time. You don't have to perfectly fit a scale over every progression. And sometimes it's depends on which chord is happening at the time. So as long as you play over the D5 & F5 for example, any D minor or minor pentatonic scale pattern works. It's not until the other chords happen that other possibilities are opened up or closed off.
In general it seems like you've got a hard rock or metal type progression with the D as the root note. So the first thing I'd recommend is the D minor pentatonic scale with a bluesy flat 5. (technically D hexatonic minor :) )
D-F-G-Ab-A-C
Basically play fast pentatonic blues licks!
If you are going for a darker, more sinister metal sound, then throw in the flat 2nd for a locrian mode type sound.
D-Eb-F-G-Ab-C
If you are going a completely different direction, say a modern jazzy modal sound, then you might want to alternate between several modes depending on which chord is happening at the time.
For example, you could start with the D pentatonic minor with the flat five, then when the G5 happens switch to the G phyrgian mode briefly.
And as Jarkko points out you've got a lot of the C melodic minor scale (minus the B natural)! Starting on the note D that would be the D dorian flat 2 (missing the 6th note B).
D-Eb-F-G-A-C
http://www.jazzguitar.be/melodic_minor_modes.html
Hope that helps! Please ask more if necessary. Best of success with it!
Brilliant stuff Christopher, as always!
