Passing notes

**kencollapse** · Sep-08-2009, 1:45am

I've got a pretty good handle on the pentatonic scales. But can someone point me toward a couple lessons on 'passing notes' so I can get more dexterous in soloing? Much thanks.

**Fretbear** · Sep-08-2009, 2:16am

The trick is to not emphasize them; you can use them to get from one "good note" in a key to another by running chromatic licks like (just for example) this in the key of G; G-B-C-C#-D; using only downstrokes helps with these. The C# is not actually in the key, and even the C natural (being the fourth) can sound off, but when you use them sparingly in a fast chromatic flurry as connectors they will be fine, whereas slowly and singly they would sound "out"....

**kencollapse** · Sep-08-2009, 11:42am

Hey, that makes sense. Thanks!

**Pete Martin** · Sep-08-2009, 3:08pm

The term "passing note" can mean several things to different players. It can mean a note outside the scale, or a note that seems to not fit with the current chord.

Using the second definition above, their best use in solos seems to be to be an intentional clash that you can then resolve. This gives the solo what jazz players call "forward motion", meaning the clash looks forward to the musical resolve. Helps keep the interest of the listeners when you do this.

To my ears, the best clash/resolve are 1/2 steps, {1 fret for the non theory minded out there}

It is the main reason I almost never use pentatonic scales in soloing for any length of time. In the most common pentatonic scales, the are no 1/2 steps.

Try this set of notes against a G major chord: B G A F# G. Hear how strongly the F# pulls to G. The longer you hold F#, the more the clash and the better the resolve feels when you finally play the G note.

Getting these type of sounds into your solos will make them more musically interesting.

**Rob Gerety** · Sep-08-2009, 6:09pm

The same concept applies to chords.

**Jefa432** · Sep-08-2009, 9:32pm

Could you please go into more detail about using chords this way? Thanks

**Rob Gerety** · Sep-08-2009, 9:53pm

Well, I'm just learning this stuff myself. But here is one example. A common western swing chord progression, in the key of G major, is - G6, G#dim, Am7, D9 and then back to the G6. So the progression is 1 6th, 1#dim, 2 7th, 5 9th, 1 6th. The G#dim (1# dim) is not a chord from the key of G - it is a passing chord creating tension and leading the ear to the Am7 which is the 2 chord in the key of G major. It is doing essentially the same thing as the chromatic passing tone described above. At least that is how I hear it and understand it. But there are a lot of folks here that understand this stuff way better than I do.

**kencollapse** · Sep-09-2009, 1:35am

OK, so might a simple definition be notes that are not in key but lead into the following chord(s)? Is there no science to it? Do you just try some out of key notes and see what works?

**Rob Gerety** · Sep-09-2009, 6:28am

Originally Posted by kencollapse

OK, so might a simple definition be notes that are not in key but lead into the following chord(s)? Is there no science to it? Do you just try some out of key notes and see what works?

I think it is a pretty general term but yes, that is probably a decent understanding. Often the "out" of key note between the two "in" key notes works nicely as a passing tone to get from one "in" key note to the next. But I suppose an "in key" note might also function as a passing note sometimes too. I can't think of an example but I think that does happen from time to time.

**groveland** · Sep-09-2009, 6:33am

Originally Posted by kencollapse

OK, so might a simple definition be notes that are not in key but lead into the following chord(s)? Is there no science to it? Do you just try some out of key notes and see what works?

There's a bunch of 'science' to it, but what you said is basically it.

Without getting into the hows and whys too much... Try 'boxing'. For example, if the chord is major: You know your pentatonics. If you know the (major) pentatonic notes for the chord you're playing in, select a note from that scale, but don't play it right away - Play the one a half step below, and the one a half step above... and then play the 'target' note itself. (hence boxing) There's a four out of five chance the two 'outside' notes will be the #5, b9, #9 or b7 and will resolve strongly back to your target. What you just did is temporarily play out of a 7alt chord, giving you a momentary touch of melodic minor harmony. Or you might have hit the 4, which will also resolve back to your target like a sus does. You can hardly lose.

You can conceivably raise your whole pentatonic up a half step or any portion thereof and get similar leverage.

For a deeper look and tidy synopsis of usage in jazz progressions, see JazzMando's tips on this.

**groveland** · Sep-09-2009, 7:55am

Originally Posted by groveland

Play the one a half step below, and the one a half step above... and then play the 'target' note itself.

Or the one a half step above, and the one a half step below... and then play the 'target' note itself.

**Rob Gerety** · Sep-09-2009, 8:02am

Boxing - nice! I like it.

**kencollapse** · Sep-09-2009, 11:35am

Right on! This might sound silly, but sometimes it seems like you can play any notes you want so long as you mean to play them. Know what I mean?

It's like when playing, there are some notes out of key that if you play them by accident sound wrong. But if you hit them on purpose you sound amazing!

**kencollapse** · Sep-09-2009, 11:36am

Thanks for the great responses. I'm WAY further ahead now, and I didn't have to spend hours on google.

**Jim Broyles** · Sep-09-2009, 11:40am

Originally Posted by kencollapse

Right on! This might sound silly, but sometimes it seems like you can play any notes you want so long as you mean to play them. Know what I mean?

It's like when playing, there are some notes out of key that if you play them by accident sound wrong. But if you hit them on purpose you sound amazing!

I think the word for that is "jazz."

**gregjones** · Sep-09-2009, 1:05pm

Originally Posted by kencollapse

This might sound silly, but sometimes it seems like you can play any notes you want so long as you mean to play them. Know what I mean?

Use the Neil Young approach---if I hit a wrong note I just slide my finger to the left or right and no one seems to notice.

**CES** · Sep-09-2009, 1:11pm

Originally Posted by kencollapse

Right on! This might sound silly, but sometimes it seems like you can play any notes you want so long as you mean to play them. Know what I mean?

It's like when playing, there are some notes out of key that if you play them by accident sound wrong. But if you hit them on purpose you sound amazing!

A great (non-musical) teacher once told me, "I may be wrong, but I'm never in doubt."

**Rob Gerety** · Sep-09-2009, 3:32pm

In some music - I'm thinking of swing music - passing chords often provide a bit of rhythmic interest as well - sort of a syncopated thing as you move from the out of key chord and slide into the destination chord.

**Erik Gran** · Sep-09-2009, 10:35pm

Originally Posted by kencollapse

Right on! This might sound silly, but sometimes it seems like you can play any notes you want so long as you mean to play them. Know what I mean?

It's like when playing, there are some notes out of key that if you play them by accident sound wrong. But if you hit them on purpose you sound amazing!

In a live setting, the only one knowing a note is "wrong" is you, and MAYBE some of your bandmates, unless you show it's wrong by your own reaction ...

As long you keep the groove going, almost anything goes, and although theory about what's the "right" notes is useful, experimenting and getting used to the sound and effects of playing "wrong" notes, and how to make it sound good is a very useful skill to develop, and frees up your playing and improvising.

**bonny** · Sep-09-2009, 11:55pm

Originally Posted by Erik Gran

In a live setting, the only one knowing a note is "wrong" is you

Like Kenny Werner says, "Make it the new right note."
You can justify ANYTHING you play by what you do next. You often don't even need to know exactly where you're going as long as you know you're there when you arrive. Think of a passing note as a very short, tension filled stop on your journey. Not a place you'd want to stay very long but one that makes the story more interesting.
How's THAT for a scientific answer?

**jonkka** · Sep-22-2009, 9:27am

I saw Doc Watson on public TV once. He said something about playing the wrong note his first time thru a tune and then played the same note the second time thru so everyone would think he'd done it on purpose.

Yeah, jazz.