This lesson discusses the solo for the song Blue on Black by Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and how you can figure out which key to solo in. To see the lesson that teaches just the chords, refer to the Blue on Black guitar chord lesson. Blue on Black is based on the chords D, C and G, with is the V, IV, and I of G major. Kenny Wayne Shepherd uses those three chords for the verse, but the chorus builds on the A. The chord of A, however, does not belong in a G major scale.
This song breaks some rules. It’s called the Flatted 7th rule. Because the D tends to lean towards the tonic, meaning the number one chord, the song Blue on Black is actually in D pentatonic minor. In a D scale you have a C# chord; however the C is flatted in this song, causing a minor sound in a major chord progression that actually doesn’t have any minor chords in it. Try it out for yourself!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uYCfyk3O_Y
Watch on Youtube
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