Zappa Solos: A Modal Analysis: October 2010

Diatonic chords are the chords built on the seven notes of a given scale, using only the notes of that scale. There are three major chords ( the I, the IV, and the V) ; three minor chords (the ii, the iii and the vi) ; and a diminished chord (the vii) . I will deal with the diminished chords, along with their scales at some later point.

I thought it would be cool to see the chords that are diatonic to each key superimposed over the notes of that key, so I made the following set of diagrams. This helped me in trying to visualize how to integrate my lead lines or melodies with my arpeggios. Pete B. had written to me that arpeggios are just chords played one note at a time, and looked at like that they have been a lot more use to me than the awkward extended fingerings I had for some reason been trying to learn.

These diagrams are meant to illustrate how the notes lie under the hand in various chord positions, so that by integrating flatpicking or finger picking patterns with hammer ons and pull offs, all the notes you need are right there without having to hunt all over the neck for them. This realization has really changed my style of playing lately and I have found that knowing where the chord tones are helps me to play more melodic lines over the changes.