Key
Mainly in E Phrygian mode, although the bridge favours A Natural Minor.
Top Tip: When a piece is in the Phrygian mode, treat the key-note as the 3rd note of a major scale in order to ascertain the relative major. So, with our key-note as an E, the relative major scale is C; since E is the 3rd note in the C major scale.
If you learn how to play the rhythm track, then you can follow the changes when you solo e.g. end a lick on an A note over the A chord, or end on a G note over the G chord.
Another advantage to learning the rhythm is that you could experiment with playing the various riffs an octave or two higher.
How to play the backing track
Verse:
Primarily an E5, or power-chord, with the riff implying an F.
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-- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ---------------- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ------ 3 -- 2 --------- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ---------------- 2 --
-- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 --------- 3 ---- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ----------------- 3 --- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 --------- 3 ---- 2 --
-- 0 -- 0 ------ 0 -- 0 ---- 0 --------- 0 -- 0 ------ 0 -- 0 ----------------------- 0 -- 0 ------ 0 -- 0 ---- 0 --------- 0 --
Bridge:
Played with power-chords:
| A5 / F5 G5 | / / / / | A5 / F5 C5 | / / / / |
| A5 / F5 G5 | / / / / | A5 / F5 C5 | / / / D5 |
There is a riff in the background –
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------------ 4 -- 5 -- 4 ---------------------------------- 4 -- 5 -- 4 --------- 4 -- 5 --
-- 5 -- 7------------------ 7 ------- 5 -------- 5 -- 7-------------------- 7 -------------
--------------------------------- 7 ---------------------------------------------------------
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Chorus:
Played with power-chords:
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 |
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 |
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 |
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 G5 |
As with the bridge, I’ve played a riff in the background, just on the top string:
-- 12 -- 12 -- 13 -- (15) 17 -- 15 -- 13 --
Improvising over Stompin’ Dark
As explained, this piece is in the key of E Phrygian mode with the relative major key of C – so when you solo over it you can use any or all the scales and box positions that you would play in C major, but with the E being the key note or tonal centre.
The relative minor to C is A Natural minor – as they both contain the same notes:
C Major scale = C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
A Nat minor scale = A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
So when you improvise over this piece you can use any / all the scales and box positions that you would play in A Natural minor, but with the E being the key note or tonal centre.
The Phrygian mode is a minor scale and it only differs from the Natural minor by one note; in this case the F:
E Natural minor = E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
E Phrygian mode = E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
Therefore, when improvising over this piece (particularly the verse and chorus) it works well to emphasis the F note. That is why I added the riff in the background of the chorus, which has an F in it (13th fret of the top string).
The E Phrygian mode has no sharps or flats, so you can play any / all the natural notes across the neck:
Here is the Phrygian mode box, root on 6th string. Play with this in the open position, or at the 12th fret.
Here is the Natural minor scale, or Aolian mode, root on the 6th string. Play with this at the 5th fret, or at the 17th fret.
The following scales contain only natural notes, so you can experiment with all of them over this piece – but remember that the E is the root/key note, so emphasise that:
E PhrygianF Lydian
G Mixolydian
A Nat minor
B Locrian
C major
D Dorian
E minor pent
F major pent
G major pent
A minor pent
C major pent
D minor pent
Don’t forget to experiment with the flattened 5th, which in E is A#, as a passing note.
Mainly in E Phrygian mode, although the bridge favours A Natural Minor.
Top Tip: When a piece is in the Phrygian mode, treat the key-note as the 3rd note of a major scale in order to ascertain the relative major. So, with our key-note as an E, the relative major scale is C; since E is the 3rd note in the C major scale.
If you learn how to play the rhythm track, then you can follow the changes when you solo e.g. end a lick on an A note over the A chord, or end on a G note over the G chord.
Another advantage to learning the rhythm is that you could experiment with playing the various riffs an octave or two higher.
How to play the backing track
Verse:
Primarily an E5, or power-chord, with the riff implying an F.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ---------------- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ------ 3 -- 2 --------- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ---------------- 2 --
-- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 --------- 3 ---- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 ----------------- 3 --- 2 -- 2 ------ 2 -- 2 --------- 3 ---- 2 --
-- 0 -- 0 ------ 0 -- 0 ---- 0 --------- 0 -- 0 ------ 0 -- 0 ----------------------- 0 -- 0 ------ 0 -- 0 ---- 0 --------- 0 --
Bridge:
Played with power-chords:
| A5 / F5 G5 | / / / / | A5 / F5 C5 | / / / / |
| A5 / F5 G5 | / / / / | A5 / F5 C5 | / / / D5 |
There is a riff in the background –
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------ 4 -- 5 -- 4 ---------------------------------- 4 -- 5 -- 4 --------- 4 -- 5 --
-- 5 -- 7------------------ 7 ------- 5 -------- 5 -- 7-------------------- 7 -------------
--------------------------------- 7 ---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chorus:
Played with power-chords:
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 |
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 |
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 |
| E5 / / G5 F5 | A5 / / C5 G5 |
As with the bridge, I’ve played a riff in the background, just on the top string:
-- 12 -- 12 -- 13 -- (15) 17 -- 15 -- 13 --
Improvising over Stompin’ Dark
As explained, this piece is in the key of E Phrygian mode with the relative major key of C – so when you solo over it you can use any or all the scales and box positions that you would play in C major, but with the E being the key note or tonal centre.
The relative minor to C is A Natural minor – as they both contain the same notes:
C Major scale = C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
A Nat minor scale = A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
So when you improvise over this piece you can use any / all the scales and box positions that you would play in A Natural minor, but with the E being the key note or tonal centre.
The Phrygian mode is a minor scale and it only differs from the Natural minor by one note; in this case the F:
E Natural minor = E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
E Phrygian mode = E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
Therefore, when improvising over this piece (particularly the verse and chorus) it works well to emphasis the F note. That is why I added the riff in the background of the chorus, which has an F in it (13th fret of the top string).
The E Phrygian mode has no sharps or flats, so you can play any / all the natural notes across the neck:
Here is the Phrygian mode box, root on 6th string. Play with this in the open position, or at the 12th fret.
Here is the Natural minor scale, or Aolian mode, root on the 6th string. Play with this at the 5th fret, or at the 17th fret.
The following scales contain only natural notes, so you can experiment with all of them over this piece – but remember that the E is the root/key note, so emphasise that:E PhrygianF Lydian
G Mixolydian
A Nat minor
B Locrian
C major
D Dorian
E minor pent
F major pent
G major pent
A minor pent
C major pent
D minor pent
Don’t forget to experiment with the flattened 5th, which in E is A#, as a passing note.