# can i solo in a *closely related* key with 1 accidental difference?



## johnfkingmatrix

maybe a dumb question but...i have the key of Cmaj memorized on my fretboard , there are 2 other keys that are separated by only 1 accidental ... does it work to just solo my C scale over these closely related keys? 
sometimes i do it and it seems OK, esp when i take the backing key's tonic into consideration and just use it as my "home base " resolution

is this an actual thing that can yield pleasant results , or am i purely being lazy :devil:

in my little pea brain, it seems that.. maybe i end up with some modal stuff? like if i play C diatonic scale over an E minor, the accidental i add is a #4, so im actually just in lydian here, or , am i butchering something XD 

thanks in advance for helpful replies, i always look forward to really old peoples wisdom


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## pianozach

johnfkingmatrix said:


> maybe a dumb question but...i have the key of Cmaj memorized on my fretboard , there are 2 other keys that are separated by only 1 accidental ... does it work to just solo my C scale over these closely related keys?
> sometimes i do it and it seems OK, esp when i take the backing key's tonic into consideration and just use it as my "home base " resolution
> 
> is this an actual thing that can yield pleasant results , or am i purely being lazy :devil:
> 
> in my little pea brain, it seems that.. maybe i end up with some modal stuff? like if i play C diatonic scale over an E minor, the accidental i add is a #4, so im actually just in lydian here, or , am i butchering something XD
> 
> thanks in advance for helpful replies, *i always look forward to really old peoples wisdom*


Trying to butter us up?


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## mikeh375

pianozach said:


> Trying to butter us up?


yeah....its not working.....


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## johnfkingmatrix

cmon guys lol, i know you can tell me the answer :angel:


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## Festus

Yes we can :lol:


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## pianozach

For a vBlog that tries to keep things civil, I'm surprised that your user name, *johnfkingmatrix*, passed muster.


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## EdwardBast

You might want to research modal improvisation.


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## johnfkingmatrix

EdwardBast said:


> You might want to research modal improvisation.


so that is basically what im doing, right? playing in another mode?


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## johnfkingmatrix

pianozach said:


> For a vBlog that tries to keep things civil, I'm surprised that your user name, *johnfkingmatrix*, passed muster.


john matrix is the protagonist in the cinematic classic, "commando" staring arnold schwarzenegger as a reluctant battle hardened hero who is forced to sneak into central america armed only with several belt fed machine guns, a shotgun, and a m202 anti-tank rocket launcher to rescue his kidnapped daughter from Bennett, one of matrix's old proteges who was kicked out of the squad because he enjoyed killing a little TOO much. It's time honored classic


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## SONNET CLV

*can i solo in a *closely related* key with 1 accidental difference?*



johnfkingmatrix said:


> ...
> thanks in advance for helpful replies, i always look forward to really old peoples wisdom


I'm neither young enough nor plural enough to qualify as a "really old peoples", and though my IQ measures in the high single digits I have never been lauded as one with any particular sense of wisdom.

However, I can tell you this: though the song you are playing is in the key of G Major (one sharp) or the key of F Major (one flat), you _can_ certainly play your C scale in accompaniment. In fact, the song can be in the key of C-sharp Major (seven sharps) or C-flat Major (seven flats), or even their relative minor keys of a-sharp Minor and a-flat Minor, or in any other key or no key at all -- you could accompany a Schoenbergian 12-tone row with your C Major scale.... It's called polytonality or some such confangled word in the Theory books. Milhaud or Hindemith or one of those guys did it all the time when he played his guitar. In any case ... the only important consideration is, and you seem to have nailed it already by using the word in your post ... the only really important thing for you to keep in mind when you're doing this polytony thing is to remain "solo" -- that is, alone, all by yourself, with no one in near hearing range.

Follow these instructions, and all will be well.

Now, get back to that ax and that C-Major scale. How do you think Segovia got to where he is? By posting questions to "old folks" on the internet, or by banging those strings over and over again, regardless of the key.

And that, my young lad, is "the key"!

Please ... no applause, please. But, you might yell out a "Bravo!" or two, but please do so only in the key of C. We don't want to bungle things up here now, do we?


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## johnfkingmatrix

im not trying to do a polytone chromatic thing, playing over distant keys doesnt sound good. but playing over a closely related key arguably does, so id assume there's some theory as to why/what is happening, and i was wondering if this is a thing people intentionally do, or if i just stumbled into something that works for the wrong reasons. noone gave me music lessons, im just trying to learn


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