Major Scale Backing Tracks

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The following guitar jam tracks can be used as backings to improvise with the major scale.

These tracks have been provided by Jamplay from a previous version of their backing track library before they merged with TrueFire. Jamplay has now merged with TrueFire, another leader in online video guitar lessons and the backing track library there has also changed and evolved with this. It now includes things such as multitrack audio backings as well as a wide range of backing tracks to solo over.

Playlist

Here are the major scale backing tracks in a playlist if you would like to play through them all, or continue below for the individual tracks and their transcriptions.

Individual Tracks:

• Ionian Machine in E Major
• Country Pop in C Major
• Jazzed Up in C Major
• Easy There, Johan in D Major

Ionian Machine in E Major

Very mellow E major backing track. Here’s the transcription:

Country Pop in C Major

A backing track for C major with a laid back country feel. This track is by the jazz/fusion guitarist and Jamplay instructor Nick Kellie.

Transcription:

Jazzed Up in C Major

A track with a laid back jazz feel for soling in C major with the transcription:

Easy There, Johan in D Major

A bit of a classical influence here from David Wallimann. I believe this is the same chord progression used in the famous Pachelbel’s cannon.

Transcription:

Additional Exercises

As I discussed in the Aeolean mode backing tracks page, as well as practicing your improvisation over these tracks I would also use them to help your understanding of forming chords from scales. To do this, I would work through the chords in the transcriptions to see how these chords are formed from the major scale. As the chords in the progressions are largely formed from the major scale, this major scale becomes a natural choice for soloing over the tracks.

Also, as you become comfortable using the scale over the chord progression, see if you can emphasise in your improvisation the notes of the scale that are part of the chord that is currently playing in the backing track. For example these notes may have a longer duration or be placed on a stronger beat of the bar. The other scale notes can then be used more to say move between these chordal notes in runs. This will be a step harder than simply using the scale, but will give a sense of harmony to your soloing and allow your solo to outline the chord changes.

More Tracks

These tracks have been provided by Jamplay from a previous version of their backing track library before they merged with TrueFire.

Jamplay has now merged with TrueFire, another leader in online video guitar lessons and the backing track library there has also changed and evolved with this. It now includes things such as multitrack audio backings where you can mute the different parts, as well as a wide range of your more traditional backing tracks to solo over. There are also InTheJam packages where you can jam with famous artists like Eric Johnson.

Visit the Jamplay/TureFire library

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