Chapter 10: Think Like a Pro – How to Target Chord Tones While Soloing

So far, you’ve learned how to use the pentatonic scale to craft expressive licks and mix major and minor for that signature bluesy sound. But if you really want to sound like a pro, it’s time to level up. Great guitarists don’t just run patterns and play licks—they target specific chord tones that lock in with the harmony. In this chapter, you learn how to base your note choices on the chords underneath your solo, making every phrase feel intentional and musical. This is what separates average players from those who truly speak through their instrument, like David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, whose solos are melodic, emotional, and unforgettable. If you’ve ever wondered how he sounds so connected to the music, this is the secret.

From the book Lead Guitar Unlocked: Master Expressive Soloing With the Pentatonic Scale.

Pattern Playing

In Figure 10-1, you play over a simple progression in G major that alternates between the chords G and C, one measure each. This is a perfect opportunity to use the G major pentatonic scale, since G is the tonic of the key. In this figure, you run up and down G major pentatonic Pattern 1 in the 12th position. Every note fits perfectly with the harmony, and the pattern feels familiar under your fingers. But while this kind of playing is safe and technically correct, it lacks the melodic focus of a truly memorable solo. Listen to Audio Track 10-1 and play along with Backing Track 10-1.

Figure 10-1 Pattern Playing in G Major

Chord Tone Soloing

In Figure 10-2, you use the same scale and track, but your note choices are more intentional. Notice how you land on G at the 12th fret of string 3 right at the start of measure two. This emphasizes the chord change to C, since G is one of its chord tones (C–E–G). In contrast, Figure 10-1 continues climbing the scale and lands on D during the chord change. While D is in key, it doesn’t connect to the C chord as clearly. Letting the G note sustain also creates space and reinforces the harmony, rather than simply continuing the scale.

In the next two measures, you do something similar—this time descending through the scale and landing on E, another C chord tone. In the second half of the figure, you also add a C note to the pentatonic pattern to further highlight the harmony. This is a common technique: players often use the pentatonic scale as a foundation and bring in chord tones from the underlying progression to enhance their phrasing.

This approach, known as chord-tone soloing, makes your lead lines sound more musical and better connected to the chord changes. Starting each phrase on a G chord tone (G–B–D) during the G chord further anchors your ideas in the key.

Music is built on rhythm, pitch, and harmony, and great solos reflect all three. The strongest place to emphasize a chord tone is the first beat of a chord change, which is what you do in Figure 10-2. Listen to my demonstration in Audio Track 10-2, then try it yourself over Backing Track 10-1.

Using Arpeggios

Now that you understand chord tone soloing, it helps to know where the chord tones are and what your options look like on the fretboard. In Figure 10-3, you see G major pentatonic Pattern 1 followed by chord tones for G, C, and D. You should recognize the shapes these chord tones form—they look just like the open-position chord fingerings used for strumming, only shifted up an octave.

Take a moment to review each set of chord tones by playing through them slowly, both ascending and descending. When you do this, you’re playing arpeggios—just the notes of a chord played one at a time, like a scale.

In Figure 10-4, you apply chord-tone soloing to a lead line played over a chord progression that includes all three major chords from the key of G. The licks incorporate familiar pentatonic phrases, but each one lands on a chord tone during the chord changes. Listen to Audio Track 10-3 and notice how this approach makes the solo sound more expressive, melodic, and connected to the underlying harmony. Then try playing the same licks over Backing Track 10-2.

“Mother” by Pink Floyd

For a great real-world example of chord tone soloing, listen to “Mother” by Pink Floyd starting at the 2:51 mark. In this solo, David Gilmour masterfully and beautifully weaves his phrases through the chord changes, creating a memorable and emotionally powerful moment. He’s a perfect example of how targeting chord tones can make a solo sound more melodic and connected to the music.

That said, chord tone soloing isn’t the only approach. Sometimes, it sounds better to simply riff through a scale and emphasize the tonic, without specifically outlining the chords. Great players often switch between these two approaches depending on what feels right for the moment. There are no hard rules here—just options. It’s up to you to decide which approach best fits your style and the music you’re playing.

Minor Keys

Chord tone soloing works the same way in minor keys. Typically, you base your pentatonic scale on the tonic chord, then use chord shapes to map out the rest of the progression so you can target chord tones when needed. A perfect example of this is the solo in “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. The chord progression is Am–G–F. Jimmy Page builds his lead using the A minor pentatonic scale but adds an F note during the F chord. This simple adjustment—heard in the very first descending line of the solo—makes the phrase sound more melodic and connected to the harmony.

You can practice this concept by mapping out F chord shapes within A minor pentatonic patterns, as shown in Figure 10-5. An F chord in “C form” fits neatly into Pattern 1, while the “A form” aligns with Pattern 2.

Figure 10-6 gives you some sample phrasing that follows an Am–G–F chord progression. Notice how the lead lines incorporate an F chord tone in every other measure to connect with the F chord. Listen to my demonstration in Audio Track 10-4, then try it yourself using Backing Track 10-3. Once you get the hang of it, apply this approach to other songs in minor keys by identifying chord tones within the progression and aligning them with your scale shapes.

Wrapping Up

By now, you see how targeting chord tones can take your soloing from generic to intentional. It’s one thing to play through a scale—it’s another to make your notes feel connected to the harmony, like they belong. This approach is what separates pattern players from melodic players—the kind whose solos get stuck in your head. With a bit of practice, you can start making your solos sound more musical, expressive, and memorable.

Access the Free Online Resources

Head to Lead Guitar Unlocked – Free Audio & Video Resources on Teachable to listen to this chapter’s audio tracks and jam along with the backing tracks.

Up Next: Beyond the Basics – The Blues Scale and Other Variations

In Chapter 11, you expand your pentatonic vocabulary even further. You add the famous “blue note” and explore other common pattern variations to give your playing more grit, emotion, and character.