CHORD TONE SOLOING (LEVEL 3)

How to target the 5th - by Dylan Andrews

Imagine you’re playing a solo, and things are... fine.

But you’re looking for something to take it up a notch.

You want your lines to lock in with the music, instead of just skating on top of it.

That’s where chord tone soloing comes in, and today we’re focusing on one tone that often gets overlooked—the 5th.

The 5th isn’t known for being flashy, but it’s sneaky good. This will show you how to sound more connected to the chords.

The 5th is like the glue in a chord, it holds everything together. If the root is the foundation and the 3rd is the color, the 5th is what makes the chord feel solid and grounded.

And that same energy can transfer into your solos.

Think of the 5th as the friend who always shows up on time, ready to help. It won’t necessarily steal the show, but it’s reliable and works in pretty much any context.

HOW TO USE THE 5TH IN YOUR SOLOS

  1. Locate It: First, know where the 5th is on your instrument for each chord. It's not that hard—it’s always 7 frets away from the root. So in a C chord, G is the 5th. In an A minor chord, E is the 5th. You get the idea.

  2. Approach with Style: You don’t have to hit the 5th directly. You can sneak up on it with a slide, or hit it with a bend, or even approach it chromatically. Think of it like showing up to a party fashionably late—you don’t want to make it too obvious, but you want people to notice.

  3. Timing is Everything: Where you place the 5th in your solo can make all the difference. Play it on a strong beat to emphasize its strength, or delay it a bit to create a sense of anticipation. Mess around with different rhythms and see how it changes the vibe of your solo.

  4. Build Phrases Around It: The 5th is a great target for your lines. Build phrases that land on it, start from it, or bounce around it. It’s strong enough to stand alone, but it also plays well with others, so you can weave it into your lines and still have them sound connected.

Wanna Learn More?

If you’re ready to dive deeper into using the 5th in your solos, check out the video below. I’ll break down all the tricks and techniques that can help you make the 5th your new go-to note when soloing. Let’s make your solos more intentional and connected—no more aimless wandering around the fretboard!