How To Improvise Over Minor 7th Chords

This lesson will go over some common and advanced ways to improvise over minor 7th chords.

1. Use the Dorian mode over a minor 7th chord. Over a Dmin7 chord, use the D Dorian Mode (D E F G A B C).

Here is an example of a lick using the D Dorian mode. 

2. Play the Aeolian mode over a minor 7th chord. Over an Amin7 chord, use A Aeolian (A B C D E F G A).

Here’s an example of a lick using the A Aeolian mode that you can play over an Amin7 chord.

3. Use the blues scale! The blues scale never fails… You should know this one. Play an A blues scale over an Amin7 chord.

4. Over a dmin7 chord you can use both the A minor pentatonic and the E minor pentatonic scales.