Improvisation — rock in B minor, variant
Bm-Em-A-D shares the same B root as the basic Bm-G-D-A grid: the B minor pentatonic scale (position 1, fret 7) works over both progressions unchanged.
Tips
If you've already worked through the improvisation on the basic grid, try running both progressions back to back without breaking your phrase at the switch.
Understanding this type of exercise
The chords change, not the scale
The same E minor pentatonic covers this variant (Em-Am-D-G) as well as the base grid: changing the surrounding chords doesn't change the scale as long as the root, E, stays the same.
Practical tips and common mistakes
- Compare by ear with the improvisation over the base grid: the same phrases work, the harmonic colour changes mainly over the Am chord.
- Over that Am chord, the note A becomes more stable — you can land a phrase on it without it sounding wrong.
- Don't switch position on every chord: stay in position 1 and listen to how each note reacts to the current chord.
- Playing both grids back to back is the best harmonic ear-training exercise.
Chord progression — Bm
Bar 1
Bm
i
Bar 2
Em
iv
Bar 3
A
VII
Bar 4
D
III
Fretboard position
root note other scale note
Chords
The same exercise in other keys
Related sheets
- Rock in D minor — syncopated rhythm (Level 4)
- Barre — F major / F minor parallel (Level 4)
- Drop D chord changes — speed in D (Level 4)