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Miles Davis - Solar - Guitar Tab

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Key C minor
Miles Davis - Solar guitar tab video
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1951-1959 The Essential Works album cover
1951-1959 The Essential Works
2019 4:44
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Miles Davis Jazz 2019 C minor
Capo Advisor 0 C minor · Original key

About Solar

"Solar" is a 32-bar minor-key cycle that rewards careful harmonic study as much as raw technique. The chord progression moves through a series of ii-V-I resolutions in shifting tonal centers, so before you learn the melody, spend time mapping where each key center lands and how the changes connect. On guitar, comping this piece in C minor demands clean voice leading: keep your chord shapes close on the neck and let individual notes move smoothly from one harmony to the next rather than jumping positions. The melody itself sits in a comfortable range but its rhythmic placement is deceptively relaxed, so playing it with real conviction at this tempo takes more control than it first appears. Miles Davis recorded the tune as a vehicle for improvisation, and that spirit carries over to the guitar: once the changes feel solid, use the changes as a framework for building your own lines. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop any tricky ii-V moment slowed down until the voice leading feels completely natural under your fingers. This is essential Jazz vocabulary, and mastering the form will pay dividends across countless other standards.

  • The 32-bar form cycles through multiple ii-V-I resolutions in related keys, making it a strong exercise for practicing smooth jazz chord voice leading.
  • At 120 BPM the melody sits at a comfortable pace, but placing each note with rhythmic confidence requires careful attention to phrasing and note duration.
  • For solo guitar, try combining melody and chord stabs in a chord-melody arrangement, keeping voicings close together on the neck to serve the shifting tonal centers.

How to Play Solar

Key: C minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul Standard's thick humbuckers and sustain made it a natural choice for Miles Davis fusion guitarists seeking warm, articulate tones. Its balanced output handles both clean jazz comping and overdriven fusion passages with clarity.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Pete Cosey used a modified Les Paul Custom with extra onboard electronics to achieve his textured, experimental tone in Miles's fusion bands. The guitar's heavy body and enhanced electronics gave him the versatility for wah, ring modulation, and fuzz effects.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

John McLaughlin cranked the Twin Reverb to high volume during the 'Jack Johnson' sessions, using its natural tube breakup to fuel explosive fusion lines. The amp's headroom and reverb created the spacious, crystalline backdrop for Miles's modal exploration.

Fender Deluxe Reverb
Amp

Fender Deluxe Reverb

The Deluxe Reverb's warm, responsive character makes it ideal for jazz standards like 'Solar,' offering headroom and clarity for fingerstyle comping. Its built-in reverb adds subtle depth without overwhelming the guitar's natural tone.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Pete Cosey wielded multiple Cry Baby wahs to shape his experimental fusion voice, using the pedal for expressive, vocal-like note bending. The wah became essential to Miles's fusion sound, adding dynamic expression beyond traditional jazz vocabulary.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
Pedal

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

John Scofield used the Tube Screamer for light, musical overdrive that preserved his warm Ibanez tone while adding subtle grit. The pedal's midrange boost complemented his Mesa/Boogie amp, creating a smooth, compressed overdrive perfect for fusion lines.

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