How to Solo Over George Benson's "On Broadway": 4 Strategies for the B♭ to A♭ Vamp
Oct 29, 2026Short answer: Most of the time, the solo section of George Benson's "On Broadway" is a B♭ major triad going to an A♭ major triad. I use four strategies over it: (1) minor pentatonic, mainly B♭ minor pentatonic (most of Benson's solo) plus G minor pentatonic for the major 3rd and color notes; (2) blues, with the blues note and Benson-style double stops; (3) ii-V-I lines, hearing the A♭ as F minor so the vamp works like F-7 to B♭7, and adding C-7–F7 to lead back into B♭; and (4) triad pairs, B♭ and A♭, then D♭ and E♭.
These are the solo strategies I use over George Benson's "On Broadway," starting with the basics and building up to more advanced ideas. ▶ 1:05
The progression: B♭ to A♭
For most of the solo it's a B♭ major triad to an A♭ major triad. Sometimes people go to the IV chord in a different section (B♭ to D♭), but the majority of the time it's B♭ to A♭, so that's what we'll focus on. ▶ 1:07
| Strategy | What to play over B♭ → A♭ | What it sounds like | Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Minor pentatonic | B♭ minor pentatonic and G minor pentatonic (same notes as B♭ major pentatonic) | B♭ minor is bluesier, G minor is prettier | ▶ 1:43 |
| 2. Blues | The blues note (E natural in B♭ blues) and double stops | Benson's bluesy side | ▶ 4:09 |
| 3. ii-V-I lines | F minor ii-V-I lines, plus C-7–F7 leading into B♭ | More tension, resolved with blues ideas | ▶ 6:14 |
| 4. Triad pairs | B♭ + A♭ triads, D♭ + E♭ triads, then all four | Pentatonic-like, but in 3rds | ▶ 10:10 |
Strategy 1: two minor pentatonics
B♭ minor pentatonic
This is the most obvious choice over B♭ to A♭, and it's probably the majority of the sound Benson uses in his solo on this tune. ▶ 1:43
G minor pentatonic for color
Another pentatonic that works really well is G minor pentatonic, which some people think of as B♭ major pentatonic. Take the same ideas you play in your regular B♭ minor pentatonic shape and move them down to G minor pentatonic at the 3rd fret. It gives you the major 3rd, D natural, over the B♭, plus some color notes over both chords. ▶ 2:16
Switch between them
The best way to use these is in combination. In the video I go back and forth between them; try to hear when I switch without watching my hands. The hint: B♭ minor pentatonic sounds bluesier, and G minor pentatonic sounds prettier because it hits a lot of color tones. ▶ 3:07
Strategy 2: blues and Benson's double stops
Add the blues note
Add the blues note from each minor pentatonic's blues scale. In B♭ minor pentatonic that's E natural, which you can also add in a lower octave. You can do the same with G minor pentatonic by playing G blues. ▶ 4:09
A Benson double-stop idea
Benson is known for double stops, and this is the main one I want you to try. Slide your middle finger from E into F on the G string while holding B♭ with your pinky. ▶ 4:45
Then, still holding that B♭ with the pinky, do a pull-off with the middle finger down to E♭. Keep going with D♭ on your ring finger, then B♭ with your index. Your pinky doesn't leave the B♭ the whole time. It's a cool double-stop idea for blues. ▶ 5:18
Strategy 3: ii-V-I lines from F minor
An F-7 chord contains an A♭ triad (A♭, C, E♭), so you can think of the A♭ chord as F minor. That makes B♭ to A♭ really like a ii-V of F minor to B♭7, so you can play ii-V-I lines that deal with F minor and B♭7 instead of thinking in pentatonics. ▶ 6:14
When I think this way I'm more likely to hit G natural, an A♭Maj.7 arpeggio, and sometimes E natural from melodic minor, which is harder to play. ▶ 7:05
Add a ii-V into B♭
When you're on a vamp, a static progression like this B♭ to A♭ that repeats for a long time, you can add the V sound to create tension that leads into B♭. The V of B♭ is F, so play a ii-V of C-7 to F7 leading into B♭. ▶ 8:07
You hear Benson play these kinds of ideas on "On Broadway." One of his lines is basically a C minor arpeggio, and from C minor he goes into a B dominant sound, a tritone sub. These lines have more tension, so they need to resolve properly into the B♭. ▶ 8:35
Resolve with blues ideas
Whenever you superimpose harmony like these ii-V-Is, a good way to resolve back is with blues ideas. That releases a lot of the tension, and it's what you hear Benson do. ▶ 9:51
Strategy 4: triad pairs
The triads are implied in the progression itself, so you can get a lot of ideas from strictly two triads: B♭ major and A♭ major. Another pair that works really well is D♭ and E♭. ▶ 10:10
| Triad pair | Where I see it |
|---|---|
| B♭ + A♭ | F minor, like F Dorian, or E♭ major |
| D♭ + E♭ | Inside the B♭ minor pentatonic blues shape |
This is another sound that contrasts with the strategies above. ▶ 10:59
Combine all four triads
Once you use all four triads, it starts to sound a lot like the pentatonics, but you're playing differently because you're moving in the 3rds of the triads. ▶ 12:10
The video ends with a full solo over the vamp. ▶ 13:27
Frequently asked questions
What are the chords in the solo section of "On Broadway"?
Most of the time it's a vamp from a B♭ major triad to an A♭ major triad. There's sometimes a different section, but B♭ to A♭ is what you'll solo over most.
What scale does George Benson use on "On Broadway"?
B♭ minor pentatonic is probably the majority of the sound in his solo. G minor pentatonic (the same notes as B♭ major pentatonic) adds the major 3rd and prettier color notes.
How do you add tension over a two-chord vamp?
Add a ii-V that leads into the I chord. Over the B♭ to A♭ vamp, play C-7 to F7 lines that resolve into B♭, then release the tension with blues ideas, the way Benson does.
What are triad pairs on guitar?
Two triads used together as the source for lines. Over "On Broadway," B♭ and A♭ come straight from the progression, and D♭ and E♭ add a second pair. Combining all four sounds like pentatonic playing, but in 3rds.
How do you play double stops like George Benson?
One idea from the video: hold B♭ with your pinky, slide your middle finger into F, then pull off to E♭ and walk down to D♭ and B♭ while the pinky stays put. It works anywhere you want a bluesy sound.
Keep learning
- How to play like George Benson: his techniques, explained: the full map of Benson's techniques, with a lesson for each
- The two pentatonics in George Benson's "Breezin'" solo: another Benson solo built on pairing two pentatonics
- George Benson's two-chord approach: the thinking behind hearing A♭ as F minor
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