A Major Neo Soul Guitar Backing Track (90 BPM) for Practice and Soloing

90 BPM in A major with a neo soul feel. The progression is A – E – F#m – D, which is a I–V–vi–IV that you've heard in about a thousand songs. The difference is the groove. Neo soul sits in a pocket that rewards smooth phrasing and space over speed. The loop runs for about eight minutes and repeats cleanly, so you can park on one idea and actually develop it.

What to practice over this

A major gives you A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#. All four chords sit inside the key, so nothing here will throw you a curveball harmonically. The challenge is making it sound musical instead of like a scale exercise. Neo soul punishes noodling. If you're running up and down the A major scale, the track will let you know it doesn't fit the vibe.

Try targeting the third of each chord as it comes around: C# over A, G# over E, A over F#m, F# over D. You don't need many notes. A two-note phrase that lands on a chord tone at the right moment will sound better than a sixteen-note run that ignores the changes.

Playing over the vi chord

The F#m is where this progression gets interesting. It's the relative minor, and it shifts the mood for two bars before resolving back to D. A lot of players blow right past it. Instead, try sitting on the F#m and letting the minor color do the work. Target A (the minor third) or C# (the fifth) and see how the tension feels before the D brings you back home.

If you want to get a little outside, try adding a D# (the raised 4th, or the “Lydian” note) over the A chord. It gives you that floaty, jazzy sound that neo soul players lean on. One note, easy to add, and it changes the whole color.

Pentatonic as a starting point

A major pentatonic (A, B, C#, E, F#) works well here if the full seven-note scale feels like too much to think about at first. Five notes, fewer wrong answers. The C# and F# in particular sit well against all four chords in the progression. Once you're comfortable, start adding D and G# back in and hear how they change things.

You can also mix in the A minor pentatonic for a blues-over-major sound. Bending the C natural up to C# over the A chord is a classic move that sounds great in this style. Just don't stay in minor pentatonic the whole time or it'll fight the neo soul vibe.

Play it on OpenFret too

This track is also available as an interactive jam at A Major Neo Soul Guitar Jam. The on-site version lets you adjust the tempo without changing the pitch, solo or mute individual tracks, and see the chord progression scroll in real time. If the YouTube embed is your leave-it-running option, the OpenFret version is for when you want to dig in and control the session.

Use it with OpenFret

If this one ends up in regular rotation, write down what you actually practiced. “Chord-tone targeting over F#m, 5th and 7th position” beats “jammed in A” when you come back next week.

OpenFret handles the rest: guitar inventory, log practice sessions, connect with other players, or play Guitar Quest when you want structured practice with note detection. Open Studio alongside this track if you want a fretboard diagram and scale reference without leaving the site.

Join the OpenFret Discord to request the next backing track, vote on the next key or BPM, and share your progress.