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Solo Guitar - The Blues Scales
Solo Guitar - The Blues Scales
"The Blues are a simple
"The Blues are a simple music and I'm a music and I'm a simple man. But the Blues aren't a simple man. But the Blues aren't a science, the Blues can'tscience, the Blues can't be broken down like mathematics. The Blu
be broken down like mathematics. The Blues are a mystery, es are a mystery, and mysteries are never as simple asand mysteries are never as simple as they look!"
they look!"
- BB King, interview by David Ritz - BB King, interview by David Ritz [1][1]
When you want to play a solo,
When you want to play a solo, you have to know which notes you can play. This set of notes is called ayou have to know which notes you can play. This set of notes is called a scalescale. It. It must fit to the song and the chords, not all
must fit to the song and the chords, not all notes on your fretboard would givnotes on your fretboard would giv e a nice e a nice sound if played in one song.sound if played in one song. Looking into a m
Looking into a m usic book you'll find dozens of different scales and modes, major usic book you'll find dozens of different scales and modes, major and natural/melodic/hand natural/melodic/harmonicarmonic minor, dorian, lydian, mixoly
minor, dorian, lydian, mixoly dian, aeolian or phrygian mode and even more. If you want to learn more aboutdian, aeolian or phrygian mode and even more. If you want to learn more about these, look at the basics.
these, look at the basics. The
The classical music theoryclassical music theory is not well suited to describe the Blues, but we don't have a choice. From that point of is not well suited to describe the Blues, but we don't have a choice. From that point of view Blues is crazy
view Blues is crazy and wrong - playing dominant major and wrong - playing dominant major 7th chords all over m7th chords all over m inor pentatonic scales, usinginor pentatonic scales, using chromatic scale pieces for
chromatic scale pieces for intros and turnarounds, using a 5 tone scale intros and turnarounds, using a 5 tone scale instead of the accustomed 7 tone instead of the accustomed 7 tone scales,scales, adding notes that don't belong to any scale - and these stupid chord progressions... so it's only
adding notes that don't belong to any scale - and these stupid chord progressions... so it's only an attempt toan attempt to describe what we call
describe what we call the Blues. Why is it the Blues. Why is it so weird? so weird? It's because the black people in the It's because the black people in the USA back in the beginningUSA back in the beginning of the 20th centu
of the 20th century triery trie d to play d to play their African music styles on western instruments - i.e. the their African music styles on western instruments - i.e. the guitar, the harp and theguitar, the harp and the piano. Take the guitar: the frets are made for equal intonation, to play
piano. Take the guitar: the frets are made for equal intonation, to play classical (western) musclassical (western) music. To get the notesic. To get the notes "between" you need special techniq
"between" you need special techniques like a ues like a string bend or a slide. string bend or a slide. The best way to The best way to describe the Blues scale withdescribe the Blues scale with standard music theory is using a pentatonic scale and add some extra
standard music theory is using a pentatonic scale and add some extra s.s.
The pentatonic scale
The pentatonic scale
This scale is called "pentatonic", because it contains only 5 (penta = 5) different notes. We start with the This scale is called "pentatonic", because it contains only 5 (penta = 5) different notes. We start with the minor pentatonic scale
minor pentatonic scale in E (there's also a major pentatonic scale, which sounds not so "sad", but forin E (there's also a major pentatonic scale, which sounds not so "sad", but for a deep basic Blues we'll take the minor). We
a deep basic Blues we'll take the minor). We start with the key of E, because it's a "guitar keystart with the key of E, because it's a "guitar key " - all open" - all open strings belong to this scale.
strings belong to this scale. Here it is,
Here it is, noted in tab (E is the key, that means the scale begins with E):noted in tab (E is the key, that means the scale begins with E):
E I---0-3-I E I---0-3-I B I---0-3---I B I---0-3---I G I---0-2---I G I---0-2---I D I---0-2---I D I---0-2---I A I---0-2---I A I---0-2---I E I-0-3---I E I-0-3---I
E minor pentatonic scale, first pattern E minor pentatonic scale, first pattern
You start with the open E-string; that's (of course) E. When you reach the 2nd fret of the D-string, it's also E (play You start with the open E-string; that's (of course) E. When you reach the 2nd fret of the D-string, it's also E (play both at the same time, y
both at the same time, y ou will hear it). And finally the other open E string is also E. So you've stepped throughou will hear it). And finally the other open E string is also E. So you've stepped through 22 octaves
octaves. The notes are E - G - A - B - D.. The notes are E - G - A - B - D.
Playing the open strings also contains all notes of the
Playing the open strings also contains all notes of the E minor pentatonic scale, but not in the correct E minor pentatonic scale, but not in the correct sequensequence,ce, every 2nd note is left out. That means you can play simple rhythm guitar and even small
every 2nd note is left out. That means you can play simple rhythm guitar and even small solos with only opensolos with only open strings! No need to take
strings! No need to take your left hand...(sorry, lyour left hand...(sorry, l efthanefthanders).ders).
The Blues scale: Blue Notes
The Blues scale: Blue Notes
Next step:
Next step: to get the typical to get the typical Blues sounBlues sound, we ad, we a dd a special note: the "Blue note" (which is usually a diminisheddd a special note: the "Blue note" (which is usually a diminished fifth, see basics).
Muddy Waters (McKinley Mo rganfield, 1915-1983)
Originator of the Chicago Blues style. Singer, guitar
player, slide guitar player, songwriter and bandleader. Played with Jimmy Rogers, Junior Wells, Earl Hooker, Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, ..., also with Johnny Winter, the Band, EC and more. Guess where he loved to play when he was a child... However, there a re more definitions of the Blue note, I use the most common definition. The diminished third and
the diminished seventh are the other ones often called "Blue notes", or in general notes played at a lower pitch than those of the major scale.
The diminished (flat) third is the note which in classical (western) music styles determines if it's a major or a minor scale. In Blues music it is often a bend form the minor note into the major note, usually not reaching exactly the target note.
The diminished (flat) seventh is the note which is part of the dominant seventh chord, the one which leads back to the tonic (root) note.
Another more simple definition you'll find is that a Blue note is always played at a lower pitch than those of the major scale to express a certain feeling. All these definitions show us the impossibility for an exact definition using classical music theory. The African roots of the Blues music used non-equal tempered (natural harmonic) scales, so this is obviously an attempt to describe these "in-between" notes using classical notation. So you can consider American Blues music as a well grown mixture of African and European music styles.
Back to the scale - it now the scale gets more "dramatic" and looks like:
I---0-3-I I---0-3---I I---0-2-3---I I---0-2---I I---0-1-2---I I-0-3---I E minor Blues scale
This new note is a great starting point for string bending, in Blues music a note is often bended into a Blue note. Another note to bend into is for exam ple a note from the major scale while playing in a minor scale. By the way -you can play this scale also 12 frets higher using the same fingering pattern, it's still in E:
I---12-15-I I---12-15---I I---12-14-15---I I---12-14---I I---12-13-14---I I-12-15---I
Other keys
And now the great advantage of playing guitar: with a bright smile on y our face you look to the k eyboard player and give him the sign for changing the key. While the k eyboard player i s wondering about the black and white keys on his keyboard (what was it? F-sharp? damn...), you just have finished your solo. The secret is that you only have to move the frets up or down to change to another key. The fingering pattern is s till the same! Look at the fretboard scheme to locate the root notes for a scale. Moving up or down a fret means moving up or down a semi note: if you want to play in F you can use the pattern of E and simply move up one fret.
Example: Blues pentatonic in A would look lik e (start at the 5th fret!):
I---5-8-I I---5-8---I I---5-7-8---I I---5-7---I I---5-6-7---I I-5-8---I A minor Blues scale
More fingering patterns and "bo x" playing
With this scales you can play y our first Blues licks. The advantage is that you can play everytime every note of the scale. There is no "wrong" note, but some will sound better, some not so good. You can not only play pentatonic scales to Blues music, but also to rock, pop and ev en jazz music. (On the other hand, you can never get any Spanish flamenco or country music feeling with it, there are some notes or better intervals missing...)
This is not the only position for the pentatonic Blues scale. There ar e different fingering patterns, so you can play it all over the fretboard. But for the beginning it's better to start with only one and add sometimes a note from another fingering pattern.
Depending on the key and personal influences like finger size or strength most players use a special parts of these patterns calledb o x e s . Within this box you have all the notes from an octave in a comfortable
arrangement, for example small distances for small fingers or a position that allows you to bend the
important notes with your r ing finger. Some technique oriented guitarists tend to doom this box playing and like to fly all over the fretboard. However, as long as you don't want to be a shredder, but play the Blues instead, it's okay. Spend your time searching for positions you can put all your emotions to the string.
I---8---10--I I---8---10--I I-7-8-9---I I---I I---I I---I
Common box example for the A Blues scale
Here are schemes of your fretboard wi th all pentatonic fingering patterns for the two most common Blues keys (this is NO tab, just directly a look at the fretboard). You can see the minor pentatonic scale fingering patterns (with root notes and blue notes) plus the additional notes from the major pentatonic scale, which you don't need i n the
beginning, but will give you more roo m to play. You can cut out your own boxes in which you can play comfortably.
For the open strings of a scale take a look at the 12th fret. For other scales, look at the basics.
The scales
How do I use the following graphics to improve my solo guitar?
Let's say we have a standard 12 bar Blues in E with the chords E(7)/A7/B7. Use the E scale below and locate the red root notes (E). To get the minor pentatonic scale, add the black notes (E-G-A-B-D). You can now play in "safe mode" with these notes, each note will sound more or less good, there are no wrong notes. The next step is adding the blue note (yes, it's colored blue..., Bb in this case). If you reach the point that it gets boring, carefully try to add some of the gray notes from the major pentatonic. Some - not all! Handle them with care, you'll soon find out when to use which note to get the tonal effect you want to express. If you wonder why there are less gray notes than black notes: both scales share the same root (red) plus the V (B in this case), which is colored black to avoid confusion.
Tip: Many more scales graphics in every k ey and for different tunings and other nice extra features are at the scale and chord generator.
Chromatic semitones 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Minor X - X X - X - X X - X - X PentatonicMinor X - - X - X - X - - X - X Blues X - - X - X X X - - X - X PentatonicMajor X - X - X - - X - X - - X Mixolydian X - X - X X - X - X X - X Major 1 - 2 - 3 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 1(8)
Major(degree) I - ii - iii IV - V - vi - vii I
Chromatic semitones 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Universal scale generator: Use the scrollbar to move the root (key) note to the right position
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Lates t Eric Clapton releases: Jack Bruce:
Composing Himself: The Authorized Biography (Book) Ginger Baker:
Hellraiser: The Autobiography of the World's Greatest Drummer (Hardcover) EC:
The Essential Interviews (P aperback) EC + Jerry Lee Lewis:
Mean Old Man (EP, CD on demand) EC + Micheal Kamen:
Edge of Darkness (DVD) Bluesbreakers + EC:
Bluesbreakers w ith Eric Clapton [DELUXE EDITION] (2 CD) EC + Winwood:
Live from Madison Square Garden (CD) EC + Winwood:
Live from Madison Square Garden (DVD)
