Blues related questions

I believe you are correct.

Geoo

You're right about the scale - the minor pentatonic is 1-b3-4-5-b7; the blues scale is 1-b3-4-b5-5-b7. Only one extra note.

Analyzing the use of riffs against the chords can be very useful - so can analyzing which notes certain effects are used on (bends, vibrato, etc.) with each underlying chord. They'll give you a sense of how an artist creates a 'style'.

But you're right, an artist (or at least a very creative artist) doesn't limit him/herself to scale tones. In general, a couple of common tones can be added as passing notes: the 3rd - halfway between the b3 and the 4 - and the 7th - halfway between the b7 and the root. You'll find lots of solos include these as either true passing tones, or as decorations... they'll start a half step lower or higher than the target, or they'll move from a target tone to one a half step away, and then return.

Another thing some artists do is alter the scale depending on the chord. Let's say you're soloing in C blues. The C blues scale is C-Eb-F-Gb-G-Bb. But over the V chord (G7), you might switch to the G blues scale: G-Bb-C-Db-D-F. This adds Db and D to the original... but it uses the 'out of key' notes on the chord with the most tension - and one of those notes (D) is already contained in the V chord.

Good soloists will include all sorts of non-scale tones. I saw B.B. King Saturday, and before BB took the stage his band did a tune that included a number of diminished arpeggio runs that fit quite nicely.

I made a little flash tool to aid learning the pentatonic and blues scales (here), you might find it useful... For just the blues scale, turn on the minor root (yellow) and the blue note (funnily enough, blue :)).

Thanks for the tool, C&S. Good job!

You're right about the scale - the minor pentatonic is 1-b3-4-5-b7; the blues scale is 1-b3-4-b5-5-b7. Only one extra note.

You're right, of course. I was thinking of the scale played across 6 frets which covers two octaves. :oops:

Okay, help me as I analyse this, and point out where I miss the mark...

The A-blues scale, from 5th fret & 6th string to 8th fret and 1st string, covers 2 and a bit octaves, from root to b3. The first half of this particular two-bar riff, as played on the A blues scale, goes as follows:

-----------------------
-----5--------7--5----
-----5H6-----7--5H6-
--7--------7----------
-----------------------
-----------------------

Here, the H6 is "outside" of the blues scale, as is the 7th fret, 2nd string. The H6 would appear to be, uh, the third? And the other would appear to be the 6th?

Okay, as Noteboat says, adding the the third is not uncommon. The other (yes, I only know two :lol: ) riff I've learned uses the 7th which Noteboat mentions is also common by sliding in from outside the typical scale position, i.e.

--4/5--
--4/5--
--------
--------
--------
--------etc.

Is the other note there, the b5?

Thanks to all for such a great site!! It's great to have a place to go to ask all these questions and get such expert answers. Like having a teacher on call, 24/7!

You got it.

Riffs often include chord tones. Your first riff has the 3 in A, which is in the A chord, and when you move to the 4th and 6th, those notes (D & F#) happen to be chord tones for the IV chord.

The last bit is the b5 and 7 sliding into the 5 and root.

And yes, you can use other scales than the blues scale in soloing, though you want to keep it sounding bluesy for sure.

One good alternative is the major blues scale (which I was taught as the "traditional blues scale.") It's the major pentatonic plus the minor third. People often discover this accidentally. It's the same as the blues scale of the relative minor of the key you're in, or the blues scale pattern of the key you're in moved three frets toward the nut, with the tonality still centered on the root of the key you're in. Sounds "happier" than the minor blues scale. Either one, or any of the notes from either, will work over a major I-IV-V blues backing. Only the minor blues scale will work over a minor accompaniment.

Many blues players combine the Minor and Major Pentatonic scales together. I am not a teacher, this may be the Mixolydian Scale?? But Eric Clapton and BB King are masters at this technique.

Here is an example, Birthday by the Beatles.


A Minor Pentatonic 1st position

~~
e------------------------------
b-----------5--8-7---5---------
g--------6---------------------
d---7-7-----------------7------
a------------------------------
e------------------------------


This riff is played with the index finger at the 5th fret like the A Minor Pentatonic 1st position.
But the C# and F# notes belong to the Major Pentatonic. This is a very common technique.

Here is another example, a classic Chuck Berry lick


Classic Chuck Berry lick

e---5-5----------------
b---5-5---7---5--------
g---------7—--5h6—--6-
d-------------------7-
a----------------------
e----------------------


This lick is sort of a combination of playing lead and rhythm at the same time, playing an A Major chord and bouncing off a D Major chord back to the A. But this also combines the notes of both the A Minor and A Major Pentatonics. The D chord double stop at the 7th fret has the F# from the Major Pentatonic, and the D note from the Minor Pentatonic combined. This could also be considered going into the D Major Pentatonic 1st position.

But combining both scales together gives you more notes to play with and makes for very colorful lead guitar.

Wes, Myxolydian's just the major scale with a flat seventh. Useful for lots of stuff.

Thanks Ricochet, I will remember that. :wink:

I really should study music more.

I really should play music more. :lol:

Heh...just when I think I've got it, someone comes along and says, "BUT..." :) Right, I get the major and minor blues scales, no problem. But now with this switching between them, it feels like:

"Okay, man, here's a scale. Quickly, learn it. Got it? Right? Now, you can play whatever notes you want to in that scale, and they'll sound good together. Also, you can do that while someone is playing a chord based on the same root. Got it? Okay, practice it. Play the scale, but mess with the timing and order of the notes.

Great, you've got it. Now, to be an excellent musician, forget ALL that, and just play the notes that sound good together" :shock: :lol:

So...it comes down to, I can play major or minor blues scale over a major blues I-IV-V backing, but only a minor over a minor? Oh, wait, I didn't know there was a "major" and a "minor" I-IV-V backing...the only way I know how to play a 12 bar blues backing at the moment is (assuming root A, for the I)

X02XXX
X02XXX
X04XXX
X02XXX
X05XXX
X02XXX
X02XXX
X02XXX

I guess I need to play AND study more...

EDIT (Addition):
One good alternative is the major blues scale (which I was taught as the "traditional blues scale.") It's the major pentatonic plus the minor third.

Okay, do you mean the flat third (bIII), or the minor third? It seems to me that that scale pattern would need to span 5 frets?

A flat third would create a minor third interval. ;)

Anyway: another fun scale that works well is what I call the 'BB King Scale'. In A that would be: A, B, D, E, F#. Play around with it, some pretty cool licks are possible with this one. Change back to regular minor pentatonic and you are The King no problem. ;)

Yep. Flat third = minor third.

Play around a bit with the scales here: http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/index_rb.html

And there's a guy on here who makes custom Web applets for things like this, who came up with one that shows the locations of the notes in the minor and major blues scales or the combination of the two, but I can't remember who and can't find the post. It's down in Slide and Alternate Tunings somewhere...