Blues Solo Improvisation

I second schnet's comment. Tanks so much, Arjen, for the article. I had been working on the minor pentatonic scale myself, until I had to set it aside for a while to learn all the church songs once I joined that group. Now I feel like I have that stuff under my belt well enough to get back to working on scles. Coincidentally, I was wanting to learn how to work this scale into some improvisation, so your article is just what the doctor ordered!

I especially like your tips on how to loearn the individual notes and the way you worked in the blue note.

When't the next installment?

It's funny that I been studying a little blues theory this week all over the internet, and when I logged I found Arjen's great article. Thanks man! :P

Thanks for the comments guys! Have some other stuff to do the next few days, but I hope to be able to write the next article next weekend. It then has to be checked by David and uploaded by Paul, so it kinda depends on

1) when I finish writing it.
2) How much time both Paul and David have.

An optimistic estimate is 'in 20 days or so', but it's hard to predict what's going to keep me, and them, occupied so don't kill me when it is a bit later. The next article will deal with how to add some rhythmical and melodical sense and introduce basic techniques (bends and vibrato mostly).

I, too, would like to comment on the article by Arjen.

I have been playing classical guitar and lately been looking to expand into blues. I just purchased an ultra-cheap electric guitar and amp simply for the range the neck offers. I have no expectations of quality given what I paid so I know I won't be disappointed.

After reading Arjen's article on Blues Solo Improvisation, I felt it was exactly what I was looking for to solve the "mystery" of blues improvisation. Yet I know it was just the "tip of the iceberg". Please post more on this subject.

Thanks for your efforts Arjen!

Thanks for the comments, and welcome to GuitarNoise! I'm currently in a bit of mess but if all goes well the new article *should* be done this month.

I'm definitely anticipating it quite heavily.

Good job man! 8)

Arjen,

If you're looking for someone in your "neighborhood" that knows guitar, check out a guy by the name of Bert Alink. He lives somewhere in Holland. His website is at http://home.zonnet.nl/b.alink/

I was hosting a bunch of his MP3s until I got overwhelmed by hits that devastated my bandwidth and had to discontinue the service.

Lookin' forward to your next installment...

Javaman

Hi Arjen,

First of all great article. Hope you continue this subject.

I've got a quick question about when you say to play the blue note. You say to play the blue note before you would otherwise play an E note. Which I have never heard before. Does that mean that if you were playing the A minor pentatonic scale down from the 1st string you would play the following notes in this order?

A - G - Eb - E - D - C - A

rather than the more obvious:

A - G - E - Eb - D - C - A

Haha, great question. I never thought people would read it like that. What I mean is: A C D Eb E G A

Or in other words, the opposite way. If you start at the 1st string and play the scale backwards your 'obvious's version is correct. So what I was trying to say: play the blue note between D and E, which is nothing but logical. Sorry for any confusion. :oops:

ah, great. Thanks for the quick reply.