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How to Make a Blues Scale

tonymiceli 19 January 2009

In order to learn a blues, you'll have to get some sort of system to help you remember the notes as well as to help transpose them into different keys. There are a few different types of blues scales, however in this podcast we'll focus on the minor blues scales. In the key of F the notes would be: F Ab Bb B C Eb F.

Comments

Stefan vdb Sun, 01/20/2013 - 08:34

May I ask my question here ?

Working with the Jon Metzger book. Jon gives the folowing tip :
"When improvising on 12bar blues you can use the blues scale of that Key. Since many of the nots of the scale are contained within the harmonies."
Now I'm not sure about the following.
If I play a 12bar blues in F for example. Do I improvise 12 bars in the F scale ?
Or do I change my scales also...
Meaning : 1th measure in F, 2nd in Bflat, 3&4in F......

Thanks for your help,
Stefan.

Babu Mon, 01/21/2013 - 06:34

The F blues scale is OK for the whole 12 bars. Just listen to what you're playing and try to find out combinations fitting with the changes, but don't worry too much. Practice, practice, practice and all is going to work better and better.

Stefan vdb Mon, 01/21/2013 - 14:43

Hey Babu,

thank you verry verry much. You can't imagine how happy I was reading this. (I mean the don't worry, Practice.... Part).
Lately I've been thinking, and studying, learning scales and keys. But not really playing . Yes, trying things at the vibes, but mostly studying. This post made me practice again.
So I put the tape on. played, and focused on what I was playing, and where I was in the 12 bars.

I put 2 takes of my recording together. I still have a lot to learn, that's obvious. But I felt really happy after these recordings.

Thanks again,
Stefan

Babu Tue, 01/22/2013 - 04:37

That's it ! You got the blues ! :-) The time in the second take is better (you kept it simple, that's the way). Have fun !

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