pentatonic scales 25 - amazon web...

Why Learn the Blues? 3 Tuning 3The Chromatic Scale and Notes on the 6th String 4Notes on the 5th String 5Common Notes Between the 6th and 5th Strings 6The I-IV-V Chord Progression 6Chords in Blues 9Groove: Straight vs. Shuffle/Swing 16The 12-Bar Blues 17Chord Fragments 19Vocal Elements 22Pentatonic Scales 25

Table Of Contents

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Ex.1

6

4&

‰ÊGuitarTuning:

=D3

=E2

=A2 ‚·„=G3

=B3

=E4

WhyLearntheBlues?

Tuning

Beforeplayinganythingelse,itisimportanttogetyourguitartuned.Forthiscourse,wewillusestandard

tuningasshownbelow:

1.YouprobablyliketheBlues.Youlikelisteningtoit,goingtoconcertsfeaturingyourfavoritebluesar�sts,

etc.becausetheBluesisinspiringtolistentoandwatchpeopleplayit.

2.Ithasalltheelementsyouneedasaguitarplayernoma�erwhatstyleofmusicyoufavorplaying.

3.Bluesisaveryeffec�vemeansofcommunica�onamongstmanymusicians.Itisveryconsistent.

Itdoesthesamethingsoverandoverforthemostpart.Itissopredictablethatmanymusicianscan

playtogetheralmostinstantly.

ThesearethreereasonswhyyouwillwanttolearntheBlues.

BluesSoloingMasterclass-Week1

SteveS�ne

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E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D#

Ex.2

2

E Eb D Db C B Bb A Ab G Gb F E

3

&

TheChroma�cScaleandNotesonthe6thString

Tounderstandtheguitarfretboard,weneedtounderstandthechroma�cscale(allofthe12

possiblepitchesinmusic).Thisisbecausetheguitarfretboard'sisdividedbyfretwiresinaccordancetoit.

Eachfretisseparatedfromeachotherbyahalfstep.Playingallthenotesonasinglestringonallfretsin

successionproducesthechroma�cscale:

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Whatweseearethenotesoverthe6thstringthatweneedtomemorize.Todoso,takenoteofthe

following:

1.Theopen6thstringisE.

2.The1st,3rd,5th,and7thfretshavethenotesF,G,A,andBrespec�vely.Thesetypicallyhavefretmarkers.

3.Inbetweenthe9thfretareCandD(8thand10thfret).The12thfretnoteisE.

4.Therestofthenotes(accidentals)canbederivedbychroma�cscalelogic.

Whileitwouldbenicetobeabletomemorizeallthenotesperfret,thereisaneasierandsmarterway

ofgoingaboutit.Takenoteoftheimageofthefretboardbelow:

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0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

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A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#

Ex.3

5

A Ab G Gb F E Eb D Db C B Bb A

6

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Notesonthe5thString

Inthesamemannerasthe6thstring,wecanalsoderiveachroma�cscalefromthe5thstring

star�ngwithA:

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Lookingatthepictureabove,thesmartestwaytomemorizethenotesofthe5thstringisasfollows:

1.Knowthattheopen5thstringisA.

2.The2nd,3rd,5th,and7thfretshavethenotesB,C,D,andErespec�vely.Exceptforthe

2ndfret,thesetypicallyhavefretmarkers.

3.Inbetweenthe9thfretareFandG(8thand10thfret).The12thfretnoteisA.

4.Therestofthenotes(accidentals)canbederivedbychroma�cscalelogic.

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A A B B C C D D E E F F G G

Ex.4

8

I IV V

Ex.5

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5

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CommonNotesBetweenthe6thand5thStrings

Theques�onnowiswhyisitespeciallyimportanttomemorizethenotesofthe6thand5thstrings?

Thisisveryimportantbecauseitmakesiteasiertolearnscales,chords,andpa�ernsifweknowthe

notesofthe6thand5thstrings.Eachnotethenbecomesalandmarkforvariousscaleandchord

pa�erns.Onceyouhavemasteredthenotesoverthe6thand5thstrings,youcangetevenbe�er

ifyoulearnthenotesoftherestofthestringstobecomemoreconfidentwhenplayingtheguitar.

Oneofthethingsthatcanbeno�ceda�erlearningthenotesofthe6thand5thstringsisthatyou

caniden�fycommonnotesbetweenthetwostrings.Thishastheaddedbenefitofbeingableto

navigatethefretboardbe�erandlearnpa�ernsmoreefficiently.

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A D

E

TheI-IV-VChordProgression

InBlues,thefundamentalchordprogressioniscalledtheI-IV-V.InthekeyofA,forexample,theI-IV-Vis

A-D-E.Inmusictheory,eachmajorscale/keysignaturehassevennotesandwillthereforehavesevenchords.

Wetakethefirst(I),thefourth(IV),andthefi�h(V)chordfromthatkeysignatureandplaytheminsequence

togettheI-IV-Vchordprogression.ManybluessongsfollowtheI-IV-V.Takenoteofthepa�ernbelow:

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Ex.6

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I IV V

Ex.7

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I IV V

Ex.8

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Ifyoulookintothepreviousexampleclosely,therootoftheIchordisatthe6thstring,therootoftheIV

chordisjustunderneathitatthe5thstring,andthentheVchord'srootisatthe5thstringtwofretsaway

fromtheIVchord.AsforourexampleinthekeyofA,theIchord'srootisatthe6thstring5thfret,theIV

chord'srootatthe5thstring5thfret,andtheVchord'srootatthe5thstring7thfret:

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A D

E

SincewecannowfindwheretherootnotesoftheI-IV-Vare,allwehavetodoisfleshoutthechords:

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GC D

Becausethispa�ernisconsistent,wecanjustmoveitanywhereonthefretboardtoplayaI-IV-Vchord

progressioninanykeywewant.Forinstance,allittakestoplayaI-IV-VinthekeyofGistomovethe

pa�erntothe3rdfret:

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I IV V

Ex.9

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I IV V

Ex.10

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I IV V

Ex.11

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A D E

Forthenextexample,let'sputtheIchordonthe5thstringthis�me.Thepa�ernforourI-IV-Vwilllooklike

this.Wewillplotouttherootnotesfirst:

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A5 D5 E5

YoucanseethattheiftheIchordrootisatthe5thstring,youcanfindtheIVatthe6thstringtwofrets

backandtheVchordjustaboveit.Wecannowfleshthemoutaspowerchords:

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E5

A5 B5

RememberthataslongasyouknowwheretherootofyourIchordis,youcandothesepa�ernsallover

thefretboardindifferentloca�onstoplayindifferentkeys.Let'sapplythe5thstringrootpa�ernforthe

keyofE:

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C A G E D

Ex.12

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F A‹ B‹ E‹ D‹

19

5

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ChordsinBlues

ToknowhowtoapplychordsintheBlues,weneedtoknowhowtoplayour10essen�alopenchords:

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C7 A7 G7 E7 D7

Ex.13

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F7 A‹7 B‹7 E‹7 D‹7

21

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BecausetheBluesischaracterizedbytheuseofdominantseventhandminorseventhchords,weneedto

learnhowtoconvertouropenchordsintothesekindsofseventhchordsbyaddingaminorseventhto

eachofthem.Insomeofthechords,wehave"rootless"voicings:

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Open E chord

E

F major

F

Ex.14

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F© G

4fr

A¨

5fr

A

Ex.15

23

4

4&

Barat1stfret,Eshapemovesuponefret

Barrechordsarenothingmorethanopenchordsthathavebeenmoveduptheguitar,withthefirst

fingerbeingusedtobaracrossafrettofunc�onasthenut.Sixthstringbarrechordshavetherootat

thesixthstring(asthenameimplies)andarebasedontheopenEchordshape:

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Giventhattheshapeiseasilymovable,youcanplayall12possiblebarrechordsbysimplymovingitwhere

youneedittobe:

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E‹ F‹ G‹

5fr

A‹

Ex.16

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A B C

5fr

D

Ex.17

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Theminorchordversonofthe6th-stringbarrechordworksthesameway:

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Anotherkindofbarrechord,the5th-Stringbarrechord,worksinthesamewayexceptitisbasedontheAshape:

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A‹ B‹ C‹

5fr

D‹

Ex.18

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I IV V

Ex.19

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I IV V

Ex.20

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3

4

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Theminorchordversonofthe5th-stringbarrechordworksthesameway:

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G

I-IV-Vstar�ngwith6th-stringbarrechordinthekeyofG

C D

CombinedwiththeknowledgeofhowtoplayI-IV-Vchordprogressionsstar�ngfromthe6thor5thstring,

youcanplayI-IV-Vchordprogressionsinanykeyusingbarrechords:

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Eb

I-IV-Vstar�ngwith6th-stringbarrechordinthekeyofEbb

Ab

Bb

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i iv v

29

6th-string

barre chord

Two-string

power chord

Three-string

power chord

Ex.21

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5th-string

barre chord

Two-string

power chord

Three-string

power chord

Ex.22

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Am

Dm

Em

Youcanalsoplaytheminorversion,i-iv-v,inbarrechords,usingthesameprinciples.Thisexampleisin

Aminor:

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G G5 G5

Nowthatyouknowyourbarrechords,powerchordsarejustthetoptwoorthreestringsofany6th-or

5th-stringbarrechord:

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C C5 C5

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™™™™

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Ex.23

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Ex.24

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A5

Major6th

Ifwechangeourfi�htoamajorsixthatbeatstwoandfour(bysimplyextendingthefre�ngfingerthat

playsthefi�htwofretsaway)wegettocreateaBluessoundingrhythmguitarpassage:

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A5

Major6th

Minor7th

Wecanaddanotherextension,aminorseventh,toourpowerchordtocreatethefamiliarsounding

bluesriff:

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™™

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Ex.25

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Ex.26

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Ex.27

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A5

Groove:Straightvs.Shuffle/Swing

Astraightgrooveinbluessimplymeanseighthnotesbeingplayedinatypicalmanneri.e.each

eighthnoteisbeingplayedwithequallength(marchingrhythm).Mostmusicinexistencehas

thiskindofgroove:

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3 3 3 3

Aswing/shufflegrooveinbluesisbasedonatripletrhythmaswri�enbelow:

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Playedas: Wri�enas:

3 3 3 3

Aswing/shufflegroove,however,omitsthesecondnoteofthetriplet,givingtherhythmthetypical

swingorshufflefeelfeaturedinbluesthathastheimpressionofaheartbeat:

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GroupI:FourmeasuresoftheIchord

I

The12-BarBlues

The12-barbluesisthefundamentalforminblues.Itisimportanttolearnallaboutthisformbecause

amajorityofbluessongsarewri�enwiththisformatinmindsuchasZZTop's"Tush",RobbenFord's

"TalktoYourDaughter",etc.Whathappensina12-barbluesisthatitlaysouttheen�recyclewhere

theI-IV-Vchordprogressionhappensaswri�enbelow.Wecanalsoiden�fythreedis�nctfour-measure

groupsorperiodsasfollows:

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GroupII:TwomeasuresofIV,twomeasuresofI

IV I

&

GroupIII:V,IV,I,V

V IV I V

&

A (I)

Hereisanexampleofthe12-barbluesinapar�cularkeysignature.ThisoneisinA:

&

D (IV) A (I)

&

E (V) D (IV) A (I) E (V)

#

#

#

V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

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™™

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ModerateSwing q =104

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A (I)

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Asaprac�calexampleofhowtoplaya12-barbluespa�ern,hereisa12-barblueschorusinA

withembellishmentsasnotedtomakeplayingali�lemoreinteres�ng:

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#

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#Chroma�cwalkup

..

D (IV)

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Chroma�cwalkup

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7th-to-6thembellishment

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E (V)

Chroma�cmovement

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3

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D (IV)

. .

A (I)

. .

. .

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6th-string

barre chord

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5th-string

barre chord

5fr

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6fr

E7(#9)

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ChordFragments

Inblues,wemakeuseofchordfragmentsandembellishments...

1....tomakethingsabiteasiertoplay.

2....tomakeplayingalotmorefun.

Thefirstthingweneedtodoisturnourmajor6th-and5th-stringbarrechordshapesinto

dominantseventhchords:

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SincewealreadyhaveourIandIVchordsrespec�velyturnedintodominantseventhchordsintheexample

above,wecanmakeourVchordalotmoreinteres�ngbyturningitintoa7(#9)chord.WehaveanE7(#9)

shownbelow:

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4fr

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WecanalsoturnourIVchordintoaIV9chordtomakeitmoreinteres�ng.WehaveaD9chordinthiscase:

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A7 D9 D#9 E7(#9)

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Wecanalsousechroma�cmovementofourD9chordgoinguptotheE7(#9)chord(oranyother

chroma�cmovementtowardanychordforthatma�er):

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5fr

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Thechordfragment/embellishmentconceptcanalsobeusedtotreatminorchordsinasimilarfashion.

The12-barbluesinminorsoundsmuchmorereservedandwouldtendtobelessflamboyantandalot

moresubtle.Weturnouri-iv-vchordsintominorseventhchordsfirstthengoaheadandplaysome

12-barblueswiththosechords.Youcanuseastraightorashufflerhythmicfeelwhenprac�cing:

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Ex.33

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Whole-stepbendtargetsapitchtwofretsaway. Whole-stepbendpitchshouldmatchthepitchbelow:

VocalElements

Whenwetalkaboutvocalelementsinblues,theseareguitartechniquesthata�empttoemulate

thehumanvoiceascloselyaspossiblewhenplayingmelodicorleadlines.Thesetechniquesare:

1.Bends

2.Vibrato

3.Hammer-ons,pull-offs,andtrills

4.Slides

Bendinginvolvespushingthestringupordownthesurfaceofthefretboardasplitsecond(orless)a�er

anoteisplayedtoproduceanaudibleshi�inpitchupwardstoanothernote.Thewhole-stepbendmoves

anoteawholesteportwofretsupinpitchfromitsoriginalpitch:

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Half-stepbendtargetsapitchonefretaway.

Half-stepbendpitchshouldmatchthepitchbelow:

Thehalf-stepbendshouldproduceanotethatsoundsonefretupfromoriginalpitch:

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Ex.35

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Ex.37

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Step-and-a-halfbendtargetsapitchthreefretsaway.

Step-and-a-halfbendpitchshouldmatchthepitchbelow:

Thestep-and-a-halfbendshouldproduceanotethatsoundsthreefretsupfromoriginalpitch:

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1 1/2

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Bluesbend

Vibrato

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Abluesbendchangesthepitchoftheoriginalabovetheoriginalpitchbutjustlessthanahalf-stepbend.

Itisusedasanaccentratherthanactuallymovingmelodically,andtheslightlyoffpitchitproducesis

usuallyresolvedtoachordtoneoranothernoteinthemelody.Toplayabluesbendproperly,youneedto

maketheoriginalpitchaudiblefirstandthenperformthebluesbendjustbeforeendingthatnote.

Thevibrato(representedbyasquigglylineabovethenote)isperformedusingasmall,oscilla�ngbendmo�on

overthefre�ednotethatcanrangefromasubtlerepe��tvedevia�on-from-and-return-topitchtosomething

thatsoundswild.Itistypicallyusedtoaccentuatelong,heldnotes:

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Hammer-on Pull-off Trill

Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ahammer-oninvolvesplayingonepitchfre�edbyonefinger(usuallyindexfinger)andthensuccessively

hammeringanotherfingertoahigherpitch(whilekeepingonfre�ngthelowerpitch)WITHOUTpicking.

Apull-offistheoppositeasitinvolvesplayingahigherpitchthenpluckingofftoalowerpitchusingthe

fingerthatusedtofretahigherpitch.Atrillisarapidsuccessionofhammer-onsandpull-offs:

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Ex.38

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Slidefromsomewhere

Slidesinvolveanaudiblechangeinpitch(downwardsorupwards)fromonenotetothenextusing(asthe

nameimplies)aslidingmo�onacrossthefretboard.Otherthancausingachangeinpitch,slidesarealso

greatformovingacrossthefretboard.

Althoughtherearemanyvaria�ons,thetwobasiconesarewhat'sknownasaslidefromsomewhere

i.e.playingafre�ednotedefini�velythenmovingtothenextpitchusingaslideandaslidefromnowhere

a.k.a."airplane"slidei.e.playinganindefinitepitchthenslidingquicklytoadefinitepitch:

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Slidefromnowherea.k.a."airplane"slide

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Ex.41

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Ex.42

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PentatonicScales

ThemostbasicofscalesusedintheBlueshasalwaysbeenthepentatonicscale.Itisascalethathasfive

notesinsuccession.Itistheeasiestscaletolearnanduseinallofmusicjustbecauseallofitsnoteswill

soundgreatoveranychordprogressionaslongasitisplayedinthecorrectkey.Ithastwobasicvarie�es.

Thefirstonetypicallylearnedistheminorpentatonicscaleinthepa�ernshownbelow.Theexampleshown

istheAminorpentatonicscale.Thepa�ernwearestudyingiswhatwecallthefirstposi�on(sinceweare

star�ngatthefirstnoteofthescale).Thenextfourposi�onsarechartedaswell:

AMinorPentatonic-1stPosi�on

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AMinorPentatonic-2ndPosi�on

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AMinorPentatonic-3rdPosi�on

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AMinorPentatonic-4thPosi�on

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AMinorPentatonic-5thPosi�on

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AMinorPentatonic-5thPosi�on(LowerOctave)

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15 17

15 17

14 17

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15 17 17 15

17 15

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3 5

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Ex.46

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Ex.47

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Ex.48

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Thenextexampleshownbelowistheparallelmajorpentatonicscale.Theexampleshownbelowisthe

Amajorpentatonicscale.Wegettheparallelorcounterpartmajorpentatonicscaleofaminorpentatonic

bymovingtheen�repa�ernthreefretsbackwardBUTweemphasizethenotethatisfre�edbythepinkie

ratherthantheindexfingerasseeninminorpentatonic.Thisisthepa�ernwewillconsiderasfirstposi�on.

Therestofthepa�ernsarechartedaswell:

AMajorPentatonic-1stPosi�on

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AMajorPentatonic-2ndPosi�on

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AMajorPentatonic-3rdPosi�on

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Ex.49

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AMajorPentatonic-4thPosi�on

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Progress TrackerDate

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Why Learn the Blues?

Tuning

The Chromatic Scale and Notes on the 6th String

Notes on the 5th String

Common Notes Between the 6th and 5th Strings

The I-IV-V Chord Progression

Chords in Blues

Groove: Straight vs. Shuffle/Swing

The 12-Bar Blues

Chord Fragments

Vocal Elements

Pentatonic Scales

Blues Soloing Masterclass - Week 1

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