January 2009 \ Premier Clinic \ Blues \ Improvising for Stronger Blues Lines

Improvising for Stronger Blues Lines

Wayne Riker

A look at improvising techniques that combine different ideas to create stronger musical lines.
Premier Guitar January 2009

from Wayne Riker's Mastering Blues Guitar
You will often hear blues players stay in only one blues scale as they improvise over a I7–IV7–V7 progression. In this lesson, we will look at improvising techniques that combine different ideas to create stronger musical lines. With a little bit of cerebral energy you can rise above the crowd of players who are wearing out one standard blues pattern.

Over a I chord in the key of A (A7), combine the A Blues scale with the F# Blues scale, which is three half steps, or a minor 3rd, below A. If you delete the flat 5 from each of these scales, the A Blues scale becomes the A Minor Pentatonic scale, and the F# Blues scale becomes the A Major Pentatonic scale.

COMPOSITE SCALE
Combining these two scales results in a nine-note composite scale.


Notice that by using the patterns above for A Blues and F# Blues scales, we can play both scales in the same area of the neck. This is helpful for creating composite scale licks.

By using other blues scale patterns, you can combine the E and C# Blues scales to play over the V7 chord, (E7). Against the IV7 chord (D7), use the B Blues scale or D Major Pentatonic scale, which is a major 3rd down from D.

Remember, you can still play the A Blues scale over the entire I–IV–V progression, but by adding the blues scale a minor 3rd below all three chord names, you create more possibilities for licks. Sometimes, in a slow blues tempo, you can play the parent blues scale for each chord: A Blues over A7, D Blues over D7 and E Blues over E7. At a medium or fast tempo, this does not work as well because it sounds like you are changing keys on each chord change.


Here’s a twelve-bar blues solo in the key of A using composite blues scales. The noteheads are different for each scale (see key to the right.) Click to download an mp3 audio example of this solo.





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Comments

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Wayne
on 01/15/2009 		Closing tips:

Even though we're talking about composite scale useage,use this solo as a guide,and others you learn as well,and carefully observe how small fragments of each scale are employed,usually around four notes max for each scale name.
Once again,the idea is to create a lick via the scale combinations,without having them sound like your running a rote scale pattern.By connecting them in the same area,each musical phrase sounds more cohesive as a "musical line",as opposed to running each scale from it's root note.

Always leave space in between your phrases,you don't always have to be playing.A good exercise is to play a lick,then count to four without playing a note,then repeat the drill throughout your solo. Work tirelessly on bending accuracy,vibrato,bends with vibrato,hammers,slides,trills and pulloffs...these become the bedrock of your solos,especially in blues. Learn an extensive repertorie for any style you pursue,and get out and jam to get an accuarate barometer on your progress.Most of all,have fun!
Wayne
on 01/15/2009 		Here's another easy way of thinking,along the same lines, in learning your altered minor scales.Take a C Major scale:
C-D-E-F-G-A-B....now raise the 5th tone,G,a half step to G#.
You now have the notes contained in the A Harmonic Minor scale:C-D-E-F-G#-A-B.
Now take the notes of an A Major scale:A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#....
now lower the 3rd tone,C#,a half step to C.
You now have the notes contained in the *A Melodic minor scale:A-B-C-D-E-F#-G#.
*=this melodic minor scale sounds the same notes in both directions,often called the "Real" or "Jazz" Melodic Minor
scale,used mainly in jazz improvisation,as opposed to the clasical melodic minor scale that descends as a natural minor scale for compositional resolution.
Axiom: raise the fifth tone of any major scale to arrive at the notes of it's relative harmonic minor scale.
Lower the third of any major scale to arrive at it's same root name melodic minor scale.
Wayne
on 01/15/2009 		The Semantics/Academics:

Let's look at the notes of each pentatonic scale:
A minor pentatonic scale: A-C-D-E-G
*A major pentatonic scale: A-B-C#-E-F#
*=if we call F# the root,USING THE SAME NOTES,we arrive at:
**F# minor pentatonic scale: F#-A-B-C#-E
same notes,defined from a different root,yes a pentatonic mode so to speak.
**=now add on a b5th note from the root,F#,which would be C.
this additional note now creates a six note scale,that
being the blues scale:
F# blues scale: F#-A-B-C-C#-E
Notice The added blues tone note doesn't change radically the sound and context of the pentatonic scale in most improv instances,so all three scale names contain similar sound qualities.No matter which of the three names you care to reference it by(A Major Pent.,F# Minor Pent.,or F# Blues),eventually understanding the application by shape and sound,and playing daily over chord changes will develop licks that will become fluent in your solos.As in a language,we learn to speak,then we analyze the grammar.Conversing becomes a natural process,we don't stop to think if we just used a gerund,direct object or dangling participle in mid conversation.It's the same in improv,learn how to manipulate scale names to your advantage,and then get the tone colors into your muscle memory and PLAY.
Wayne
on 01/15/2009 		Next,notice in the solo,the integration of the two blues scales(or major/minor pentatonics if you like),combined in the SAME region of the fretboard,with small clusters of notes from each scale,yielding more colorful and melodic tones to your solo,throughout the 12 bars.Now LICKS are created from the two composite scales,giving you more note options,yielding more colorful phrases.Depending on the context of the blues tune,these composite scale licks can work well,although certain grooves are served better with just ripping it up with the notes of an A Blues Scale(A Minor Pentatonic) all the way thru.Getting out and playing with others,or jamming to background tracks becomes essential to judging what works well and what doesn't,for all facets of improv.Also,you'll find this particular scale integration to work well for other styles of playing,particularly swing,country rock,rockabilly,country swing and jazz.
Wayne
on 01/15/2009 		By using ONE scale system name,the blues scale,is another method for naming and applying the major and minor pentatonic scales over the I,IV & V chords in a 12 bar blues progression.Here's a table for scale application with the synonymous pentatonic and blues scale names:

over the I7 chord,A7,use: A Blues Scale
(A Minor Pentatonic scale)

or: F# Blues Scale
(A Major Pentatonic scale)

over the IV7 chord,D7,use: B Blues Scale
(D major Pentatonic scale)

over the V7 chord,E7,use: C# Blues Scale
(E major Pentatonic scale)
Wayne
on 01/13/2009 		Hi,Wayne Riker here,the author.
Jere: looks like a typo...the top diamond should be a triangle,thanks.
zu: Oz's clarification is correct...the B Blues scale(D Major Pentatonic)is played over the IV chord,D7.
...and yes,I'll go into an extended explanation on not only the theory,but the bigger picture here,expanding on other improv tips,applications and performing strategies.
I will be putting together a full follow up post within the next 24 hours on this often confusing,but important improv strategy,thanks,Wayne.
Oz
on 01/12/2009 		I think what he's getting at in the second part is that you can approach the V chord (E) using the composite scale comprised of the E & C# blues scales (C# = relative minor of E) & the same goes for the IV chord using the D & B blues scales.
Oz
on 01/12/2009 		I think what he's getting at in the second part is that you can approach the V chord (E) using the composite scale comprised of the E & C# blues scales (C# = relative minor of E) & the same goes for the IV chord using the D & B blues scales.
zu
on 01/10/2009 		I'd like more explanation behind the theory of this lesson. The first part seems to just be mixing major and minor pentatonic scales (the essence of blues really). The second part I don't get-the V chord is E7, so you play C# and B over it? I know B is the V of V but still don't understand that part. Can anyone explain?
Susan
on 01/08/2009 		Me,too. Wayne Riker is the best guitar teacher I know. His offerings enhance PG.



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