Blue scales alfreds basic piano library lesson book level 2. Ever wanted to play the blues, but werent sure where to start. Steps to the real book helps to foster both approaches. The blues scale is a popular scale based on various scales and numbers of pitches.
They just ooze that minor bluesy vibe or sweet major vibe. Blues scale is the pentatonic scale with one more note added in the scale. It has the theory on how to get to the blues scales and chords. The notes of the pentatonic, song with a pentatonic scale. Bass guitar music theory bass guitar books for beginners.
By holly day, jerry kovarksy, blake neely, david pearl, michael pilhofer. A blues scale consists of 6 different notes, namely the root, flat 3rd, 4th, flat 5th, 5th and flat 7th of the major scale. I am excited to use this book with more students in the future. Scale, chord, arpeggio and cadence studies in all major and minor keys presented in a convenient twopage format. Since the key of c appears on the circle of fifths diagram as both a major and minor key, the lesson steps explain both ways of constructing this blues scale for this key. Music theory for dummies pdf ebook simplifying theory. Music theoryblues wikibooks, open books for an open world.
My first book and my website have many examples of blues patterns to practice. These scales are for obvious reasons perfect when playing blues on the piano. Includes an indepth 12 page explanation that leads to complete understanding of the fundamentals of major and minor scales, chords, arpeggios and cadences plus a clear explanation of scale degrees and a twopage guide to fingering the scales and arpeggios. A big jazz musician wrote a sentence in his book and he was particularly struck by it when i was eighteen and it simply said that blues is the soul of jazz. The chord scale system may be compared with other common methods of improvisation, first, the older traditional chord tonechord arpeggio method, and where one scale on one root note is used throughout all chords in a progression for example the blues scale on a for all chords of the blues progression. This note is known as blue note and it is the flattened fifth in the case of the minor pentatonic, or the flattened third in the case of the major pentatonic. Jazz piano lessons stepbystep lessons to master jazz theory. One approach to becoming a jazz piano player is to learn how to interpret lead sheet format such as is found in the real book. Despite its name, the blues scale is not only used in blues music. Although it is in the minor family of chord and scale qualities, it can be played against chord.
Bill dobbins a creative approach to jazz piano harmony this book is the bible in creating new and unique voicing for chords. This is because the way that the notes are laid out on a guitar fretboard differ from that of a piano keyboard. Jazz educations purpose is to give you the basics you need in learning to play jazz or to improvise. Here is a list of 10 of the best books on music theory. Are these standard piano fingerings for the blues scale. This chart highlights the keys of e blues scale on piano. After the pentatonic minor scale and major scale, the blues scale is probably the most widelyused scale in guitar improvisation. Basic fingering for piano is try to play black keys with fingers, white with fingers or thumb. Piano pentatonic blues scales overview with pictures. The hexatonic, or sixnote, blues scale consists of the minor. Learning a pattern for any scale is not a bad idea, but it wont necessarily help with anything but playing scales.
If you would like a complete catalog of the thousands of jazz educational materials available, please call 180045688 or visit. Pentatonic and blues scales covers the essential guitar theory for the minor pentatonic scale, major pentatonic scale and the blues scale and highlights the characteristics of each scale with useful licks and exercises. The blues genre of music originated in the usa in the 19th century and was a form of music developed by africanamericans. Below are several well written books for the study of jazz theory. Pentatonic scales are killer scales to play over blues and over iivv changes.
See more ideas about music chords, music theory and piano music. If you ever feel stuck, do the exercises in this books and he will open your eyes to a whole new sound. Knowing the notes of the pentatonic scale is one thing but turning that knowledge into practical playing skill is another. There are a total of 430 finger exercises in this book. In western music theory terms, the blues scale is practically inexplicable. Learn how to play the a blues scale on piano free video. The mixodorian blues scale for blues soloing learn jazz. You can hear it in rock, country, jazz, and of course. This will help you learn how to play melodies and build chords on a piano within the key of e blues. Standard 12 bar blues chord progression shown with extended piano voicings. I have played various instruments over 24 years and because of harnums matter of fact, conversational tone, this book has lent more to my understanding of basic music theory than all my private instructors combined. A major feature of the blues scale is the use of blue notes. Top ten jazz piano books lately, someone had asked me my opinion on music resources, like dvds and music books, that i would recommend to them whether it was for purchase or visiting their local library for their own research. How to play the blues on the piano or keyboard dummies.
The scales are used often for composing melodies and for improvisation. Blues music has a solid but plaintive sound which results from the use of a minorbased scale over the top of majorbased chords usually dominant. Blues piano scales, chords, and chord progressions for. The flat third, flat fifth and flat seventh notes of the scale are the blue notes of the. Blues scales for piano adding a blue note to the regular pentatonic scale result in the pentatonic blues scale. The scale is made up of the notes a, c, d, e sharp, e, g, and a. There is not a single group of scales that can be called jazz scales a jazz pianist uses lots of different scales. The solution below shows the a blues scale, on the piano, treble clef and bass clef. If you want to play jazz or blues on the guitar, you need to learn how to play the 6note blues scale. The solution below shows the c blues scale, on the piano, treble clef and bass clef. Below you can find a selection of downloadable pdf resources covering chords, scales, jazzy chord progressions and links to useful books and applications. Blues scale in general it can be used on every chord but above all on min7 th and. The only 3 chords you need to master the blues on piano. Scales are the sources of both melodic lines like licks, runs, riffs, etc and harmonic materials like chords, patterns, progressions, etc.
The pentatonic blues scale is built upon three dominant chords. Likewise, in contemporary jazz theory, its use is commonly based upon the key rather than the. This book discusses tonal music theory, specifically of the common practice period onwards, including jazz, blues, rock, and other modern styles. It is usually considered the forerunner of both jazz and rock, and it breaks many of the conventions of classical music theory. Aug 22, 20 play and learn by ear all 12 blues scales. They think that learning the blues scale will help them to write and perform blues style music and they are correct. The beginning piano lessons in the theory section are especially made for those of you who want to expand their knowledge in the secrets of music. I have quite a few students who are fans of playing the blues. Many band directors arm their beginning jazz students with the blues scale and unleash them on the unsuspecting jazz world. Some players and musicologists argue that the blues scale has 6 notes. The 1st construction, using the major scale, starts at lesson 3. Free minor pentatonic blues scale chart saras music studio.
How to play a jazz piano solo with c, f, g blues scales. This booklet is provided free of charge by jamey aebersold jazz. Blues piano will teach you the basic skills you need. Music theory is the same for both piano and guitar. The easiest way to explain scales is as a collection of notes that because of a musical reason have been grouped together. At this point in our study of the blues, now its time to introduce the blues scale. How do you apply the blues to the piano or keyboard. No matter what type of music you favor when you play the piano, youre likely to play the blues scale at some point. The benefit of knowing scales in music is that you know how to orient yourself among notes. The major blues scale is some less common than the minor blues scale, and therefore we start with minor and you will find the major by scrolling down. This scale is a real rebel, practically throwing the rules of scale building out the window. Pentatonic and blues scales is a mini book a fundessential that gives you a short, inspiring injection of creativity.
Pentatonic and blues scales fundamental changes music book. Based on the i, iv and v chords of any key, the 12 bar blues is one of the most prominent. How to really improvise using the blues scale youtube. The blues scales c version and millions of other books are available for. It can be used over anything including the 12 bar blues, funk and jazz providing the key doesnt change.
If it is for technique, you dont need a book, you need a knowledgeable teacher to show you how to move properly. This book is easy to understand, gives enough theory, spells out the scales and gives really fun exercises to expand ones knowledge. Learning the blues is the essencial base for any rock, pop, jazz and of course blues. The flat third, flat fifth and flat seventh notes of the scale are the blue notes of the scale. Sometimes the students havent even heard of miles davis, but they can blow. E major blues scale charts for piano music motivated. Music theory wikibooks, open books for an open world. For instance, in the c blues scale the notes are c eb f gb g bb c. What is the best piano scale book from beginner to advanced. In music and music theory, a hexatonic scale is a scale with six pitches or notes per octave. The eb blues scale is exceptionally easy to play on piano just play the black keys and add the note a. Pentatonic scale patterns on piano if you want to be able to improvise and use pentatonic scale patterns on the piano to create interesting and exciting solos then read on. The most highlyacclaimed jazz theory book ever published. I am always getting asked by piano players, guitarists and solo instrumentalists to show them the blues scale.
Heres a little something that ive been working with in the studio this week. The blues has been such a huge influence over popular music in this country, we all know most of these things in our heads already because weve heard them a gazillion times in music weve listened to over the years. Below are diagrams of c blues notes mapped out on a piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, tres, violin, viola, cello and upright bass. Since our weather has been so blue up here, i thought it might be fun to work on our improv skills with minor pentatonic blues scales. Browse alfred music from alfred music at sheet music plus. The basic ingredients in music are scales, chords, melody, rhythm, and harmony.
As one of the most widelyplayed scales in music, the blues scale has evolved to include multiple expressions. For many students, when starting out with blues improvisation, its very easy to get locked inside the notes of the blues scale and never deviate away from 6 tones. How to form the blues scale on piano piano scales youtube. The only book ever published showing the beginning jazz soloist how to improvise a real solo using only scales, the major and minor blues scales. Jan 31, 2014 free minor pentatonic blues scale chart. I have given you the set intervals for each scale important point. Lets learn the blues scales on piano and keyboard in every key. The eflat in the c blues scale makes it sound minor, but the scale is customarily played on top of major chords. I found this book very interesting the information is well presented and right on the money.
These blue notes represent the influence of african scales on this music. In the case of c pentatonic, the three chords are c7 f7 g7. The blues scales explained i am always getting asked by piano players, guitarists and solo instrumentalists to show them the blues scale. A blues scale is a pentatonic scale with one more note added in the scale. This video illustrates a blues scale box pattern a fingerboard pattern and shows how you can move box patterns around the neck of the guitar. These are the four most common scales in pop and rock music. The material covered matches the essentials for students to understand the basics of each of the songs, but at the students own pace it doesnt have to match the book. As you can probably assume, the blues scale is used in a lot of blues songs, but it can also be. But there are typical scales used in jazz and here is an overview.
Most of these books contain information about general music theory and worksheets or exercises for learning concepts of music theory, however, i have included some books that are instrument and genre specific as well. Print and learn to play piano scales in major and minor as well as in other interesting modes, in the lessons below. However the approach as to how we go about learning and applying the concepts is different for each instrument. Spend more time messing about with phrases in in your case here blues, and just try different fingerings. Click here if you havent signed topiano playground, our free ezine yet. Adding a blue note to the regular pentatonic scale result in the pentatonic blues scale. This book of written lessons is an excellent tool and reference manual to develop and enhance your guitar skills. This note is known as a blue note, and it is the flattened 5th in the case of the minor pentatonic scale, and the flattened 3rd in the case of the major pentatonic scale. Contains guitar theory, pentatonic licks, exercises and sequences. Over 500 pages of comprehensive, but easy to understand text covering every aspect of how jazz is constructedchord construction, iivi progressions, scale theory, chord scale relationships, the blues. This is a resource with free piano lessons and printable scale charts for beginners.
Companion to the blues scale guitar lesson and chart. If you dont keep a practice log you want to start one for sure. Then begin improvising on a major or minor blues structure, just using blues scale notes. Usually, we begin improvising on songs like blues in bb or f, satin doll. King of all guitar scales blues scale feature guitar lesson what is the blues scale.
At its most basic, a single version of this blues scale is commonly used over all changes or chords in a twelve bar blues progression. Guitar pentatonic and blues scales fundamental changes. From comping to soloing, youll learn the theory, the tools, and even the tricks that the pros use. Every scale determines a key,that is an harmonic combunation of tones based on that scale. Move up the scale finger by finger until you hit the e sharp with your fourth finger. Basic music theory by jonathan harnum is an excellent book for people of all levels. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. C blues notes and chord tabs diagrams music motivated.
The blues scale is a minor, hexatonic scale with the scale degrees 1 3 4 5 5 7 named after the american music genre blues from which it originates. The exercises in this book use the major scale, pentatonic scale, blues scale, and chromatic scale. Mar 16, 2017 this is a lesson for beginners explaining how to improvise using the blues scale. Since the key of a appears on the circle of fifths diagram as both a major and minor key, the lesson steps explain both ways of constructing this blues scale for this key. How to play a jazz piano solo with 3 easy blues scales featured article, how to, instruments, keyboards, teachers resources october 30, 20 march 29, 2019 drew roberts its important to learn music theory if you want to get into jazz improvisation, but an easy place to start is the blues scale. For right hand fingering, start on the a with your thumb. Some players and musicologists argue that the blues scale has 6. Just on simplifying theory ebook you can find more than 100 exclusive classes about music theory the biggest problem of music theory courses and workbooks is the lack of didactics. Since the blues was being sang by the african slaves through singing in the fields about their pain and their distress you can imagine that this scale does not work at the same way like the major or minor scale do. The formula of the minor pentatonic, a list of all 12 minor pentatonic scales. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any way wo express written permission. Unfortunately, authors forget to teach basics concepts before teaching more complex ones. Just the blues scale can be considered a basis for a particular key blues. Excellent working manual for study of music theory and piano performance.
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