The Blues can be both intimidating and underestimated. There are some guitarists who look at the scales and hear the strange, tense sounds coming from the guitar and back away, skittering back to their Rock, Punk, Folk, and Metal.
There are others who look at the simple chord progressions and think that the Blues are easy to play. They end up jumping in without learning the basics and embarrass themselves.
To quote Ringo Starr, “You’ve got to pay our dues if you wanna sing the Blues.” Below are the dues. Pay them.
The 12-Bar Blues
The 12-Bar Blues is the basic chord progression for the Blues. While it is the most common, other progressions such as 8-Bar are often found, especially in Country Blues songs such as “Key to the Highway“ and “How Long Blues.”
In its most boiled down form, the 12-bar blues progression follows like this (each letter equals one measure):
I I I I
IV IV I I
V IV I V
In the key of C, this would be:
C / C / C / C
F / F / C / C
G / F / C / C
Of course, a blues song is rarely that simple. True, expressive Blues requires interplay between major and minor scales to create tension and resolution. It is not unusual to see a progression with unusual chords built into it to create that necessary tension.
A far more tense, bluesy version of the 12-Bar Blues would be:
C / E7/ A7 / C7
F / F/ C / C7
G7 / F / C / G7
This is a much more complex chord progression, and is not something the beginner should worry about. Rather, it is an example that the 12-bar blues is a guide, not a straight jacket.
The Blues Rhythm, The Swing, and How To Comp
The Blues have a distinctive rhythm, a shuffling beat that is also found in jazz, ragtime, and some rock music. The rhythm goes like this:
1-and-a- 2-and-a- 3-and-a- 4-and-a . . .
This rhythm is very pervasive in modern music now. The guitarist is most likely familiar with it, even without knowing what it is called.
Often a blues musician will “comp” (short for accompany) a rhythm while the melody is taken by voice or another instrument. While there are many ways to comp, the most common in blues is to move from playing the 1st and 5th notes and the same time to the 1st and 6th notes.
This form of comping is shown here (in Key of A)
E ------------------
B -------------------
G -------------------
D --2--2---4---4---
A --0--0---0---0----
E -------------------
The reason why the Blues use a progression from the 5th to the 6th is because the movement combined with a lack of a 3rd creates an ambiguity between the major and minor scales, making it suitable as a rhythm for either scale.
The Blue Notes: Flatted Third, Flatted Fifth, and Flatted Seventh
The Blue Notes are what give the Blues their distinctive sound. They are the flatted third (3b) flatted fifth (5b) and flatted seventh (7b). The use of these notes, either in part of a chord or as single notes, creates tension and conveys emotion.
Of the three, the flatted 7th is the note most associated with the Blues. While the flatted 3rd gives a dark, melancholy sound, and the flatted 5th gives an extremely dissonant sound, it is the 7b that gives the quintessential blue sound.
For an example, listen to the riff (a repeating melodic line used for rhythm) from Eric Clapton’s “Crossroads.” The iconic riff is comprised entirely of the 1, 3b, and 7b notes.
The Minor Pentatonic Scale, Dominant Seventh Scale, and Blues Scale for Guitar
The Blues relies very heavily on the Minor Pentatonic Scale. This scale includes the blue notes 3b and 7b. The Minor Pentatonic is used to provide melodic accents and leads to songs.
The diagram below shows the Minor Pentatonic with the root in the most natural position for learning the scale. To change Keys, simply match the root (1) with the Key.
The Minor Pentatonic Scale (I, m, r, and p indicate proper fingering)
E -----1-----------3b---
B -----5-----------7b---
G ----3b-------4---------
D ----7b-------1---------
A ----4---------5---------
E ----1------------3b---
..........I ...M ....R... P
Note that the 5b is not included in the Minor Pentatonic. This is because the 5b is very dissident, and should be used sparingly if at all.
When the guitarist adds the 5b, he creates what is called the Blues Scale.
The Blues Scale
E -----1-----------3b---
B -----5-----------7b---
G ----3b-------4--5b----
D ----7b-------1---------
A ----4---5b---5---------
E ----1------------3b----
..........I .....M...R... P
The third scale often used in the Blues is usually called the Dominant 7th Scale. This scale is a Major Scale with a 7b. It is especially useful when played over a Dominant 7th Chord (A7, C7, D7, etc)
The Major Scale With Flatted 7th, also known as Dominant 7th Scale (Mixolydian Mode)
E -------1--------2---
B --------5--------6---7b (reach by sliding)--
G ---2--------3---4------
D ---6--7b--------1------
A ---3--4---------5-------
E -------1---------2-----
.......I ....M ....R... P
The sign of a good guitarist is using these three scales in order to create tension and resolution. As a Blues guitarist improves, he will develop a feel for these scales, and when each one is appropriate.
Blues Building Blocks for Beginners
The characteristics mentioned above:
- The 12-Bar Blues
- the Swing Rhythm
- Comping the Blue Notes
- The three scales used in the Blues
Are all the beginner needs to get his start on the Blues. Yes, the Blues seem complex (and they are), but starting with these building blocks will turn his “Tom Dooley” into “Hesitation Blues” before he can say “Turn around in E.”
For Further Reading
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