How To Use the Blues Notes For Guitar
Free Music Lesson, Scales, Blues Licks, and Rock Riffs
It is the Blue Notes that gives the Blues and Rock their signature tones. The lowering of these notes creates tension in a person’s mind -- the mind expects one note, but receives a slightly different one.
Tension is one of the primary attributes of a successful piece of music (the other being resolution). Good music moves from the expected to the unexpected and back again, without losing the listener by being too unexpected. Remember this when composing your songs and solos-- a musician wants to stretch the listener, without snapping him.
Lesson One: The Minor Third for Blues and Rock
The Flatted Third (also called Minor Third) is essential in creating tension, as it is what separates a scale from its Major (Scale) brother. The Minor Third can be used over any chord in the 12 Bar Blues Progression. It sounds especially good over the I Chord and even more so over the IV Chord (In the key of A, it would be the A and D chords).
In the simple example below (Key of A), pay attention to how the minor third (in italics) interplays with the fourth and the root (marked with an “r”)
(h = hammer on, p = pick off, ^ = bend)
E -----------------------------------------------------------
B -----------------------------------------------------------
G ----------5-h-7-p-5--7^--5-------5^----------------------
D -----7r-------------------------7r--------7r----------------
A -----------------------------------------------------------
E -----------------------------------------------------------
Lesson Two: The Flatted Fifth for Blues
The Flatted Fifth is a unique note and because of such, creates the most tension in the scale. Notes are a bit like magnets-- they are attracted to the Root Note. Notes either want to move up to the Root (like the 7th) or move down to the Root (like the 2nd) in order to reach resolution.
The Flatted Fifth is in the center on the scale, and does not want to resolve anywhere. It sits there like a peach pit in the stomach. No wonder everyone has the Blues.
Below is the previous example with Flatted Fifth added (in italics). Again, listen to the way each note sounds in relation to each other. Note how much more uncomfortable the Flatted Fifth makes the lick, and how satisfying the return to the root feels.
(h = hammer on, p = pick off, ^ = bend, s = slide)
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
B ---------------------------------4-s-5-s--4-----------------------
G --------5-h-7-s-8-s-7-5--7-----------------7-5----5^-------
D -----7r-----------------------------------------------7r-------7r-
A -----------------------------------------------------------------
E -----------------------------------------------------------------
Lesson Three: The Minor Seventh for Blues and Rock
The Minor Seventh is probably the most important note in the Blues. It is often used as a leading tone into the Root, and since it is one whole step below the root, it is often a integral part of the riff or melody. Consider this lick below, similar to the riff used by Eric Clapton on his cover of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” (actually, Johnson called it “Crossroad Blues).
The Seventh is in italics
E -----------------------------------------------------------
B --------------------2r----0----2---0-h-2r-----------------
G -----------------------------------------------------------
D -----------------------------------------------------------
A ------3-----0r---------------------------------------------
E -----------------------------------------------------------
Notice the back and forth between the Root and Seventh, and how bluesy it sounds (also notice the Minor Third leading into the Root at the beginning).
Now listen to the first lick from above, with the Flatted Fifths taken out and Dominant Sevenths added in (in Italics).
(h = hammer on, p = pick off, ^ = bend)
E -----------------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------------
G ------------------5--7--------------5^----------------------
D -----7r-5-h-7r--------5^------7r-------7r----5-h-7r--7r--
A -----------------------------------------------------------
E -----------------------------------------------------------
This simple riff-- using just the Root, the Minor Third, The Fourth (once), and the Minor Seventh-- is just dripping with Blues.
The Pentatonic Minor Scale and Pentatonic Blues Scale
The savvy guitarist would have noticed that all of the riffs above have been played in the Key of A, using the Pentatonic Minor Scale, with the Flatted Fifth added, making it the Pentatonic Blues Scale. For those still beginning out, below is the Pentatonic Blues, with the appropriate fingering below the scale. The number listed on the scale are the note interval numbers (the Fourth, the Minor Seventh, etc.)
E -----1----]----------]---------]---3b--]-----------------------
B -----5----]----------]---------]--7b---]-----------------------
G ----3b----]----------]--4---]--------]-----------------------
D ----7b----]----------]--1---]--------]-----------------------
A -----4----]----5b--]-----5---]--------]-----------------------
E ----1-----]----------]---------]--3b--]-----------------------
….Index ..Middle ….Ring…Pinky
Note that this is only one position (normally called the Root Position because it starts at the Root).
The complete Blues Scale is far more complex, and will discussed in a future lesson. For now, learn this scale, and practice the licks above. The important thing is not to master the licks, but to hears how the notes work together. That is the first step in becoming a master guitarist.
For Further Information on Guitar Lessons and the Blues
Beginner Blues for Guitaists, click here
The Blues Comp and the Riff, click here
The Early Days of the Blues, click here
B.B. King
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