Read on for a complete blues scale guitar lesson the basic blues scale guitar pattern. It is the only difference between the blues scale and the minor pentatonic scale. The description below is for the pdf and audio files. Pentatonic scales pdf and instructional video guitar. When playing a twelve bar blues in the key of bb, use the bb blues scale anywhere in the chord progression. Below is a download link for the pentatonic scale pdf. You can now play in safe mode with these notes, each note will sound more or less good, there are no wrong notes. It tabs out the pentatonic scales in all 12 major and minor keys. In consonance with this weeks blog, ive provided some tabs on how one can begin to approach this pentatonic position in unorthodox ways.
The chromatic progression from the 5 th down to the minor 3 rd is a classic move. Blues scales are the most famous sounds of the xx century music. These are four of the synthetic scales used in jazz. The pdf is for members only, so youll need to login to download it. As always, commit the pattern to memory because we will be using the pentatonic scale, the blues scale, and the mixolydian mode in the next.
The scales listed here are the ones i most often hear musicians play. A comprehensive collection of scales is provided, suitable for use in blues, rock, metal, jazz and classical music. Therefore you could use any of these scales over the key of a major. Blues scales a topic that usually takes a maximum of 2 pages a regular book of jazz theory, here extends to 80 pages. Each scale is illustrated in more than one fretboard position, giving you a suitable scale pattern.
Now theoretically, the pentatonic is split into two scales. It had its roots in afroamerican music with the slaves and became being really used in blues, receiving the name of blues scale. These four scales also happen to be symmetrical in their intervallic construction. As well, major and minor blues scales are used in different ways in a lead guitar situation.
You can throw those two notes in as passing tones too, so you can effectively play any note you want over blues. Major and minor blues scales guitar tab and essential licks. The major scale is used as the basic starting point for many scales and modes. On this page youll find blues scale guitar tab, patterns and notation that will allow you to play blues scales all over the guitar neck. We can add the flat 5, b5, or blue note to the pentatonic scale, making it a sixnote scale called the blues scale. Free printable guitar scales 14 most commonly used scales. Free guitar tutorials beginner to intermediate guitar.
Here i will show you through some of the most common scales used on the guitar in soloing and improvisation, talk a bit about their use and illustrate some of the most common positions to play these scales. Blues scales are the most commonly used scales in most genres of music. These scales are for obvious reasons perfect when playing blues on the piano. Mar 11, 2015 recently i did a post about the 3 most important jazz scales for beginning improvisers. The blues scale for tenor saxophone and bb instruments by andrew d. If you use scales to improvise and composewhatever style of music you playthen the guitar scales chart book is the reference book you need. In the beginning, your fingers hurt and your hands are weak but dont worry. The scales are used often for composing melodies and for improvisation. Free guitar tutorials sitemap for beginner to intermediate guitar players. If you are wishing to order the pdf mp3 files please go to the correct page as this product is for the pdf file only. When this happens, the blues scale is often the first jazz scale that the student is taught.
A pentatonic scale is a scale that has 5 notes per octave. Ive included a great downloadable pdf with free blues guitar scales. In fact there are so many other scales that we can use to solo over a blues progression, that it would be a pitty to only use one scale all of the time. Get to know the sound of the blues scale by playing the pattern below. You can combine the blues scale with other scales for a richer assortment of tones. Adding a blue note to the regular pentatonic scale result in the pentatonic blues scale. The guitar scales chart book is an instant download, so you can start learning and playing new scales within minutes. Microsoft word majorminor blues scales boxesguitar. Many people begin by playing by ear letting their inner musical ear guide their choice of notes and rhythms. Listening to jazz recordstapes should be part of every musicians daily routine.
The scale generator below will help you create blues scale charts diagrams in many different tunings. The cool, swing, chicken picken, jump blues sound that this scale produces makes a solid addition to the repertoire of. The guitar scales chart book features all of the widelyused guitar scales pentatonic, blues, etc. Gordon is he feels, one of his most important books because of the nature of the blues scale and how it is used to improvise in many. Card number we do not keep any of your sensitive credit card information on file with us unless you ask us to after this purchase is complete. This jazz scales article and many others on this site will help you. Use the e scale below and locate the red root notes e.
Learning how to play the guitar is a wonderful, fulfilling, neverending journey. 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 scales are used in many musical kinds for example in blues, jazz, rock and roll, funk, soul rhythm and blues, dance, pop. This pdf contains the scale charts for the blues scale in all keys for guitar in standard tuning. Scales are presented as fretboard diagrams, as well as in notation and tab.
If you are wishing to order the pdfmp3 files please go to the correct page as this product is for the pdf file only. Get music lessons in your inbox be instantly notified when i release new free stuff. That b5, or blue note, adds a lot of tension and color to the scale. To play the blues is a fascinating undertaking because it can be both simplistic and yet intangibly tricky to. Further down the page youll find four additional blues scale patterns. Heres a nice middle register lick which can be used a quick flurry before going back to the bottom root note. The cool, swing, chicken picken, jump blues sound that this scale produces makes a solid addition to the repertoire of any modern guitarist. In the case of c pentatonic, the three chords are c7 f7 g7. By all means, use the notation to speed up the learning process but try to commit these scales to your memory as soon as possible. This division is clearly and systematically preserved. The blues scale for tenor bb instruments by andrew d. This division is clearly and systematically preserved in all musical examples till the end of the book. Free guitar scales pdf 84 scale and arpeggios chart. Jazz guitar scales basic modal scales ionianmajor scale play over.
Blues scales blues is an irresistible tonality for a guitar player. I remember being introduced to the blues scale in jazz band when i was a sixth grader. Free printable guitar scales, ready to download and use. The solution below shows the d blues scale, on the piano, treble clef and bass clef since the key of d 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 the 1st construction, using the major scale, starts at lesson 3 the 2nd construction, using the minor pentatonic scale. This added flattened note is commonly referred to as the blue note and is responsible for the scale s unique sound. A pdf download of all the blues scales in standard tuning for all keys is available by clicking the download link below. Tabs, fingerings, box patterns, licks, pdf and more. Dance music, master chords, chords scale, learning killers, guitar chords charts. To summarize, the most important scales to learn first are the major, dorian, and mixolydian scales because they help you navigate major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant b7 chords, respectively. Gordon is he feels, one of his most important books because of the nature of the blues scale and how it is used to improvise in many styles of contemporary music. I have also included the 5 box patterns you need to learn in order to memorize the blues scales in all keys.
The book comes as a pdf file, which can be read on your screen and printed suitable for printing on us letter and a4 sized paper. Pentatonic scales pdf and instructional video guitar alliance. Firstly a clear and precise representation of the two basic blues scales major and minor. More than any other ingredient, the jazz tradition is based on listening.
To play the blues is a fascinating undertaking because it can be both simplistic and yet intangibly tricky to master. Lets say we have a standard 12 bar blues in e with the chords e 7a7b7. For now, just get to know the basic interval structure and color of these scales. Learn the blues scale in all 5 fingerboard positions. I have also included a pdf download of blues scales in all keys in standard tuning. Jan 01, 2004 blues scales a topic that usually takes a maximum of 2 pages a regular book of jazz theory, here extends to 80 pages. Though it takes you longer to use this scale in your solos, the payoff is well worth it. The blues scale is derived from the minor pentatonic scale. Often new players are drawn to the instrument because of a desire to play the blues. Introduction to the scale syllabus each chordscale symbol c7, c, c. To get the minor pentatonic scale, add the black notes egabd. Download the free print sheets for this lesson pdf. Combining the blues scale with the major scale gives you the entire chromatic scale except for flat two and flat six.
All of these scales would work over the following chord progressions. This is a hitormiss process that most jazz players before 1965 had to use to learn their trade. After clicking the buy now button, youll be directed to our online store at gumroad. Click here to download this free printable guitar scales chart pdf to your computer. The minor pentatonic scale is typically the first scale guitarists learn to solo with and is very commonly used to form solos in rock, blues, and other popular styles. These are mustknow scales especially for blues and rock so be sure to memorize. In addition to the lessons on the major and minor scales, you can also download pdfs containing the scales in all 12 keys. Whole and a half, whole, half, half, whole and a half, whole. Usually its the next scale learned after the major and minor scales. See george russells lydian chromatic concept, oliver messiaens harmonic concept, nicolas slonimsky, schoenberg, dave liebman, hindemith etc.
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. Play scales very slowly with big bows keeping an even tone across the bow stroke practice scales with a drone pitch using the first note of the scale memorize the scales occasionally use a tuner to help you tune each pitch. In some respects, teaching the this scale as the first jazz scale makes sense. Here is a pdf of the 36 important scales major, dorian, and. Remember, learning scales is just one part of jazz guitar, but it is a crucial part, as a lot of your playing time will be spent on lead improvisation. Introduction to the scale syllabus jamey aebersold. You can get more charts in with custom tunings using my interactive scale generator here. Fretboard diagram a ivi fret a e a 1 agbl f agbl 2 b fggl b 3 c g c 4 cgdl ggal cgdl 5 d a d 6 dgel agbl dgel 7 e b e 8 f c f 9 fggl cgdl fggl 10 g d g 11 ggal dgel ggal 12 a e a swamp dawg primal music.
Just because you practice scales, chords, patterns, and exercises doesnt mean you will sound stiff and mechanical, or that you will become a jazz great. Why learning more than one scale pattern is beneficial. Jazz is an experimental genre and guitarists are constantly exploring new scales and modifying old ones in their improvisation. It is usually considered the forerunner of both jazz and rock, and it breaks many of the conventions of classical music theory. While the majority of pentatonic melodies in this box are expressed on the highest 4strings, this lick demonstrates how you can open up the lower end of the box position. The scale studies are broken down into intervals and the exercises contain three and fourpart chords, playing. The blues scale is one the first scales that students of improvisation learn and generally it ends as being the only scale that they use besides the major and pentatonic scales. Download a free printable guitar scale chart for quick reference when practicing your guitar. Almost all music genres being born in the last hundred years come from blues above all in notclassical music. Recently i did a post about the 3 most important jazz scales for beginning improvisers. The student is given the task of following the scale formula for both scales and is thus encouraged to develop an understanding of how the two scales are constructed and how they differ rather than just memerising a sequence of letter names in order to recite them.
How to play the minor and major blues scales with solo examples. Aug 12, 2019 on this page youll find blues scale guitar tab, patterns and notation that will allow you to play blues scales all over the guitar neck. The pentatonic blues scale is built upon three dominant chords. Mar 01, 2016 youll grow to become very intimate with this blues scale, so pay attention.
Just rightclick on the link and choose save as to save it to your computer. Firstly download the major scale in all 12 keys pdf. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. There are a total of 430 finger exercises in this book. The blues scale for tenor sax and bb instruments digital.