The Blues Beginner

Dee · #1 January 6th, 2007

Hello:

My name is Dennis and I've been playing acoustic approximately 6 months.. I would like to learn how to play some melody blues.. I can play the backup in the Key of A in 12-bar blues.. My question is I've looked at the the Minor Pentonic scale at the fifth frett but don't know how to make music out of these notes.. Do I play my ADE chords
with indiividual notes from these chords or what... There is a backing track in the Key of A that I'm using.. I realize this is a really slow process of learning and practicing but nothing seems to be happening right now.. I'm lost.. Just starting melody blues today..
Anybody got any ideas ??? Sure would be appreciated..

Dennis

From Henderson, Nv..

allthumbs · #2 January 6th, 2007

Play your basic chords and add flat 3s to 3s hammer ons and pull offs. Add 7ths. Throw in a 4,#4,5 run here and there. Bend flat 3s to 3 too. Slide up or down from notes in one chord to notes in the same chord higher or lower on the neck. It is a place to start. I don't use pentatonic scales myself so I can't help you there.
Study Kirks' blues tunes lessons.

Matty22 · #3 January 6th, 2007

G'day Dennis, welcome aboard

coldethyl · #4 January 6th, 2007

Welc

me aboard Dennis!

There ain't nothin' like the blues to tickle my music bone.

OldG · #5 January 7th, 2007

Hi Dennis,

I'm a pentatonic/blues scale player so let's see if I can help you here...

Firstly, get familiar with that pentatonic scale until you can move about in it comfortably, starting with the 'first position' at the 5th fret . this is the shape - learn to move forwards backwards and diagonally around it...

The beauty of these 12 notes is that you can play them in any order over any part of your 12 bar in A and it won't sound 'wrong'.

once you are happily moving about this scale, you can add to the bluesy sound by sliding and hammering between them,including some bends to add tension where needed.

If you start with bending the the 8th note along the scale (7th fret on the G string - the D octave in this case) I'm sure you'll see what I mean - especially if you follow that bend by playing the note on the 5th fret (Gstring) and apply a heavy vibrato to it.... instant blues tone

Work your way around the scale too your backing track, and you'll find certain bits that are sweet with the backing... If you remember these to use again,you'll end up with a library of licks that you can use anytime.
If you want to draw on your influences 'borrow' licks from your favourite players and work parts of those into your leadwork

That should get you going for now, I'll include some helpful links too...

This is myself, stumbling clumsily a round a blues in E just using that one position of the pentatonic scale here

This is a great lesson with soundclips...

And this guy is worth a look,also.

Hope that helps - feel free to ask about anything if I'm not being too clear, I'm posting this when just coming round on a Sunday morning

Mick

Kirk Lorange · #6 January 7th, 2007

Hi Dee, I'm another non-scale player. I find (or found) the pentatonic claustrophobically restricting, myself ... there are 12 notes to play with, not 5. Have a listen to the Red Start Blues I just loaded up the other day. That was played by following the chords: G7, C7 and D7. I used the tones from each of those chords (one at a time) as my main melody notes. After doing for a long time you get to how to decorate them and how to run between them chromatically ... how to approach the 3 in each chord from the semitone below (the flat 3) and a few other little tricks of the trade, but it all hinges off those chord tones.

That's the other way of approaching ... not that the pentatonic or blues scales are wrong ... just another way of doing it. It's also a little easier as you're letting the 'box' do all the choosing of those 5 notes for you.

I watched Eric Clapton and Cream the other night ... he's strictly a pentatonic player. I fell asleep! All I heard were the same runs everyone else plays ... over and over and over. Not once did I hear any real melody.

OldG · #7 January 7th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirk Lorange

not that the pentatonic or blues scales are wrong ... just another way of doing it. It's also a little easier as you're letting the 'box' do all the choosing of those 5 notes for you.

Which I think makes this scale a good stepping stone between 'being stuck in picking/ strumming chords' and the planetalk approach...

I've been playing pentatonics for a few years now and it although it really helped/helps my dexterity, phrasing etc, I must admit I do find it a little restrictive and cliched sounding these days - maybe its time for me to take another step...

Hilch · #8 January 7th, 2007

Hi and welcome

I am just finding the Blues my self ....started learning Saturday

Trev...

cmmcgarry5 · #9 January 7th, 2007

Hi
There is a book called "Blues you can use" by John Ganapes.
I had the same problem as you but this book showed me how to use the pentatonic scale using over 20 examples.
Only thing is it is aimed at electric lead playing.
Good luck anyway

Dee · #10 January 15th, 2007

Sorry for the delay in answering... Your information you supplied is exactly was I was looking for.. Sure beats spending $50 on learning walking bass lines and appregos which I have done. Your sample blues that you play is the best... Maybe some day I can do it... Thanks for everything, Iv'e found a new home...

Dennis

guttertrashsingalong · #11 January 15th, 2007

hi dennis and welcome

Stratrat · #12 January 15th, 2007

Welcome aboard, Dennis. I'm in the process of learning blues guitar also. To this point I've mostly been playing my improvs from the minor pentatonic scale as well, but I bought Kirk's PlaneTalk and really like how his approach frees you up to use much more of the fretboard and "get out of the box". I'm still working on integrating it into my playing, but I definitely like his approach for the variety and melody it can bring on board.

GuitarPhil · #13 January 16th, 2007

The link "This a great lesson with soundclips..." in Mick's reply is broken (too many forward slashes).

This is the correct link

Oops! Apparently I'm not allowed to post URLs yet!

krissovo · #14 January 16th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stratrat

Welcome aboard, Dennis. I'm in the process of learning blues guitar also. To this point I've mostly been playing my improvs from the minor pentatonic scale as well, but I bought Kirk's PlaneTalk and really like how his approach frees you up to use much more of the fretboard and "get out of the box". I'm still working on integrating it into my playing, but I definitely like his approach for the variety and melody it can bring on board.

I am in the same boat, anything faster than 110bpm its into the pentatonic scale

OldG · #15 January 17th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarPhil

The link "This a great lesson with soundclips..." in Mick's reply is broken (too many forward slashes).

This is the correct link

Oops! Apparently I'm not allowed to post URLs yet!

hmm, works for me this end - i'll post it again tho'... full address this time >> www.freeguitarvideos.com/LJ_Bl/LJ04a.html