Making it ‘blues-y’

Music Lesson: Adding Blues Flavor to Chords

The best thing about this tune is that Billy wrote it in almost simple form. You can take the chords, add whatever you like to them to make them bluesy, and then, of course, just make them your own.

So, I'm going to show you a few tricks and different things that you could add into the chords to give them that blues flavor. Experiment with them, play along with me, and then go and explore for yourself.

Starting with the C Chord

Let's start with the C chord. This is C in the most simple of forms, just a plain, good old, safe, regular C chord.

Adding the Seventh and Ninth

We all know in blues that adding the seventh, in this case, the B flat, gives it that bluesy sound. The ninth as well will add a jazzy touch. So the C chord turns into something that gives it a nice bluesy sound that we like:

• Original: C
• Bluesy Version: C7 (B flat and D)

E7 Chord Tricks

Now, let's look at the E7 chord. If we speed up this part, it sounds complicated, really fancy! But we're just playing each note.

• Starting on the fifth of the E7 chord (B)
• Moving to G flat.

A Minor Seven Breakdown

Next, let's tackle the A minor seven chord. You could split that right-hand chord into something like this:

1. Use your thumbs here.
2. A in little finger
3. E, A, and B at the same time.

Once you're feeling more confident, throw in the thumb on the B so you achieve this nice chord. It may not sound great on its own, but when you give it some context, it comes alive:

• A, E, A, B
• C with your thumb
• D with your thumb.

I don't have traditional piano-player fingers, I have little stumpy hands, and I can still do this!

Transitioning with G Minor 7 to C7 to F

From G minor 7, let's go to C7, then to F. A little trick when transitioning to F: this sounds nice:

• Start with F in a simple form.
• Add a B flat in its second inversion.

Speeding Up the F Chord

When you play that with a bit of speed, it becomes:

• F, D, F, B flat, D
• Then back to the F.

A7 Chord

Now, let's look at A7 in its simplest form:

• A (root)
• C sharp (third)
• E (fifth)
• G (seventh).

Now let's add a B flat to this. After some shifting, we'll find an easier way for our fingers.

Left-Hand Reinforcement

Remember, we only need to play the root notes with our left hand, as it reinforces what the chord is. For instance:

• If it's a C, the root note is C.
• If it's an E7, the root note is still E.

Your left hand acts like the bass player, reinforcing the chord while your right hand gives it depth and color.

Moving to D Minor 7 and B Flat 7

From A7, transition to D minor 7, then to B flat 7. The right hand doesn't need the B flat here. Use it only for depth and color.

Chromatic Pass Between Notes

Now, let's add a passing note between B flat and C. This is called a chromatic:

• Use a B flat in the left hand.
• Right hand: A flat (seventh), C (second finger), D (third finger), G (little finger).
• Move from B flat to C using chromatics, a very standard, jazzy technique.

Incorporating Rhythm and Feel

Now let's add all those little things together. We've added sevenths, ninths, and sharp ninths. The most important thing, as well as adding ornaments, is to incorporate rhythm and feel into this.

• Billy plays it straight, and you can imagine a drummer giving you that groove.

Introducing the D7 Chord

Now, let's introduce D7 in simple form again, adding sharp 5 and sharp 9.

Breaking Down the D7:

1. D (root)
2. F sharp (third)
3. B flat (seventh)
4. Sharp 5 at F natural.

Here's the controversial part: F sharp and F natural sound terrible together, but when spaced apart and added into the chord, you get a rich bluesy sound.

Wrapping Up

Finish with the F G. Here's a recap from the top, focusing on adding those nice little ninths and sharp 11s.

Let's practice these techniques as they can transform any tune into something special. With patience and practice, you'd be well on your way to incorporating these bluesy sounds into your playing!

Remember: Chromatics will help you move smoothly from chord to chord. Happy playing!