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Lesson time: (2min 20sec)
Start improvising over a 12-bar blues using the blues scale in F, with tips on shaping the notes so your lines sound musical rather than like a scale exercise.
This lesson is part of the course Rockschool Piano Debut
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
So now we figured out the form for the blues: the 12 bars, using the three chords: F, B flat, and C.
How are we going to start improvising over this?
A great way to begin is to use the blues scale. This scale works perfectly when played over the blues.
The blues scale consists of the following notes:
You may recognize the sound of this scale, as so much pop music, jazz, rock, and other great sounds are based within it.
When improvising, it's important not to just go up and down the scale, as that sounds more like a scale exercise. Instead, focus on playing the scale in interesting ways.
If we take our blues form, we can overlay the blues scale and try to use it in slightly more creative ways than simply ascending and descending.
Example:
Imagine yourself singing when you're doing this. The blues originates from vocal traditions of singing. Therefore, when you're playing, aim to feel it deep inside with every ounce of your being.
Remember: Improvisation is about expressing yourself to the world. The way we can achieve this is by developing theoretical knowledge, like the blues, and then applying it in practical ways.
