Starting out with Blues improvisation

Introduction to Blues Improvisation

A great way of learning how to be a good improviser is to start by using the blues. The blues is an amazing chord sequence, which is literally in thousands of songs that you'll have heard in:

• Pop music
• Jazz
• Rock
• The blues itself

There are so many versions of this that you will have heard already.

The Blues Chord Sequence

I'm going to show you the format for a blues. The chord sequence is 12 bars, consisting of only three chords. As you become more skilled, we'll start using more interesting chords, but for now, we will focus on triads.

While these triads may not sound that bluesy, they will help you understand the harmony you're looking for.

The Three Chords in the Blues

If we start in the key of F, the chords are:

1. Chord I: F
2. Chord IV: Bb
3. Chord V: C

The Structure of the Blues

The form of the blues is shaped around these three chords in slightly different ways:

1. Start with F for four bars.
2. Move to the fourth chord (Bb).
3. Back to F.
4. Up to the fifth chord (C).
5. Then return to the fourth (Bb) and back to the first chord (F).

This progression may not sound particularly bluesy or provide a great template for improvising right now, but as soon as you get these chord shapes under your fingers, you'll find that you can start to improvise with your right hand.

Developing Your Improvisation Skills

Over this form, you can redevelop interesting musical ideas. To do that, we're going to use the blues scale.