Erste Schritte in der Blues-Improvisation
Lesson time: (1min 53sec)
Nutze den 12-Takte-Blues als erstes Sprungbrett zum Improvisieren – die Drei-Akkord-Form in F und dann die Blues-Tonleiter in der rechten Hand.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Rockschool Klavierunterricht für Anfänger: Grade 1
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Learning Blues Improvisation
A great way to learn how to be a good improviser is to start by using the blues. The blues is an amazing chord sequence found in thousands of songs across various genres, including:
- Pop
- Jazz
- Rock
- Blues itself
There are so many versions of this that you will have heard already.
The 12-Bar Blues Format
I'm going to show you the format for a blues. The chord sequence consists of 12 bars. There are only three chords within this sequence. As you develop more skills, we'll start using more interesting chords, but for now, we will use triads. These may not sound particularly bluesy, but they will help you understand the harmony you're looking for.
Chords in the Key of F
- Chord 1: F
- Chord 4: Bb
- Chord 5: C
The form of the blues is shaped around these three chords in slightly different ways. Here's how the sequence typically goes:
- Start with F for four bars
- Move to the fourth chord (Bb)
- Back to F
- Up to the fifth chord (C)
- Back to the fourth chord (Bb)
- Return to the first chord (F)
Improvisation Tips
Now, this may not sound particularly bluesy or like 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 the right hand.
To add interest, you'll develop an exciting sound over this form by using the blues scale.
