Improvisation avec la gamme blues

Exploring Improvisation with the Blues Scale

Now, we haven't done anything in terms of a solo on this. One of the things you could try is using the blues scale or minor pentatonic and doing what I call noodling.

Suggested Approach

• Choose a hand position:
  • It could be a four-note hand position.
  • You can move that into five different places.

So, any of those will work.

Practice Tips

• Try it on E for a bit or in the opposite direction.
• You could also play octaves and so on.

All that improvisation was based on those five notes.

If You're Finding It Difficult

If you found it really difficult coordinating all of this improvisation and noodling with the bass line, why not try the barrel house to start with?

• Try and do it at the same tempo:
  • We were like this: 1, 2, 3.

Additional Options

• Octaves: Another option but always follow those notes.
• I put the B flat in the flat five, so use the same notes over all three chords.

Important Reminders

• That's really important: Don't think about changing the scale, just try to adapt the notes to fit the scale.

After Barrel House

Once you've got it with the barrel house, try the same ideas. See how they... how they match at exactly the same tempo.

Focus on Cleanliness

What you're aiming for is to get these right-hand semiquavers (or whatever they are; they might even be demi semiquavers) really clean.

• If you can't get them clean, slow it right down until you can reach the desired tempo.

Introducing the Blues Scale

I've left it deliberately to this point in part two to introduce the blues scale because many people really overuse this scale.

• Remember: It only has five notes, and it can get very monotonous after a while.

So you've probably noticed that up till now, most of the stuff we've done is related more directly to the chords.

Final Thoughts

Don't get stuck on the blues scale; it's just one tool in your toolbox.

Mix it up with other stuff, and you'll get a really good result.