Slow Blues For Beginners
If you’re new to the blues, start here! You will learn the 12 bar blues form, basic voicings, how to count the slow blues, filling in space, and improvisation.
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Slow Blues For Beginners
If you’re new to the blues, start here! You will learn the 12 bar blues form, basic voicings, how to count the slow blues, filling in space, and improvisation.
If you’re new to the blues, start here! You will learn the 12 bar blues form, basic voicings, how to count the slow blues, filling in space, and improvisation.
Triads, 7th Chords, & Inversions
We first voice the chords first using basic triads and then we extend the triads up to the 7th degree to create seventh chords. When playing blues, jazz, and other types of improvised music, 7th chords are required to create smooth voice leading in the harmony.
How To Count Slow Blues
We learn how to count the slow blues. The blues can be counted in 4/4, but when playing slow blues piano the underlying pulse is typically felt in 12/8.
When playing in 4/4, each bar is split into 4 beats. The counting in 4/4 would be as follows:
- 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, etc…
When playing in 12/8 the four beats of the bar still exist but they are further subdivided into triplets which gives us 12 x 8th note triplets in each bar. This can be counted in the following ways:
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1-&-a 2-&-a 3-&-a 4-&-a, 1-&-a 2-&-a 3-&-a 4-&-a, etc…
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1-2-3 2-2-3 3-2-3 4-2-3, 1-2-3 2-2-3 3-2-3 4-2-3, etc…
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1-2-3 4-5-6 7-8-9 10-11-12, 1-2-3 4-5-6 7-8-9 10-11-12, etc…
The pattern can also be vocalised by saying the word “trip-e-let” for each beat of the bar and emphasising the 3 syllables in the word. All of these approaches can be used and so pick the counting approach that feels the most comfortable for you.
Suspended Triad Fills
We combine the 12/8 left hand pattern with simple melodic ideas and fills. Completing the drills outlined in this lesson will help you to develop a sense of hand independence and it will set the stage for the next module where we introduce more complex melodic ideas.
Blues Turnarounds For Beginners
We introduce the concept of the turnaround which is typically the final two bars in the blues form. The turnaround is used to lead smoothly and convincingly back to the top of the form.
The blues is a cyclical chord progression in the sense that it is repeated many times during a single performance and so smoothly transitioning back to the top of the form is an important skill. We explore the following types of blues turnaround:
- Basic Blues Turnaround
- Turnarounds with Blues Scale Licks
- I-VI-II-V Progression Turnarounds
- New Orleans Style Turnarounds
- Gospel Voicings For Turnarounds
Leading Tones In The Blues
We explore the concept of ‘leading tones’ in particular using the #5 alteration which creates strong voice leading into the third of the subsequent chord.
We apply the #5 leading tone to the transition between the I and the IV chords, and we also apply this alteration to the V7 passing chord in the 3rd bar which creates a strong pull back to the I7 chord in bar 4.
12 Bar Blues Walk Ups
We explore a walk-up sequence from the I chord to the IV chord. Walk ups are usually a mixture of step-wise and chromatic movement in the bass line which is enhanced with voicings in our right hand.
Descending 4ths Fill
We explore a useful fill technique using descending 4th intervals. This fill can be used over the I, IV, and V chords in the 12 bar blues to tastefully fill in the space and add tension and dissonance into our right hand.
Descending 6th Chord Fill
We explore a variation on the descending fourth interval fill that we covered in the previous lesson. This time we will use a root position sixth chord in our right hand and all three notes in the voicing will descend chromatically.
3rd Interval Patterns
We use third intervals to create patterns and improvised fills over the 12 bar blues. We will start by harmonizing the mixolydian mode using third intervals, and we will do this for the I, IV, and V chords.
Bluesy Ornamentation
We infuse these 3rd interval patterns with bluesy embellishments, incorporating elements such as grace notes and trills. These additions will result in a distinctive expressive quality of your musical phrases, enriching the overall texture and character of your blues performance.
Learn slow blues piano using the basic 12 bar blues in the key of F. We explore counting, voicings, and simple fills and melodies.
In this lesson we learn the harmonic framework of the blues which is the I, the IV, & the V chord and we create 7th chord voicings.
You will learn how to count the blues in 12/8 and how to internalise the 12/8 pulse by completing the exercises demonstrated in the lesson.
We build a triad a 4th up from each chord to create a suspended triad fill which smoothens the transitions between the chords in the blues.
Typically, being placed on the last 2 bars of the form, the turnaround is used to lead smoothly and convincingly back to the first chord.
You will learn how to embellish the turnaround section of the 12 bar blues with blues scale licks using both the major and minor blues.
In this lesson we apply the I-VI-II-V progression to the turnaround section using a selection of meaty New Orleans style chord voicings.
In this lesson we focus on a III-vi-II-V Gospel turnaround and it's variations that are well suited to turnaround section of the blues.
We take a basic 1625 progression and transform the diatonic 7th chords with soulful blues piano voicings and embellishments.
We smoothen out the transitions between the I, IV, and V chords with chromatic passing chords, walk-ups, and by utilising leading tones.
In this lesson we explore a technique that can be used to fill in space in the slow blues using descending fourth intervals.
We explore a variation on the 4th interval fill. We now take a root position 6th chord and all 3 notes descend chromatically.
In this lesson we will use third intervals to create patterns and improvised fills over all of the chords in the 12 bar blues.
We explore passing chord options when playing slow blues piano. We focus on the transition from the I to the IV chord in the 12 bar blues.
This lesson is designed to deepen your understanding on the application of sus chords (suspended chords) to the 12 bar blues in the key of F.
In this lesson we introduce left hand techniques such as ruffs and rolls to enhance the sound of our blues bass lines and passing chords.
In this blues improvisation lesson we cover a series of drills and exercises to help you develop improvised melodic ideas using triads.
In this lesson we introduce the 6th and 7th chord tones to build upon the triad foundation and create more interesting melodic pathways.
This lesson provides a deep understanding and practical application of the iconic 'Famous Lick' - widely used in blues improvisation.
In this lesson, we introduce blues scale improvisation and aim to consolidate all of the ideas and concepts covered in this course.
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Slow Blues Chord Changes File Type: pdf
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Opening Performance Transcription File Type: pdf
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12 Bar Form & 7th Chords File Type: pdf
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Slow Blues Counting & Bass Lines File Type: pdf
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Melody & Triad Fills: 3 Exercises File Type: pdf
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Basic Blues Turnarounds File Type: pdf
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Blues Scale Turnarounds File Type: pdf
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New Orleans Style Turnarounds File Type: pdf
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Gospel Style Turnarounds File Type: pdf
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Soulful Chord Progression Formulas File Type: pdf
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Soulful Blues Chord Voicings – Transcription File Type: pdf
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Leading Tones, Walk-Ups & Walk-Downs File Type: pdf
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4th Interval Space Fillers File Type: pdf
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6th Interval Space Fillers File Type: pdf
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3rd Interval Fills & Patterns File Type: pdf
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Chromatic Passing Chords File Type: pdf
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Sus Chord Fills Notation File Type: pdf
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Left Hand Ruffs Notation File Type: pdf
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Triad Improvisation Drills File Type: pdf
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6th Chord Melodic Ideas File Type: pdf
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The Famous Lick Variations File Type: pdf
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Minor Blues Scale Anticipation File Type: pdf
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Blues Scales & Space Fillers File Type: pdf
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Developing Strong Foundations Demo File Type: pdf
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