The Scale
There are many ways in which to play an A Blues scale, but we’ll stick with the 5th fret box position used over the last few months:
Ascending
E|------------------------------------------5--8----------
B|-----------------------------------5--8-----------------
G|-------------------------5--7—8------------------------
D|------------------5--7----------------------------------
A|--------5--6--7-----------------------------------------
E|-5--8---------------------------------------------------
Descending
E|--8--5--------------------------------------------------
B|---------8--5-------------------------------------------
G|----------------8--7--5--------------------------------
D|--------------------------7--5-------------------------
A|---------------------------------7--6--5---------------
E|--------------------------------------------8--5--------
The Theory
You will notice that the notes for this scale are very similar to those of the Am Pentatonic Scale (Scale of the Month July ’07). They are actually the same, but with the important addition of a flattened fifth – a D# or Eb in this case. This turns the pentatonic hexatonic! You will notice when playing the scale that the flat 5th gives this scale a bluesy sound, even before you start to exploit it. The flattened fifths should be used as passing notes – don’t linger on them unless you want your phrases to sound unresolved. Try playing with tone and semi tone bends from the fifth fret of the A string or the 7th fret of the G, both are within the scale. The blues scale is used extensively by modern players regardless of genre, but is obviously a favourite of the bluesmen. You may find example lick one familiar. ;)
Full Access subscribers can find more on the blues scale in this style section:
http://www.guitartricks.com/style.php?input=blues
The Blues Scale is used extensively by Eric Clapton, BB King, SRV and many others. Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and the Melody of ‘Sunshine of your Love’ are blues scale melodies.
Some Example licks (Tab symbol key below)
1) Sunshine
E|----------------------------------------------------
B|----------------------------------------------------
G|----------------------------------------------------
D|--7--7--5--7---------------------------------------
A|----------------7--6--5----------------------------
E|--------------------------5—7b8--5----------------
2) Double Stops:
E|---5------------------------------------5----------------------5-----------
B|---5------------------------------------5------------------5------8b10----
G|---7/8--7--5--7b8b7--5~~-----------7/8--7--5—7b8-----------------------
D|-------------------------------7--5----------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Hammer ons:
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------------------5b---------------------------------------
D|------------5--7--5--------7------------------------------------
A|--5--6--7-------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------
4) Wylde lick:
E|--------------------------------10h11p10p8-------10h11p10p8-----------------------
B|------------------------------------------------10------------------10—8b10~~-----
G|--7h8p7p5-----7h8p7p5--------------------------------------------------------------
D|-------------7--------------7--------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Slides: / or \ depending on direction.
Full Access Subscribers can access more lessons in the Blues Scale at www.guitartricks.com – including:
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9963
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10064
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10053
Private Message me using the links above and tell me which scale should be scale of the Month for October...
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