The Blue Note
Blues Guitar & Beyond
•
4m 55s
The “blue” note is a note outside the Pentatonic Scale that allows for the most authentic tension and release available in the blues sound. The blue note, in between the fourth and fifth interval of the Pentatonic Scale, is technically referred to as the flat 5 note, as it’s found by flattening the fifth of the scale. By including this note in the Pentatonic Scale, you end up forming a new scale known as the Blues Scale.
The downloadable Blues Scale diagram, featured on the great site Free Guitar Source, outlines the five new positions of the Blues Scale if you’re inclined to adapt them. You’ll find this one little note will completely transform your phrases and allow you to tap in to your bluesy emotions you may be harboring.
Up Next in Blues Guitar & Beyond
-
11 Minor Pentatonic Scale Improvisation
In this lesson, you’ll find a backing track you can easily play along to for hours on end if you want to (trust me, I’ve done it before). With a bit of a modern edge, this minor blues progression in G minor will be a great tool for you to use the knowledge you’ve gained up to this point to begin ...
-
Major Pentatonic Blues Improvisation ...
You’ll learn methods to blend seamlessly between both Minor and Major Pentatonic tonalities as you become more comfortable with the scale positions and your ear training continues to develop. In a situation like this, you’ll see when I choose to dive out of the Major color and dip into the Minor ...
-
The Modal Blues of Mixolydian
Mixolydian is a great scale to use in a major blues context. It'll give your blues licks a jazzier, richer melodic voice around dominant 7th chords. You can use it in combination with the more signature sounds of the Pentatonic Scales, and you’ll see how the extra notes included in Mixolydian off...
