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s1m0n
Jan-13-2005, 4:59pm
What exactly is a blues scale? Is it simply a matter of a flatted 7th? Does a blues scale in C consist of C D E F G A Bb?

Is the flat 7th, then, a "blue" note? Are they all blue notes? Are any other notes blue? What would make them so?

What (besides a song title) are the minor blues? Are there major and minor blues scales?

John Flynn
Jan-13-2005, 6:10pm
The blues is based on 1-4-5 chord progressions and pentatonic (five note) scales. The major pentatonic scale is 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 of the major scale. It is predomintly used in country and bluegrass. A flatted third can be used over the tonic chord as the blue note.

The minor pentatonic does not indicate you are in a minor key. You use the same 1-4-5 chords but play the minor pentatonic scale, which is 1, flat 3, 4, 5, flat 7. The minor pentatonic is used for rock and "hard" blues, like Delta blues and Chicago blues.

The purpose of these scales is to give you a range of notes you can improvize with and not get into trouble. As long as you stay with the 1-4-5 chords, you can vamp on these scales and it will be hard to hit a wrong note. The major and the minor pentas just yield different sounds.

John Flynn
Jan-13-2005, 6:49pm
Oh, and flat 7 and sometimes flat 5 notes can be used as blue notes also. A blue note is a note that is not in the pentatonic scale but can be used in addition to the scale notes some of the time. Blue notes help give the blues its unique sound.

s1m0n
Jan-13-2005, 7:04pm
Thank you. That was exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

ira
Jan-14-2005, 10:30am
thanks johnny- clear explanation for those of us who are theory challenged is so helpful!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

smilnJackB
Jan-31-2005, 6:42pm
Johnny (or Someone else whocan answer correctly), #
# I play a lot of Country Blues in the key of G. #So, if I use the minor pentatonic scale, does that mean I will be picking the notes: 1.G, 2.A, 3.B, 4.C, 5.D and 7. E flat?
# Thanks in Advance. # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Jack

smilnJackB
Jan-31-2005, 6:45pm
Ooops, sorry! I should have asked, if I use the minor pentatonic scale in the key of G, does that mean I will be picking the notes: 1.G, 2.A, 3.B, 4.C, 5.D and 7. F flat?
Thanks again, in Advance. Jack

s1m0n
Jan-31-2005, 6:48pm
F natural, I should think. F sharp is the usual seventh in the key of G

ShaneJ
Jan-31-2005, 6:54pm
Try these Blues TablEdit files from Mandozine. (http://www.mandozine.com/music/zip_files/blues.zip) Also, there are some Pentatonic scales, exercises & arpeggios here. (http://www.mandozine.com/music/zip_files/exercises.zip)

John Flynn
Jan-31-2005, 7:26pm
The minor penta in G is G - Bb - C - D - F. However, if you are playing country blues, you would not generally choose the minor penta. You would more likely choose the major, which is G - A - B - D - E.

smilnJackB
Feb-02-2005, 11:06am
Thanks Johnny. I will work on that. Jack