7 Steps Blues Scales PDF [PDF]

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Seven Steps to the Blues: Beyond the Blues Scale A presentation on the teaching of blues improvisation from beginning to intermediate levels

Daniel Brame and the Deerfield High School Jazz Band Illinois Music Education Conference Thursday, January 24, 2013 3:30-4:45 p.m. Civic Center Room 405/406

The 12-Bar Blues Progression The earliest blues progressions tended to be very simple, with three 4-bar phrases and three triads: I IV V

I IV V

I I I

I I I

As the blues developed, dominant 7th chords replaced basic triads. In addition, new chords were added. The V chord at the end is used to bring the progression back to the beginning. This is the form that is used in most blues music as well as early jazz and rock: I7 IV7 V7

IV7 IV7 IV7

I7 I7 I7

I7 I7 V7

Eventually, most jazz musicians began using a [II-7 / V7] in the third phrase. This is what we will call the basic blues. Notice that all of the chords are dominant 7th chords except for the minor 7th in bar 9: I7 IV7 II-7

IV7 IV7 V7

I7 I7 I7

I7 I7 V7

There are countless chord substitutions that can be used in the blues. Some common ones are: bar 4: V-7 / I7 bar 6: !IV°7 bar 8: VI7 bar 12: II-7 / V7 In the mid to late 1940s, bebop musicians created a very dense blues progression now known as “Bird Blues,” named after legendary alto saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker. There are a few variations on it, but here is a fairly standard version: Imaj7 IV7 (or maj7) II-7

VII-7"5 IV-7 V7

III7"9 "VII7

VI-7 III-7 III-7

II7 VI7 VI7

V-7 "III-7 II-7

I7 "VI7 V7

There are also many different minor blues progressions. Here is a common one. The minor chords on I and IV can be played as -6, -6/9, or –(maj 7): IIVII-7"5 ( or "VI7)

IIVV7+9

III-

I7"9 III-7"5

V7+9

Blues Warm Up

2 c œ œ1 œ œ1 Ó

œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó

I7

IV 7

3

-3

œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó

œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó

IV 7 -3

œ œ œ œ Ó 3

2

œ œ œ œ Ó 4

œ Ó J

-3

-3

-3

œ4 Ó J

V7

œ Ó J

IV 7

6

3

3

œ œ J œ4 œ4 J II -7

œ œ J I7

-7

œ œ J œ8 œ8 J

œ Ó J

I7

œ3 œ3 J

œ3 Ó J

-3

3

3

œ œ J

œ œ J

œ Ó J

6

6

-7

œ3 œ3 J

œ7 Ó J

I7

œ œ J

œ Ó J

œ7 œ7 J

-7

œ œ J

œ -œ7 J

-7

œ4 œ4 J

œ4 Ó J

IV 7

4

3

2

1

5

-7

6

8

1

VI 7

œ Ó J

-7

-7

-7

œ Ó J

II -7

œ7 œ7 J

œ7 Ó J

8 -7 œ 6 5 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ -3

2

-3

4

œ -œ7 J

-7

2

3

4

5

9

V7

!

3

2

8

œ Ó J

V7

8 -7 œ 6 5 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 1

2

3

!

4

I7

!

4

7 8 œ 6 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

II -7

-7

I7

2

IV 7 1

V7

œ -œ7 J

1 8 6 -œ7 œ 6 -œ7 œ œ 5 œ 5 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

I7

œ3 Ó J

-7

œ Ó J

-7

VI 7

œ3 Ó J

I7

-7

I7

œ3 œ3 J

II -7

œ Ó J

I7 -7

3

œ3 œ3 J

œ3 Ó J

I7

6

V7

3

V7

4

œ Ó J

I7

œ4 Ó J

6

œ œ2 œ œ2 ˙ II -7

2

œ4 œ4 J

œ œ J

œ8 Ó J

II -7

œ œ1 œ œ1 Ó 3

œ Ó J

6

œ3 +œ1 œ2 +œ1 ˙

I7

2

-3

-3

6

œ Ó J

6

-3

œ œ J

-7

IV 7 6

-3

œ Ó J

-3

-7

œ œ J IV 7

3

IV 7

3

2

œ œ J I7

œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó

VI 7

3

V7

2

œ3 œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó

I7

-3

II -7 4

œ3 œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó I7

VI 7

4

!

8 8 7 8 œ 5 œ œ œ 6 œ œ œ œ Œ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

I7 1

2

3

4

II -7

6 -7 8

2

3

4

5

V7

I7

9

Seven Steps to the Blues 1) The Bluesy Pentatonic scale 5

6

1 2 !3

2) Add the major 3rd 5

6

1 2 !3

3 (don’t use 3 on IV chord,!3 can be a pickup to 3)

3) Add the "5 5 "5

6

1

6

!7

2

!3

3 (use as a pick up to 6)

4) Add the !7 5 "5

1 2

!3

3 (can be a substitute for 6 or work with 6)

5 "5 6 !7 1 2 tone on II, IV, and V)

!3

3

5) Add the 4 4 (use as a passing tone on I chords or a stable

6) Hear the II7 – V7 progression as II dorian or V mixolydian, or play standard II – V licks over it 7) Use the blues scale 1

!3

4

!5 5 !7

1 (use sparingly—especially effective in last chorus)

C Instruments

GÑ

4 &b 4 ’

F Blues Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase ’

’

œ ˙ 4 œ b œ & 4 œ ˙ 4 b & 4

œ œ J

C7

’

’

œ J

4 & b 4 œ œ œ nœ œ œ Œ 4 &b 4 œ & b 44

œ

œ œ œJ œ j œ œ œ œ

j œ

œ œ œ œ nœ 4 œ b œ & 4 œ

’

’

œœ œ œ ˙ œ. Ó

œ J

’

F7

’

’

’ ’ ’’’’

œ œ œ œ ˙

œ œ œ J J

j œ w

bœ bœ œ œ œ 3

w

C7

! ! !

œ

œ œ œJ œ

œ w J

!

œ.

j œj œ œ

j œ w

!

w

!

bœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ

B b Instruments

# 4 AÑ & 4 ’ ’

F Blues Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase ’

# 4 œœ œ ˙ & 4 œ # 4 ˙ & 4

œ œ J

’

# 4 œ œ#œ œ œ Œ & 4 œ # 4 & 4 œ # 4 & 4

œ

œ œ œJ œ j œ œ œ œ

D7

’

œ J

j œ

# 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ & 4 œ

’

’

œœœ œ ˙ œ. Ó

œ J

’

G7

œ œ œ J J

’

’ ’ ’’’’

œ œ œ œ ˙

!

œ w J

!

!

bœ nœ œ œ œ 3

’

D7

w

!

œ

œ œ œJ œ

œ w J

œ.

j œj œ œ

j œ w

!

w

!

nœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ

E b Instruments

# # 4 EÑ & 4 ’ ’

F Blues Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase ’

## 4 & 4 œœœ œ ˙ ## 4 ˙ & 4

œ œ J

’

## 4 œ œ œ # œ œ œ Œ & 4 ## 4 & 4 œ ## 4 & 4 œ

j œ œ œ œ œ œ œJ œ

A7

’

œ J

’

’

œœœ œ ˙ œ. Ó

j œ

œ

œ J

œ.

œ ## 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ & 4

’

D7

j œ œ œ J

’

j œ w

! !

w

!

œ w J

!

3

j œ œ œJ

’ ’ ’’’’

œ œ œ œ ˙

bœ nœ œ œ œ

œ œ œJ œ

’

A7

œ w J

nœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ

w

! !

BC Instruments

GÑ

F Blues Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase

? 4 b 4 ’ ’

’

œ ˙ œ œ ? b 44 œ ? b 44

˙

C7

’

œ œ J

? 4 œ œ œ nœ œ œ Œ b 4

’

œ J

? 4 œ b 4

œ œ œJ œ

œ J

? b 44 œ

œ œ œJ œ

œ J

œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ ? b 44

’

’

’

œœœ œ ˙ œ. Ó

F7

œ œ œ J J

’

’ ’ ’’’’

œ œ œ œ ˙ œ w J

bœ bœ œ œ œ 3

’

w

œ

œ œ œJ œ

œ w J

œ.

j œ œ œJ

œ w J

bœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ

w

C7

! ! ! ! ! !

C Instruments

4 &b 4 œ j b & bœ

Blues Licks in F œ #œ œ œ Œ

œ.

œ

&b œ &b

œ

Ó

Ó

œ œ b œJ œ

!

3

œ œ bœ œ Œ

œ J

!

Ó

Ó

Œ

j œ

j œ b œj œ œ œ œ œ œ

! !

j œ bœ œ œ œ œ

& b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ ˙ & b nœ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ

j œ

3

Ó

3

!

œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙

jœ œ bœ œ œ ˙

& b œJ œ

œ nœ œ œ Œ

‰ # œj n œ œ œ œ ˙

Œ

œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ ˙

œ

b œ œ œ œ œJ œ

!

œ œ

& b œ œ #œ œ ˙ &b œ

!

œ #œ œ œ œ

œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ

‰ j œ œ œ œ b œj œ . œ

Ó ! ! ! ! !

B b Instruments

# 4 & 4œ #

œ #œ œ œ Œ

& b œJ œ . #

Blues Licks in F

#

& œ &

# œ

# œ œ & J

Ó

Ó

œ œ n œJ œ

!

3

œ œ nœ œ Œ

œ J

# #œ œ œ œ œ nœ bœ & œ 3

Ó

j œ

j œ bœ œ œ œ œ

Ó Œ

j œ

j œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ J œ

! !

3

Ó

# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ ˙ &

!

œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙

!

œ œ bœ œ œ ˙ J

œ #œ œ œ Œ

‰ # œj n œ œ œ œ ˙

Œ

œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ ˙

œ

b œ œ œ œ œJ œ

!

œ œ

œ

& œ œ #œ œ ˙ # œ &

!

œ #œ œ œ œ

œ nœ œ œ œ bœ œ

‰ j œ œ œ œ bœ œ. œ J

Ó ! ! ! ! !

E b Instruments

# 4œ & # 4

Blues Licks in F œ #œ œ œ Œ

## n œ . J œ &

œ œ

œ

## œ œ # œ œ ˙ & & &

! ! Ó

## œ

# & #

œ

# # œJ œ &

œ œ n œJ œ

œ œ nœ œ

3

œ œ nœ œ œ ˙ J

## œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ ˙ œ & ## # œ œ œ œ œ n œ n œ œ & 3

Ó

n œ œ œ œ œJ œ

œ nœ œ œ œJ œ

!

Œ

! œ J

œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ ˙

Ó

œ J

œ #œ œ œ Œ

œ œ œ ˙ # œ # œ ‰ J

Œ

## œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ ˙

œ

3

œ J

nœ œ œ œ œ œJ œ J

! Ó Ó Œ

œ

œ #œ œ œ œ

œ nœ œ œ œ nœ œ

‰ œj œ œ œ œ n œJ œ .

! ! Ó ! ! ! ! !

BC Instruments

? 4œ b 4

Blues Licks in F œ #œ œ œ Œ

? b b œJ œ .

œ œ

œ

? b œ œ #œ œ ˙ ?b

! Ó

œ

? b œJ œ

œ œ b œJ œ

œ œ bœ œ

3

œ œ bœ œ œ ˙ J

? b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ ˙ ? b nœ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ 3

œ bœ œ œ œJ œ

!

Œ

Ó

b œ œ œ œ œJ œ

! œ J

œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙

Ó

œ J

œ nœ œ œ Œ

œ œ œ ˙ n œ # œ ‰ J

Œ

œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ ˙

?b œ ?b

!

œ

3

œ J

bœ œ œ œ œ œJ œ J

! Ó Ó Œ

œ

œ #œ œ œ œ

œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ

‰ œj œ œ œ œ b œJ œ .

! ! Ó ! ! ! ! !

Blues Playing Test Rubric Note Choices Major and minor 3rds are used correctly.

A U S N

Chromatic passing/neighbor tones are used for color.

A U S N

The II – V sound is played in the last phrase.

A U S N

The solo has an overall bluesy sound.

A U S N

Awkward dissonances are avoided.

A U S N

General Improvisation Skills The rhythms are varied.

A U S N

Space is used to separate ideas.

A U S N

Ideas flow well and are developed logically.

A U S N

The swing feel is smooth.

A U S N

Time is consistent.

A U S N

The playing is energetic.

A U S N

There are varying levels of intensity.

A U S N

Comments

Blues Head Examples

AAA Form with a blues scale (1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 8) or bluesy pentatonic (5 6 1 2 b3)

B b7

E b7

B b7

b & b c b œ œj n œ œj ‰ b œ . œ œ œ ˙ . œ B b7

b & b ˙.

bœ œ

bœ œ

CÑ

F7

E b7

j ‰ j œ bœ œ œ nœ œ bœ. œ œ

!

B b7

j ‰ bœ. j œ œ œ œ ˙. œ n œ bœ œ

!

AAA Form with major and minor thirds like the blues warmup

B b7

E b7

B b7

b œ & b c œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó B b7

b œ & b œ œ œJ b œ œj AAB Form

œ œ œ œJ b œ œj

CÑ

F7

œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó

!

B7 E7 j b œ & b c œ œ bœ ‰ œ #œ œ œ œ bœ ˙

&

bb

b

B b7

j j b œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ

B b7

b

B b7

j j b œ œ œœ œ œ nœ

CÑ

j œj œ œ œ œ nœ

!

Through-Composed Form

E b7

b & b c ‰ œj œ œ b œ œ ‰ # œj œ œ œ œ b œ œ &

bb

3

E b7

œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ CÑ

b & b œ nœ œ œ bœ

#œ œ

!

F7

œ

œ œ œ œ œ

!

F7

F7

bœ œ

E b7

œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó B b7

œ œ œ œJ b œ œj

F7

œ œ b œ œ ‰ œj # œ œ œ œ bœ ˙

B b7

‰ j œ œ œ #œ œ œ

j b œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ B b7

!

E b7

j œ ‰B 7 œ œ œ bœ nœ J bœ. œ bœ œ

B b7

!

F7

b

!

œ bœ ˙

Œ

œ œ

j œ ˙

Œ

‰ nœ J

j ‰ j b œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ

G7

œ J

F7

!

F Blues Heads All of these are standard swing tunes that work well in jam sessions. There are other tunes like “Watermelon Man” that are in a straight-8ths/rock style, but they are more suited to blues scale playing. Tunes with an asterisk have more chord substitutions. Tune

Composer

Availability

Au Privave* Bag’s Groove Billie’s Bounce Blues for Alice* Now’s the Time Pfrancing (No Blues) Sippin’ at Bells* Some Other Blues Teenie’s Blues Walkin’

Charlie Parker Milt Jackson Charlie Parker Charlie Parker Charlie Parker Miles Davis Miles Davis John Coltrane Oliver Nelson Jimmy Mundy

HLRB1, REB3 STAN HLRB2 HLRB1, NRB2 HLRB1, REB3 HLRB1 HLRB2 HLRB2, REB2 HLRB2 HLRB2, REB2

Bb Blues Heads There are considerably more blues tunes in Bb than in F. These are some of the better known that follow the standard progression. “Tenor Madness” is especially good for teaching the use of the major/minor 3rd and the II-V progression at the end. Tune

Composer

Availability

Blue Monk Blue Seven Blues by Five Blues in the Closet Blues March Duff Filthy McNasty Opus de Funk Sonnymoon for Two Spontaneous Combustion Straight No Chaser Tenor Madness The Thumper Trane’s Blues Twisted Wee Dot

Thelonious Monk Sonny Rollins Red Garland Oscar Pettiford Benny Golson Hampton Hawes Horace Silver Horace Silver Sonny Rollins Cannonball Adderley Thelonious Monk Sonny Rollins Percy Heath Miles Davis Wardell Gray J.J. Johnson

HLRB1 HLRB2, REB1 HLRB2, REB1 HLRB2, REB1 HLRB2, REB2 HLRB2 HLRB2, NRB2 HLRB4, NRB3 REB1 RJCFB HLRB1 (occasionally transcribed in F) HLRB2, REB1 HLRB2 HLRB2 (aka Weird Blues or Veird Blues) NRB1, HLRB2 RJCFB

Eb and C Blues Heads The two other most common blues keys are Eb and C. Both work well for beginning and intermediate improvisers, and it is a good idea to occasionally get away from Bb and F to get some fresh licks and ideas going. Tune

Composer

Availability

Alright, Okay, You Win (Eb) Bessie’s Blues (Eb) Blue Train (Eb) C Jam Blues (C) Cool Blues (C) Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid (C) Sandu (Eb) The Swingin’ Shepherd Blues (C)

Watts & Wyche John Coltrane John Coltrane Duke Ellington Charlie Parker Lester Young Clifford Brown Moe Koffman

HLRB1 HLRB1, NRB2 REB3, HLRB1 HLRB2 HLRB2 HLRB2 HLRB2, NRB1 HLRB2

Key to availability: HLRB – Hal Leonard Real Book, Vol. 1-5 • An excellent series published in C, Bb, Eb, and BC • Replicates the old illegal Real Books from the 70s and 80s without the mistakes • Has only basic melody and chords, no harmonies, little info on form REB – Real Easy Book, Vol. 1-3 • Published by Sher Music in C, Bb, Eb, and BC • Each tune has sample bass lines and chord voicings for piano and guitar • Includes harmony parts and details of the form NRB – New Real Book, Vol. 1-3 SRB – The Standards Real Book • Published by Sher Music in C, Bb, and Eb (no bass clef) • Typically more detailed than Hal Leonard books • Not as well bound as Hal Leonard, tend to fall apart with use RJCFB – Real Jazz Classics Fake Book • An earlier Hal Leonard Book • Now out of print

About the band… The Deerfield High School Jazz Band meets as a full-credit class every day. With a seven-person horn line and double rhythm section, the ensemble can function as a mini-big band, an expanded combo, a piano trio, or any other combination. Over the years, our flexible instrumentation has included flute, clarinet, double reeds, mellophone, euphonium, tuba, violin, and oud. Our main emphasis is developing each student's self-expression through improvisation, arranging, and composition. We choose jazz standards to learn from lead sheets, transcribe tunes off of recordings, or compose our own works. We study the chord changes and practice soloing, helping each other improve through listening and evaluation. Then we arrange the tunes in brainstorming sessions. The students decide on intros, endings, solo backgrounds and different ways to play the head. When the form is complete, the teacher or a student voices out the ideas and writes out the parts. In this manner, the students can learn about twenty tunes each year, ranging from modal to blues to bebop. The DHS Jazz Band performs on four formal concerts throughout the year. In addition, we have performed the Hyatt Deerfield, the Art Center of Highland Park, and in impromptu gigs in the front hall of the school on the day before vacations. In the 26-year history of the band, we have received numerous awards at festivals such as Jazz in the Meadows. In addition to the curricular jazz band, there are three extracurricular combos that meet weekly after school during the winter and spring. The Jazz Lab Band is a non-performing group, which includes mostly freshmen with some older students on secondary instruments. The goal of the ensemble is to introduce students to improvisation and stylistic concepts. Two intermediate groups, Monday and Tuesday Afternoon Jazz, perform twice yearly in concert.

About our school… Deerfield High School is located in Deerfield, Illinois, about 25 miles north of Chicago. With an enrollment of 1645 students, DHS is known for its high academic achievement, competitive athletics, and comprehensive fine arts program. The school was recognized in 2009 as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. The DHS music program includes three concert bands, four jazz bands, a volunteer marching band, three orchestras, three choirs, a show choir, and a music theory/history class. Next year we will also offer beginning guitar. Our ensembles have performed around the country, from Seattle to New York and Boston to Orlando, as well as overseas in Ireland, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The concert bands and orchestras will be traveling to Phoenix in February 2013 for performances and clinics.

About Daniel Brame… Daniel Brame has been Director of Bands at Deerfield High School since 1988. He holds a doctorate in music education from Boston University where he studied comprehensive musicianship in high school band programs in Illinois and Wisconsin. He has a bachelor's degree in music education from Northwestern University and a master's in music education from DePaul University. Dr. Brame has published articles in The Instrumentalist and Teaching Music and is a contributor to Musicianship: Composing in Band and Orchestra, to be published in 2013 by GIA Publications. He can be contacted at [email protected].