The story tells that the blues originated among African Americans in the United States and in the future had a great influence on the development of music. The blues has become the source of such directions as jazz and rock and roll, which also served as sources for many other popular genres. In this article we will analyze how the unique "magic" of blues is arranged, which makes it recognizable and atmospheric.
A few words about frets
Surely every person who has an idea of the blues noticed that this genre has a special mood that makes me sad. This is due to the fact that for writing blues, musicians use a special scale that differs from the natural major and minor that are familiar to the ear. This scale is called the blues fret.
An example is Japanese and Indian music. The sound is significantly different, often a person can easily distinguish one from another. Another example: in the overflow of melodies in the twice harmonic major fret, people hear shades of "gypsy" music. And the presence of a solid-toned gamut of its conflict adds to the composition of anxiety, frightening uncertainty. Therefore, frets really allow you to give the music a certain flavor. The same principles apply to blues. Interestingly, the blues is the only genre in whose honor the fret is named.
Usually the harmonic component of the blues is not difficult and great variety. It is based on the blues square, repeating, as often happens, throughout the song. Melancholy mood of this genre is given, in turn, by melodic lines.
Major and minor pentatonic
Before talking about blues modes, one should introduce the concept of minor and major pentatonic scale and clearly fix them in practice.
We can say that minor pentatonic scale is a gamma that is built by removing the II and VI steps from the gamut of natural minor (Aeolian fret) or according to the scheme "1.5 tones, tone, tone, 1.5 tones, tone".
For example, minor pentatonic from the note La - ACDEGA (La Do Re Mi Sol La).
Major pentatonic scale - gamma representing natural major (Ionian fret) without IV and VII steps. The scheme is “tone, tone, 1.5 tones, tone, 1.5 tones”.
Major pentatonic from the note To - CD EGAC (Do Re Mi Sol La Do).
Thus, having learned the structure of minor and major pentatonic scale, one can already begin to improvise or play quite a few songs. Pentatonic scales are especially popular among guitarists. The main genres in which the elements described above are most prevalent are blues and jazz, but even in modern popular music you can find parties with pentatonic scales. For example, many improvisational sketches and parts in the songs of Metallica's lead guitarist Kirk Hammett contain many pentatonic phrases. Also, the active use of pentatonic is inherent in the Deep Purple group. This kind of scales and pop music did not pass by, for example, the melodic line of the Adele song - Rolling in the Deep. Pentatonic structures can be found in Japanese or Chinese music, while the composition will have its own “Asian” flavor.
However, the blues is not always limited to one pentatonic. Even if this is so, then the characteristic color and mood of the sound will be absent to the extent that they can be given by the blues mode.
Fret structure
Building a blues tune is actually not that difficult. You just need to add to the minor pentatonic lowered fifth (or increased fourth) step of the minor fret. You can come to the blues fret at the following intervals tuned out from the tonic: minor third, pure quart, enlarged quart, pure fifth, small septima, pure octave (1.5 tones, 2.5 tones, 3 tones, 3.5 tones, 5 tones, 6 tones).
Without departing from the minor pentatonic scale from La, we construct such a scale. It is as follows (notes ACDE b EGA - La Do Re E-flat Mi Sol La).
Twelve blues frets
Do you seriously want to be able to improvise in the blues style? Then you need to know how the blues tune is built on the piano, guitar or any other musical instrument from any note. The following material will help you with this.
The photograph shows a blues scale built from each of the twelve notes.
On guitar
One of the most enjoyable things in the blues is guitar improvisation solos. Of course, for the guitarist it is important not only to know the notes, but also to have developed technical parameters. At a minimum, these are neat, accurate bands and vibrato. Without these elements, the solo will seem monotonous and quickly get bored. Nevertheless, you can take a step towards impeccable blues improvisations by learning the positions (boxes) for the guitar.
Knowing the location of notes on the fretboard and notes of the desired fret, you can easily build any fret yourself. Here are a few examples below.
Position No. 1 - blues fret from the note A on the fourth string. As follows.
Position No. 2 - blues fret from the A note on the fifth string. Familiar to every guitarist.
Position №3 - blues fret from A note on the sixth string.
To get a fret from another note, simply move the structure to the desired number of midtones. Suppose, to get the blues fret from Re, transpose position No. 3 (or any other) 2.5 tones to the right in the fretboard.
Practicing improvisation in practice
It's no secret that even improvisation requires preparation. You can record chords in the blues square and a simple drum part yourself, if you have the equipment for recording and know how to use any sequencer. This is quite enough to hone your skills. Train your skills, strive for excellence. Good luck