Writing the blues

[cfoster949]

Hi all!

I’m taking the first step into writing a simple 12 bar blues song for my own enjoyment and have a question I hope you can help with.

I will be writing in the Key of A with a simple I-IV-V progression with an alternating bass line.

Where I’m getting confused is what notes do I play? for example if I play the melody using the A major scale over the I chord then move to The V chord do I continue to target notes from the A chord A-C#-E or target notes from the D chord D-F#-G

Hope this makes sense, music theory is not my first language

Thanks

[rick-slo]

D chord D - F# - A


You could stick to the notes of the triad chord being played. That would be pretty limited and leaves out the chromatic note of the blues scale.
You would frequently want to use the seventh notes of chords and other chromatic notes.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by cfoster949

Hi all!

I’m taking the first step into writing a simple 12 bar blues song for my own enjoyment and have a question I hope you can help with.

I will be writing in the Key of A with a simple I-IV-V progression with an alternating bass line.

Where I’m getting confused is what notes do I play? for example if I play the melody using the A major scale over the I chord then move to The V chord do I continue to target notes from the A chord A-C#-E or target notes from the D chord D-F#-G

Just to clear up a couple of things:
The V chord is E: chord tones E G# B.
D is the IV chord, chord tones D F# A

An alternating bass (thumb) would normally play the roots and 5ths, while the 3rd of the chord (and maybe a doubled root or 5th) would probably appear in the finger patterns - depending on the chord shape you choose. That's in reference to each chord, not the key.

Any other notes - passing melody notes - would come from the key scale, i.e., the notes in the other chords. E.g., on the A chord you might use D or B passing note. On the D chord you might use a C# or E passing note. And so on.

Then again, if you actually want this to sound like blues - and not just be a 12-bar tune in A major - you have to incorporate blue notes. That means b7s on the A and D, so your A pattern could have a G in it, and your D pattern could have a C. (The 7th on the E chord, D, is already in the key.)
The A pattern could also have a C natural as well as C#, but that may be technically more challenging.

You should really check out some blues fingerstyle tunes (like Mississippi John Hurt) or some of Stefan Grossman's lessons.

[Trevor B.]

For a straight ahead blues progression (I - IV - I - I - IV - IV - I - I - V - IV - I - V) the blues scale in A = the notes A - C - D - Eb - E - G - A. I'd avoid the A major scale and instead alternate between the A Blues scale and the F#minor pentatonic on the A chord and the A minor pentatonic on the D and E chords. These are largely personal choices based on what works for me. YMMV.
Beyond that, trial and error experimentation is your best guide. If you record the basic chord progression you can jam along with the playback until you hear licks you like. Even better would be to find someone with whom to jam the progression.
BTW - Hammer-ons, pull-offs and bends are indispensable to the idiom.

[Mr. Jelly]

Wow! This scares me. I guess I'm ignorant about going about this like the intelligent guys. For a starter I'd use the minor pentatonic scale and use your ears to phrase it and work at it to make sense. Phrase pentatonic scales like a person talking. Shred latter. Good luck.

[Mandobart]

I can't believe no one has mentioned this - flat the third in a blues scale. So your lead breaks will sound better if you play a C instead of C# which is in the straight A major scale. Flagging the seventh (G vs G#) will sound bluesy too.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I can't believe no one has mentioned this - flat the third in a blues scale. So your lead breaks will sound better if you play a C instead of C# which is in the straight A major scale. Flagging the seventh (G vs G#) will sound bluesy too.

Actually I did mention that.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Wow! This scares me. I guess I'm ignorant about going about this like the intelligent guys. For a starter I'd use the minor pentatonic scale and use your ears to phrase it and work at it to make sense. Phrase pentatonic scales like a person talking. Shred latter. Good luck.

Perfectly good advice! (Well, except the shred maybe )

[Mbroady]

Look up (A) pentatonic scale. You can also have fun and experiment with a C major scale (using A as the root) over an A blues progression. It’s a lot to think about so have fun with it and work on finding the triad of each chord while experimenting. Use chromatic notes (and your ears) to get you to the chord your playing. I think it was Steve howe, the guitar player from YES that said you can use any note you want as long as you land on the right note.

Google is your friend ......look up “Guitar improvising over A blues”. lots of vids and info

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I can't believe no one has mentioned this - flat the third in a blues scale. So your lead breaks will sound better if you play a C instead of C# which is in the straight A major scale. Flagging the seventh (G vs G#) will sound bluesy too.

Originally Posted by JonPR

Actually I did mention that.

So did I!!!

[mr. beaumont]

R 3 5 7 9 will work on each chord.

3 on the A, b3 elsewhere. Or slip from b3 to 3 on the A, that'll sound great.

3rds and 7ths are your besties.

Minor pentatonic will work over the whole form, but be careful over the A chord. Nothing yells "hack" to my ears like hanging on a m3 over the I chord in a blues. Even a little bend up towards M3 will make it sing better.

[TBman]

This is fun stuff to fool around with.

https://www.freeguitarsource.com/Blu...ues_Scale.html