Major and Minor Blues Scales or Composite Blues Scales for Beginners

[Krinky]

I'm amazed that you're in the least doubt about the importance of that. How else can you possibly get the feel of the music?

I don't doubt it in the least.

But I didn't come here to discuss the painfully obvious.

[Bop Head]

Sometimes I use the Mary Lou scale. Not to be confused with the Misirlou scale.

Anyway, I do not care much about scales anymore since I had the honor to shake the hand of Mr. John Lee Hooker (July 5th 1990 IIRC).

[ragman1]

That is what I aim to do.

But doesn't everyone start out with 1, 2, ? 3, 3, 4, ? 5, 5, 6, b7? as either one or two scales?

Even if you start with just 1, 2, ? 3, 3, 5, 6 and add in 4, ? 5, ? 7. later, you are still working with either Major and Minor Blues or Composite Blues.

I give up. You haven't left this idea of some sort of composite, one-size-fits-all, short-cut blues scale, have you? As I said before, you're stuck on the idea and won't let go.

If I knew you better, and you were right here, I'd tell you to stop wasting time and get on with it. Sorry about that.

[Krinky]

Krinky -

I think you think too much and do too little. Stop wondering about it, playing with options, comparing what other people do, and get on it with doing it. Start... and make mistakes like we all did. You'll soon find out.

And when you've found out come and show us what you can do. We won't laugh. Well, I might, but the others won't :-)

Trial and error is overrated.

I'm pretty sure that when Ike Zimmerman was in the graveyard teaching Robert Johnson how to play guitar, Zimmerman showed Johnson where to put his fingers.

[pamosmusic]

Trial and error is overrated.

I'm pretty sure that when Ike Zimmerman was in the graveyard teaching Robert Johnson how to play guitar, Zimmerman showed Johnson where to put his fingers.

He probably never used the phrase “composite blues scale” either, to be fair.

[Krinky]

If I knew you better, and you were right here, I'd tell you to stop wasting time and get on with it. Sorry about that.

Thanks for not being rude about it.

[Krinky]

He probably never used the phrase “composite blues scale” either, to be fair.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

[Krinky]

Anyway, I do not care much about scales anymore since I had the honor to shake the hand of Mr. John Lee Hooker (July 5th 1990 IIRC).

Direct mojo infusion?!

[pauln]

I got in early and am just now catching up...

I think perhaps what is throwing folks off is that your question (correct me if I'm wrong) is asked from a methods, lessons, teaching perspective, especially focused on the beginner student. When you impose a framework on what is observed, the emerging perspectives or interpretations may have no actual connection or correspondence with the player's personal experience of his playing.

The origin, path, and development of Blues was an existential hard knocks facts of life kind of thing. Blues guitarists still tend to learn it outside the academic environment, typically by listening with little or no analysis; whether they are using two different things or parts of one thing that contains those two may not likely even be a thing.

[Krinky]

The origin, path, and development of Blues was an existential hard knocks facts of life kind of thing. Blues guitarists still tend to learn it outside the academic environment, typically by listening with little or no analysis; whether they are using two different things or parts of one thing that contains those two may not likely even be a thing.

Are you suggesting I smack those little bastards around some?

[pauln]

Are you suggesting I smack those little bastards around some?

Guitarists beat themselves up enough getting their Blues up to sounding like Blues, which has to be a personal journey; playing learned school Blues tends to sound like Inspector Clouseau's accent...

[mr. beaumont]

Excerpt from "The Blues Lesson"

T: Okay, so you got these notes, right kid? There's 9 of em.

S: Nine? Jeez mister, theres only 12 notes total. Why can't I just play all of 'em?

T: Well, you can. But not yet. Anyway, these nine, see? You can't use all of 'em all the time. Some sound better in certain places than others.

S: Different places? Like Chicago?

T: No, kid...(under breath)Jesus Christ...different places in the music... Well, yeah, and some sound better in a Chicago blues.

S: So how do I know which ones to use when?

T: Well, you can use your ear. Maybe better to listen to somebody good do it first.

S: Like you?

T: Nah kid, I'm a teacher.

[Krinky]

Guitarists beat themselves up enough getting their Blues up to sounding like Blues, which has to be a personal journey; playing learned school Blues tends to sound like Inspector Clouseau's accent...

Oh, c'mon!

This just smacks of gatekeeping.

98% of Blues music is pretty crappy, regardless of how the musicians learned to play.

There is no reason dentists shouldn't get in on the fun!

[Bop Head]

Went to a session tonight and tried out the autophysiopsychic Brother Yusef scale which I liked somehow even better then the Mary Lou scale.

[Krinky]

T: Nah kid, I'm a teacher.

It's as if you were actually in the room!