Basic F blues improv

[CliffR]

I've been coming to the conclusion that one of the things holding back beginning improvisers such as myself is the problem of worrying too much about making the changes at the expense of achieving the phrasing freedom we often experienced when noodling over a simple pentatonic scale as blues-rock wannabes. I feel like I'm beginning to move past this as I slowly learn more of the fretboard and arpeggios and scales that are useful for the songs I'm working on. However, I thought it'd be fun to try playing a jazz blues with just the basic pentatonic blues scale of the key centre. So here's my attempt at that. Some clams for sure, and some places where I step out of the scale by mistake. I'd love to know what you think:

[DawgBone]

It sounded pretty good to me Cliff. Your blues/pentatonic scales+making the changes will happen in time. You will automatically find yourself adding other notes, good notes, that are usually nice chord tones or extensions associated with them. Coming into chord and scale tones from a 1/2 step down is an easy trick to help slick up your playing without having to brain break yourself trying to juggle too much at once. And do not forget passing/chromatic tones, they are also usually easy money.

Overthinking it, trying to make the changes, can be good during more serious parts of your practice regimen and should be something you work on but you should also be giving yourself the time to improvise freely because it's fun and guitar should also be fun. Keep hammering away at it. And happy new year.

[digger]

Sounds good to me, Cliff. Lovely tone and feel. Swings along nicely and you pick some nice lines, and nice developments, out of that scale.

Derek

[CliffR]

Thanks both for the kind words and the encouragement! Nice idea, Dawgbone, to remember to include chromatic approaches. That comes pretty naturally to me when playing chord tones, but not so much when playing like this. Weird.

Happy New Year!

[Mick-7]

Cliff, Adding another scale for variety would help, e.g., Eb major with your F pentatonic. And there's room for improvement in your phrasing - using slurs, slides, hammer-ons/pulls off, etc. It's too plain jane right now. How one plays a line can be more important than the notes in it, the great blues players exemplify this principle.

The secret is to take your time and choose/phrase your notes carefully. But as my high school music teacher used to say, "Ars nova, vita brevis."

[supersoul]

It sounded like you were starting to tell a story, sometimes a line would answer a previous line, with rests to separate the phrases.

[CliffR]

It sounded like you were starting to tell a story, sometimes a line would answer a previous line, with rests to separate the phrases.

Thanks! I've been studying a couple of Parker solos in depth - perhaps that's having some positive influence. His solo on All Of Me is remarkable for the ways in which he states and develops motives throughout the choruses.

[CliffR]

Cliff, Adding another scale for variety would help, e.g., Eb major with your F pentatonic. And there's room for improvement in your phrasing - using slurs, slides, hammer-ons/pulls off, etc. It's too plain jane right now. How one plays a line can be more important than the notes in it, the great blues players exemplify this principle.

The secret is to take your time and choose/phrase your notes carefully. But as my high school music teacher used to say, "Ars nova, vita brevis."

Thanks Mick - good ideas for me to try and incorporate into my practice. ("Work is long, life is brief" or similar?)

[supersoul]

Thanks! I've been studying a couple of Parker solos in depth - perhaps that's having some positive influence. His solo on All Of Me is remarkable for the ways in which he states and develops motives throughout the choruses.

I actually think your phrasing sounds pretty good already. Maybe just be a bit more forceful and emphatic, but that's also a confidence thing. That little part at 1:46 sounds awesome.

[GuyBoden]

It's difficult, but relax and enjoy playing.

[James W]

("Work is lone, life is brief" or similar?)

I always thought it was 'art is long, life is short', that is to say, there is more to learn about your art than there is time in life to learn it.

[John A.]

Assuming you're a pretty good blues-blues player (usually a safe assumption), you don't just play pentatonics on a straight blues tune, right? You also use the articulations Mick-7 is talking about, but also bends on 3, 5, and 7 to get the blue notes, and double stops. You can do all that stuff on a jazz blues as well. Throw in 2 and 6 and you've got a complete palette of notes without having to think about applying different scales or consciously making the changes.

[Mick-7]

I always thought it was 'art is long, life is short', that is to say, there is more to learn about your art than there is time in life to learn it.

Yes, seems I got the second word wrong, the correct phrase is: "ars longa vita brevis" which matches your translation.

Cliff, I don't know who this guy is, but his phrasing is marvelous, check out the audio samples on this page (under "Samples")
Soul Jazz Guitar (eBook + Online Audio) by Randy Johnston - Melbay.com

Actually, the link to the books online audio tracks is open but it wouldn't be kosher to share it here.

[CliffR]

Yes, seems I got the second word wrong, the correct phrase is: "ars longa vita brevis" which matches your translation.

Cliff, I don't know who this guy is, but his phrasing is marvelous, check out the audio samples on this page (under "Samples")
Soul Jazz Guitar (eBook + Online Audio) by Randy Johnston - Melbay.com

Actually, the link to the books online audio tracks is open but it wouldn't be kosher to share it here.

Sweet! Very Benson-esque to my ears.

[CliffR]

Assuming you're a pretty good blues-blues player (usually a safe assumption), you don't just play pentatonics on a straight blues tune, right? You also use the articulations Mick-7 is talking about, but also bends on 3, 5, and 7 to get the blue notes, and double stops. You can do all that stuff on a jazz blues as well. Throw in 2 and 6 and you've got a complete palette of notes without having to think about applying different scales or consciously making the changes.

Actually, I've always been surprisingly bad at blues-blues, at least major blues. I could do a half-way decent impression of Page on Since I've Been Loving You at one point, though.

[kris]

Try playing longer 8-note phrases-straight 8s without swing.
Enter 251 lines slowly.

[CliffR]

Try playing longer 8-note phrases-straight 8s without swing.
Enter 251 lines slowly.

Thanks Kris. But why without swing?

[kris]

Thanks Kris. But why without swing?

The rhythm section swings and you focus on the good notes.

[pamosmusic]

The rhythm section swings and you focus on the good notes.

what?

[kris]

what?

yes...try it!just straight eights...excellent exercise.

[pamosmusic]

yes...try it!

If you're talking specifically about leaving out an exaggerated long first eighth note, then sure.

But in the broad sense, the soloist should absolutely be swinging.

EDIT: you changed your post since I quoted it. Got it now.

[John A.]

Actually, I've always been surprisingly bad at blues-blues, at least major blues. I could do a half-way decent impression of Page on Since I've Been Loving You at one point, though.

Stop what you are doing immediately and listen to BB King "Live at the Regal". That is the secret handshake introduction.

[kris]

+1
BB King-perfect sense of the blues!

[CliffR]

Stop what you are doing immediately and listen to BB King "Live at the Regal". That is the secret handshake introduction.

yessir!

[Christian Miller]

I’m not sure if this what Kris meant but there is value in not trying to swing. Trying to swing usually means you end up over doing it .


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