Blues Improvisation

Waestrel

Hey there, just recently started blues guitar, and I love the warbling sound of the improvisation.

I cant do it! How do I learn to?

Is there any routines or motifs i can practices so i can internalize whats needed to achieve this? As it is I know my pentatonic fairly well.

RC88

one key practise is to practise blues scales, it help to expand your blues vocabulary when improvising

or if ya wanna use yer ear, listen/study to eric clapton, joe bonnamassa, jimmy page, srv, etc, all master improvisers

Ostrom

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BL-000-Blues.php

Follow these in order and you have the complete toolkit.

Learn your pentatonic scales in all positions, then search youtube for a backing track (there are loads, in many keys), and start breaking the rules. Throw on some slower tracks (John Lee Hooker, BB. King etc) and start picking up on their phrases - once you know the scales and start picking out intervals, you will be able to match their licks and phrases by ear in no time.

Check out the exercises on practicing scales - play them backwards, forwards, play up three intervals, back two, up three, reach for notes further up the scale, learn other solos and start stealing interesting bits.

Nothing like it

stevejazzx

i did a jazzy blues eminor dorian/pentatonic thing here -
i like to mix the dorian and pentatonic

start with your basic five note penta e g a b d and then throw in some c&fsharps


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slWabZTvdLo

Hendrixfan

stevejazzx wrote: »

i did a jazzy blues eminor dorian/pentatonic thing here -
i like to mix the dorian and pentatonic

start with your basic five note penta e g a b d and then throw in some c&fsharps


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slWabZTvdLo

Good stuff.

Here's a bit of my own improv, from listening back I think I played e minor pentatonic in 4 to 5 different positions, cant remember for sure and prob wont be able to play it again thats what happens when you improvise.

We are working on our own version of Jimi's hear my train a comin, calling it lonesome town. Spent an hour or two putting down a drum track and did a quick guitar take, here's a clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpRjn_BT-Xs

Waestrel

when yu guys refer to "Position" what exactly do you mean? Are you talking about the fingering?

ALso, i cannot understand modes, wikipedia is far too dense on the topic

marc benham

blue rock is great for impro,
learning the scales in every positions is important!
But that the easy part
All the great uses those same scales but can sound differrent!
Phrasing,vibrato,string bending are a life learning quest!

Take care and God bless


http://www.myspace.com/marcbenham77

PM me with your detail email or phone number if interrested in learning blues.
jazz rock fusion,rock blues ect...
can explain modal improvisation,have developed my own method of teaching other the years called audio visualution!
no complex and comfusing theory imvolved.
just the minimum you need to know to expand your musical horizon
Can acco in my place in Tallaght or come to your place with proper gear to teach.

ps:the songs available on myspace page are my own compo and don't reflect
totally all style mentioned above as the imspiration for that album was classic rock.

Hendrixfan

Waestrel wrote: »

when yu guys refer to "Position" what exactly do you mean? Are you talking about the fingering?

ALso, i cannot understand modes, wikipedia is far too dense on the topic

Position is where your playing on the neck, say you start out playing open e pentatonic that could be position 1 then go right up to 12th fret and play the same scale that could be position 5, inbetween 1 and 5 you have the other positions of the same scale. If you write down the notes of a scale your playing and then find those same notes in different positions you'll see how it all works out. I never got into modes, dont like the sound of them to be honest, I stick with the pentatonic and fire in a few extra notes along the way.

stevejazzx

Hendrixfan wrote: »

Good stuff.

Here's a bit of my own improv, from listening back I think I played e minor pentatonic in 4 to 5 different positions, cant remember for sure and prob wont be able to play it again thats what happens when you improvise.

We are working on our own version of Jimi's hear my train a comin, calling it lonesome town. Spent an hour or two putting down a drum track and did a quick guitar take, here's a clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpRjn_BT-Xs

Sounds very Jimi alright! i'd like to hear more non penta notes in there to spice it up.

btw
I listed the wrong link! shoulda been
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8O5yfztnrg&feature=related
as its a better example of an e blues

the untitled user

I find the pentatonics aren't enough myself, they sound a bit flat in isolation. I find it's best to put some time into the major scale and its modes too. The pentatonics work best when you know the context of the particular mode your in, that helps you flip between major and minor voicings at will like the best players tend to, and gives you a grounding to add chromatics and grace notes outside the basic shapes to add a bit of colour. And when your practicing the scales/pentatonics, don't just play them in isolation, throw on a track and practice to that.

Secondly, the blues is as much about touch and tone as it is scales. I recommend praticing on heavier guage strings to add strength to your fingers, you've really got to be able to get 'under' the strings to get the blues down.

Oh and don't let yourself get distracted too much about playing fast, work on your sustain, vibrato and dynamics, much more important to the blues.