| This is a little tune I made up to demonstrate a 'sweet' or 'major' blues. The melody mostly uses the major pentatonic. In the backing, there's a ii-V turnaround, but this works equally well (if not better) over a standard blues. There's a little discussion which explains the theory below, as well as a pdf transcription of the melody. | |
Using the major notes
When we start learning the blues, we get used to playing with the minor pentatonic. But have a listen to most good players, (like BB King for example), and you'll hear that he uses as many major notes as minor ones.
In fact it's this mysterious transition between major and minor that is essential to the blues. I've made this solo to give you an idea of how to use the major sound in a blues. Here's a run through:
(N.B.. Bar counting starts after the intro bar).
Bars 1 to 4 - Chord I
Two G major pentatonic licks. In the first phrase, the string 2, fret 10 full-step bends are taking us up to a B - this is the major 3rd in our home key of G. The second phrase responds to the first, resolving to the tonic, G, at string 2 fret 8.
Bars 5 to 6 - Chord IV
In bar 5 , a repetition of the first phrase, but here we are playing over chord IV. The major third of the key won't work over chord IV, so it's bent up only a half-step, to a Bb, the minor third of the key.
I then do a lick in bar 6 that follows the C7 chord tones - first in the E shape, then the D shape starting at fret 12.
Bar 7 to 8 - Chord I
Simple - two G's.
Bar 9 - Chord V
This is a jazzy lick based on the D7 arpeggio. In terms of the D7 chord, it starts with an approach tone below the 5th, goes to the 5th, 7th, and then encloses the 3rd. This 3rd of the V7 chord is a great chord to get into the blues because it's the major 7th in relation to the key and we rarely get a chance to accent it unless the V chord is there.
Bar 10 - Chord IV
This lick again has a slightly jazzy sound, really it's just bringing us a C13 sound, with the inclusion of the A at string 1 fret 5. It also gets the minor third of the blues scale back in there, giving us a nice transition back to the minor blues sound for a bar.
Bar 11-12 - Chords I and V
Simple turnaround and then chord V vamp.
In fact it's this mysterious transition between major and minor that is essential to the blues. I've made this solo to give you an idea of how to use the major sound in a blues. Here's a run through:
(N.B.. Bar counting starts after the intro bar).
Bars 1 to 4 - Chord I
Two G major pentatonic licks. In the first phrase, the string 2, fret 10 full-step bends are taking us up to a B - this is the major 3rd in our home key of G. The second phrase responds to the first, resolving to the tonic, G, at string 2 fret 8.
Bars 5 to 6 - Chord IV
In bar 5 , a repetition of the first phrase, but here we are playing over chord IV. The major third of the key won't work over chord IV, so it's bent up only a half-step, to a Bb, the minor third of the key.
I then do a lick in bar 6 that follows the C7 chord tones - first in the E shape, then the D shape starting at fret 12.
Bar 7 to 8 - Chord I
Simple - two G's.
Bar 9 - Chord V
This is a jazzy lick based on the D7 arpeggio. In terms of the D7 chord, it starts with an approach tone below the 5th, goes to the 5th, 7th, and then encloses the 3rd. This 3rd of the V7 chord is a great chord to get into the blues because it's the major 7th in relation to the key and we rarely get a chance to accent it unless the V chord is there.
Bar 10 - Chord IV
This lick again has a slightly jazzy sound, really it's just bringing us a C13 sound, with the inclusion of the A at string 1 fret 5. It also gets the minor third of the blues scale back in there, giving us a nice transition back to the minor blues sound for a bar.
Bar 11-12 - Chords I and V
Simple turnaround and then chord V vamp.
| sweet_blues_in_g.pdf |
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