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Blues Scale

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Wed, 10/12/2011 - 20:59
Anne Marie Jackson
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Joined: 12/23/2009

David,

I'm confused about what the blues scale is. I think at one point you taught me a 6 note version (in order to leave out bends, maybe?). And then I see the notes you choose for focus notes, are they the full blues scale? If not, is there one identifiable blues scale, what is it, and how does it related to the other two sets of notes I just mentioned, if at all?

Thanks,

Annamarie

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Wed, 10/12/2011 - 21:56
#1
David Barrett
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Answer

Focus notes are the notes of the chord. For example... C Harmonica played in 2nd Position, Key of G, this would be G B D and F for the I7 Chord. Starting a lick on a chord tone is very common due to the fact that it matches the band very well.

The Blues Scale is a selection of the most common notes used in blues. It is constructed with the Root, flat-3rd, 4th, flat-5th, 5th, flat-7th, finished with the octave. The blues scale is to be used when the feel of a song is very bluesy or minor.

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