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Blues for Yous

Time/size: 4 mins 57 secs/7mb. 100 beats per minute/bpm

Blues backing track: This is a 12 bar blues progression in the key of A.

Backing track instruments: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, organ, fretless bass and drums.

Progression: A standard blues progression in the key of A.

Suggestions: The most obvious scale to use over a blues progression is the blues scale in the key of the progression. Start with the A blues scale which is shown below in both 5th and 12th positions. Start out by using the A Blues Scale, or segments of the scale from both the 5th and 12th positions and then blend your soloing with some rhythm playing by locking in with the guitar part that the acoustic guitar is playing (for which the guitar tab is shown in the Chords section below).

A Blues Scale in 5th Position

E|------------------------------------------5--8--
B|-----------------------------------5--8---------
G|-------------------------5--7--8----------------
D|-------------------5--7--------------------------
A|--------5--6--7---------------------------------
E|--5--8------------------------------------------

A Blues Scale in 12th Position

E|--------------------------------------------------------12--15--
B|------------------------------------------13--15--16-----------
G|---------------------------------12--14-------------------------
D|--------------------12--13--14---------------------------------
A|-----------12--15-----------------------------------------------
E|--12--15--------------------------------------------------------

Chords: The guitar tab for the acoustic guitar is set out below. The chords used are Root+5th to Root+6th chords for each of the chords: A, D and E. As you can see in the tab below, it's the same chord shape for each chord except the shape moves to different strings relative to the Root note of the chord.

The A Root + 5th/6th chords use the 5th or open A string for the Root note.

The D Root + 5th/6th chords use the 4th or open D string for the Root note.

The E Root + 5th/6th chords use the 6th or open low E string for the Root note.

A Root + 5th

E|--x--
B|--x--
G|--x--
D|--2--
A|--0--
E|--x--

A Root + 6th

E|--x--
B|--x--
G|--x--
D|--4--
A|--0--
E|--x--

D Root + 5th

E|--x--
B|--x--
G|--2--
D|--0--
A|--x--
E|--x--

D Root + 6th

E|--x--
B|--x--
G|--4--
D|--0--
A|--x--
E|--x--

E Root + 5th

E|--x--
B|--x--
G|--x--
D|--x--
A|--2--
E|--0--

E Root + 6th

E|--x--
B|--x--
G|--x--
D|--x--
A|--4--
E|--0--

Remember that playing the blues is about feel. If you use solid rhythm in both your lead and rhythm guitar playing you'll be well on the way to creating a strong groove and connecting with the music. If you aren't tapping your foot to the music no-one else will either. Play it until you feel it and then play it some more. Above all, experiment and have fun.