01 A Cool Jazz Blues Shufflemp3wma
Time/size: 4 mins 15 secs/5.87mb
Blues jam track: Blues shuffle with a laid back jazz feel in A (106 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: Chords are A-A7-A6, D9-D6, E9-E6.
Use scales relative to the chords. A blues scale, D and E Mixolydian and experiment.
The A Blues Scale, 12th position.
Note that in 12th position the Root note for the A blues scale is on the A string at the 12th fret. The 12th fret of the E, or 6th string) is the E or 5th or the A blues scale. The 15th fret of the E string you are playing the G which is the flat 7th (b7th) of the A blues scale. If you don't know what note to start on, start on the Root note of the scale or the chord you are playing on. So here you can start by playing the 12th fret of the 5th or A string.
Notice that on the 2nd or B string above, that the note on the 16th fret is the flat 5th (or b5th) note of the A blues scale. This is the 'blue note' which is an Eb (E flat) of an B blues scale. A great way to make your solo sound more bluesy is to bend the 4th note up to the blue note. Play the D (at the 15th fret of the 2nd string) and bend the note up to the tone of the Eb. Once you sound the Eb you can pick the note again and then bend it back to the D or just bend it back down to the D without picking the note at the tone of the Eb. You can also bend the note higher so it will sound the E note. This would be the equivalent sound of if you played the note on the 17th fret of the B string.
You need to be careful when you start bending notes that you pitch the notes correctly. It's good practice to start by playing play the note that you want to bend to (e.g. play the 17th fret) and then bend the note from the 15th fret to match the pitch that you just played on the 17th fret.
We went up to the 17th fret with the scale diagram above because the 17th fret of the E string is the A, which is the Root note of the A blues scale.
A Blues Scale Licks in 12th position.
Below are four blues licks using notes from the pattern above. As always, they rhythm is up to you. So have a play around with the notes below with a few different rhythms and come up with some phrases that sound bluesy.
02 A Cream at the Crossroadsmp3wma
Time/size: 5 mins/6.91mb
Blues jam track: Rock blues in A (140 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: Listen to The Cream's version of Crossroads
and Clapton's use of both minor pentatonic/blues and Major pentatonic scales.
It's one of the greatest live recorded guitar solo's ever.
03 B Slow Bluesmp3wma
Time/size: 10 mins 47 secs/14.8mb
Blues jam track: Slow blues in B (100 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: B blues scale.
Listen to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King and the way they bend and sustain notes.
04 G Roll & Tumble Bluesmp3wma
Time/size: 4 mins 03 secs/5.60mb
Blues jam track: Blues with a riff in G.(100 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: Put on a slide and explore the space.
05 A Her Sister Will Bluesmp3wma
Time/size: 4 mins 55 secs/6.80mb
Blues jam track: Slow blues in A.(60 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: Based on Hendrix's Red House (Red House is in B).
Stick with the A blues scale.
Jimi Hendrix - Red House
06 E Acoustic Harmony Bluesmp3wma
Time/size: 3 mins 37 secs/5.00mb
Blues jam track: Harmonizing the chords for a blues progression in E (112 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: acoustic guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: E blues scale and groove with the track.
07 E Acoustic Barrelhouse Shufflemp3wma
Time/size: 5 mins 30 secs/7.59mb
Blues jam track: Blues shuffle in E (100 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: acoustic guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: pay attention to your phrasing.
Work on making the turn around lead smoothly back to the start of the progression.
08 A Shufflin Alongmp3wma
Time/size: 4 mins 10 secs/5.77mb
Blues jam track: Mid tempo shuffle in A (120 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: Start with an A blues scale - ie A, C, D, Eb, E, G.
Which is the 1st, b3rd, 4th, b5th, 5th and b7th of an A Major scale.
09 G Stormy Allman Brothersmp3wma
Time/size: 6 mins 50 secs/9.44mb
Blues jam track: Slow blues in G (58 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and drums
Chords used are: G7, C7/9, G#7-G7, C7, G7, Ami7, Bmi7, Bbmi7, Bmi7, C7, G7, C7, G7, C7-C#7- D7. Sometimes I'm playing the C7 sometimes the C9 on the IV chord.
Suggestions: This is based on The Allman Brothers version of Stormy Monday Blues.
I highly recommend you buy the Allman's album Fillmore East.
This album is my biggest musical influence for so many reasons.
10 D Lay it Down Straightmp3wma
Time/size: 5 mins 01 secs/6.93mb
Blues jam track: Laid back straight ahead jam in D (110 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: Chords are D, G & A. ie a I, IV, V progression.
Try using the D, G and A Pentatonic scales over the D, G and A chords.
11 A Straight Up Straight Downmp3wma
Time/size: 6 mins 13 secs/8.57mb
Blues jam track: Straight tempo rock in A (90 beats per minute/bpm)
Backing track instruments: electric guitar, bass and drums
Suggestions: Chords used are A and Asus4. (A sus4 chord means replacing the Major 3rd with the 4th). A Mixolydian scale: ie an A Major scale but lower the 7th (G# becomes G).
