How to Play Piano: Blues Scales

About Piano Blues Scales : Blues breaks the rules of conventional jazz harmony and improvisation. The distinctive sound of blues chords is often created by the flattening of various notes (mainly the 3rd, 5th and 7th). The harmony often becomes ambiguous as the flattened 3rd will often be used in a melody at the same time as the major 3rd in the accompanying harmony. ( Not the other way round: in a minor blues all 3rds are flattened). There is a blues scale which contains these notes, however in a major key most players combine the flattened notes with the natural notes. (See below blues scales ). When using the blues scale or phrases derived from it the same (tonic) scale is used over all three areas, i.e. in the key of C you use a C blues scale and do not usually change to an F blues scale for the F7 chord at bar 5. The resulting dissonances are effective depending on the players taste and feel for the blues. The blues scale, shown here in the key of F, is a rather simple scale, encompassing all of five notes: Some people might add what is often called the "blues" note, and it would be the B natural in the following example. Play the root in your left hand as you play the chords. Now, as we look at the basic 12 bar blues form, you can play the chords above wherever they are called for in the following form. Georgia On My Mind –– Ray Charles {intro}: [G] – [Bm] [Am7] – [Cm] [G] – [Gdim] [Am7] – [D7] {verse} [G] Georgia, [B] Georgia, [Em7] the [Dm7] whole day [C7] through Just an [G] old sweet [E7] song keeps [A7] Georgia [D7] on my [G7] mind, [E7] Georgia [A7] on my [D7] mind. {verse} [G] Georgia, [B7] Georgia, [Em7] a [Dm7] song of [C7] you Comes as [G] sweet and [E7] clear as [Am7] moonlight [D7] through the [G] pines. [C] [G] [B] {bridge}: [Em] Other [Am7] arms [Em] reach out to [Am7] me, [Em] Other [Am7] eyes [Em] smile tender- [A7] ly; [Em] Still in [Am7] peaceful [Em] dreams I [F#7] see The [Bm7] road leads [A#dim] back to you [Am7] [D7] . {verse} [G] Georgia, [B] Georgia, [Em7] no [Dm7] peace I [C] find Just and [G] old sweet [E7] song keeps [Am7] Georgia [D7] on my [G] mind. [C] [G] [B] {bridge}: [Em] Other [Am7] arms [Em] reach out to [Am7] me, [Em] Other [Am7] eyes [Em] smile tender- [A7] ly; [Em] Still in [Am7] peaceful [Em] dreams I [F#7] see The [Bm7] road leads [A#dim] back to you [Am7] [D7] . {verse} [G] Georgia, [B] Georgia, [Em7] no peace [Dm7] I [C] find Just and [G] old sweet [E7] song keeps [Am7] Georgia [D7] on my [Bdim] mind, [E7] {coda}: {walk up} Just and [Am7] old [Bm] sweet [C] song keeps [D7] Georgia on my [G] mind. [C] [G][Gdim][G7]