Fm Jacques de Lignières
When, in the United States, the African musical cultures (an oral approach to melody and rhythm) met with the European tonal tradition, this confrontation generated a conflict on certain degrees of the major diatonic scale with the non-tempered African pentatonics. The “blue notes” are the result of a compromise!
They are the # 9, # 11 or (b5) and b7.
There are several blues scales. The most common has the following form:
Tonic/ Minor third / Fourth/ Augmented Fourth/ Fifth/ Minor seventh
Ex: C Scale Blues *
These are the notes of the C pentatonic minor with the addition of the #11, here it’s a F #.
It is a scale that allows us to play modal on the Blues
On a major Blues in C , we can use the C Blues*, the use of the minor third on a major chord is one of the characteristic of the Blues.
But we can also use the Blues scale of minor relative , here this will be the A Blues scale **
A Blues scale**
On a minor blues in C, we will use the C Blues* scale.
It is also possible to use several Blues scales on the main steps of the Blues (I – IV – V)
Nb: Of course, there are other options , including the myxolydien mode on the X7 chords for major Blues and also, the Dorian mode on Xm7 chords in Minor Blues …
With the time, the Blues evolved from the most basic form to more sophisticated forms. (for instance, the Swedish blues tone for which the tonal approach is preferable)
Blues basic form:
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Exemple in C
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for print: About the Blue scale
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