GJ and the blues

Lango-Django

I've recently had an unpleasant realization: I really, really suck at playing the blues 'GJ style'.

Anybody else been there?

What Id like to be able to do is jam along with my friendly local 3-chord guitar player in whatever easy keys he is able to play in.

Theoretically, I should be able to make him sound better.

However, in real life, he just makes me sound worse.

:?: :?: :?: :?:

Will

Will

lacrossehotclub

Hi Will,
I feel your pain… trying to play the blues actually gives me the blues. You’d think that would help in some way, but major “gypsy blues” takes at totally different approach than the standard minor pentatonic fare.

With a major blues the I chord lends itself to the usual major triad, double enclosures, maj 7 arps, etc. Now maybe this is old news, but a revelation to me was to consider the IV7 chord as a I minor chord. So the first six bars of a C major blues | C | C | C | C | F7 | F7 | can be rethought of as | C | C | C | C | Cm | Cm| In other words, riff on C major then switch to C minor.

Taking this one step further, the IV chord can be proceeded by the dom7 of it’s 5th degree. So the progression can be rethought of as | C | C | C | C7| Cm | Cm|. Substituting further it becomes | C | C | C | Gm6 | Cm6 | Cm6 |.

When the rhythm plays the standard major blues chords this gives more color to the changes. Robin Nolan lays out some more gypsy blues ideas in the first Essential Licks book/CD (volume 1).

cheers,
Stephen

Jazzaferri

If you don't feel and hear the music in your head first whatever you play will sound contrived. But if you are having fun and enjoying yourself why judge it at all.

Way too many players play stuff...licks patterns etc...AND....think they are the hot stuff.

Band in a box can play that same sort of thing. It will never be able to playmusic that comes from the heart.

HOWEVER ...none of that matters unless you are out there performing for others and trying to make a living...then it MIGHT.....

Just enjoy yourself....if people aren't paying to hear you why does it matter at all how you play

Wanna sound bluesier. Play the pentatonic minor of the fifth of the dominant chord you are playing. Play with the rhythm far more than worriting about them notes Will. Just stick to the 5 notes of the pentatonic minor of the fifth of the chord. Do that and enjoy yourself at the same time and others will tesonate. Forget all this theory stuff.

Want to be a pro...learn it all 12 hrs a day 7 days a week for 3 years then forget it just as bird said.

Lango-Django

Thanks, all. It's Candian Thanksgiving and my family's here so I'm not able to do any practising, but I'm going to try Stephen's excellent ideas when I get a chance... Pardon the stupid question Stephen, but do you also think of the V7 chord as a iim6?

Actually, it's the V7 chord that's giving me the problems... It's like I set up a good story in the first eight bars with the I and IV chords--- but then when the time to close the deal comes, oh, shit! Total gibberish!

"Woke up this morning, looked around for my shoes...
Yes, I woke up this morning, looked around for my shoes...
And then I meefle reefle reebensacked just like Etaion Shrdlu.."

lacrossehotclub

Sure, ii m6 works over the V7. Other choices are flat 5 subs. So in C major the G7 could be approached as Db7, or even Abm (b5 sub for the Dm sub...) As Jazz says, at some point you need to forget the whole business and just play your guitar. These are gimmicks that can be practiced to tweak your ear and fingers. Then relaxed and so long a few inspired outside notes resolve back to the I chord it'll all work out. Happy Thanksgiving!

Lango-Django

Thanks, Stephen, for helping me realize that chord substitutions are a great way to spice up 12 bar blues. I've been experimenting with adding some diminished chords and it seems to work particularly well over the IV chord, i.e. in the key of C instead of two bars of F, play one bar of F and then one bar of F#dim.

I haven't had a chance to use any of these ideas yet, but I found this on the internet...



Just by taking a quick look at the chords I doubt that a lot of these ideas are going to be appropriate in a GJ setting. But who knows until you actually try 'em?

Will

PS Plus I wonder if combining these arp ideas with pentatonic ideas might be cool?

I've never done much work with pentatonic scales, so I'm hoping that some of you cats who are former blues and rock players will chime in here... BTW, thanks Jay for your pent idea, I'm going to try that one too!