Tocar-Blues-en-7-Pasos

8/20/2019 Tocar-Blues-en-7-Pasos

1/17

Seven Steps to the Blues:

Beyond the Blues Scale

A presentation on the teaching of bluesimprovisation from beginning to

intermediate levels

Daniel Brameand the

Deerfield High School Jazz Band

Illinois Music Education ConferenceThursday, January 24, 2013

3:30-4:45 p.m.Civic Center Room 405/406


2/17

The 12-Bar Blues Progression

The earliest blues progressions tended to be very simple, with three 4-bar phrases and three triads:

I I I I

IV IV I I

V V I I

As the blues developed, dominant 7th chords replaced basic triads. In addition, new chords were added. The Vchord at the end is used to bring the progression back to the beginning. This is the form that is used in most

blues music as well as early jazz and rock:

I7 IV7 I7 I7

IV7 IV7 I7 I7

V7 IV7 I7 V7

Eventually, most jazz musicians began using a [II-7 / V7] in the third phrase. This is what we will call the basic

blues. Notice that all of the chords are dominant 7th chords except for the minor 7th in bar 9:

I7 IV7 I7 I7

IV7 IV7 I7 I7

II-7 V7 I7 V7

There are countless chord substitutions that can be used in the blues. Some common ones are:

bar 4: V-7 / I7 bar 6: !IV°7

bar 8: VI7

bar 12: II-7 / V7

In the mid to late 1940s, bebop musicians created a very dense blues progression now known as “Bird Blues,”named after legendary alto saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker. There are a few variations on it, but here is a

fairly standard version:

Imaj7 VII-7"5 III7"9 VI-7 II7 V-7 I7

IV7 (or maj7) IV-7 "VII7 III-7 VI7 "III-7 "VI7

II-7 V7 III-7 VI7 II-7 V7

There are also many different minor blues progressions. Here is a common one. The minor chords on I and IV

can be played as -6, -6/9, or –(maj 7):

I- I- I- I7"9

IV- IV- I- I-

II-7"5 ( or "VI7) V7+9 I- II-7"5 V7+9


3/17

c œ œ œ œ Ó I 7

31 2 1 œ œ œ œ Ó

IV7

- 31 2 1 œ œ œ œ Ó

I 7

31 2 1 œ œ œ œ Ó 3 1 2 1

œ œ œ œ Ó

IV7

- 31 2 1

œ œ œ œ Ó

- 31 2 1

œ œ œ œ Ó

I 7

31 2 1

œ œ œ œ ˙

VI7

3+ 1 2 + 1

œ œ œ œ Ó II-7

42 3 2 œ œ œ œ Ó

V7

42 3 2 œ œ œ œ Ó

I 7

31 2 1 œ œ œ œ ˙

II-7 V7

42 3 2

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

3 3 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó IV7

- 3 - 3 - 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

3 3 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó 3 3 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó IV7

- 3 - 3 - 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó - 3 - 3 - 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

3 3 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó VI7

3 3 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó II-7

4 4 4

Jœ œ Jœ Ó V7

4 4 4

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

3 3 3

Jœ œ Jœ Ó II-7 V7

4 4 4

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

- 7 - 7 - 7

Jœ œ Jœ Ó IV7

6 6 6

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

- 7 - 7 - 7

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I 7

- 7 - 7 - 7

Jœ œ Jœ Ó IV7

6 6 6

Jœ œ Jœ Ó 6 6 6

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

- 7 - 7 - 7

Jœ œ Jœ Ó VI7

- 7 - 7 - 7

Jœ œ Jœ Ó II-7

8 8 8

Jœ œ Jœ Ó V7

7 7 7

Jœ œ Jœ Ó I7

- 7 - 7 - 7

Jœ œ Jœ Ó II-7 V7

7 7 7

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

I 7

1 2 3 4

5 6- 7 8


IV7

1 2 - 3 4

5 6- 7 8


I 7

1 2 3 4

5 6- 7 8

!


IV7

1 2 - 3 4

5 6- 7 8

! œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

I 7

1 2 3 4

5 6- 7 8

!

VI7


II-7

2 3 4 5

6 78 9

!

V7


I 7

1 2 3 4

5 6- 7 8


II-7 V7

2 3 4 5

6 78 9 œ œ Œ Ó

I7

8 8

Blues Warm Up


4/17

Seven Steps to the Blues

1) The Bluesy Pentatonic scale

5 6 1 2 !3

2) Add the major 3rd

5 6 1 2 !3 3 (don’t use 3 on IV chord,!3 can be a pickup to 3)

3) Add the "5

5 "5 6 1 2 !3 3 (use as a pick up to 6)

4) Add the !7

5 "5 6 !7 1 2 !3 3 (can be a substitute for 6 or work with 6)

5) Add the 4

5 "5 6 !7 1 2 !3 3 4 (use as a passing tone on I chords or a stable

tone on II, IV, and V)

6) Hear the II7 – V7 progression as II dorian or V mixolydian, or play standard II – V

licks over it

7) Use the blues scale

1 !3 4 !5 5 !7 1 (use sparingly—especially effective in last chorus)


5/17

&&

&

&

&

&

&

b

b

b

b

b

b

b

44

44

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44

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44

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’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

˙ Jœ œ Jœ

œ œ œ œ n œ œ Œ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ

œ œ œ jœ œ jœ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n

GÑ

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

.œ Jœ Jœ œ jœ

Ó œb œb œ œ œ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ

.œ jœ jœ œ jœ

œb œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ

C7

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

w

w

w

w

w

F7

’ ’ ’ ’!

!

!

!

!

!

C7

F Blues

Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase

C Instruments


6/17

&&

&

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#

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# #

44

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’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

˙ Jœ œ Jœ

œ œ œ œ# œ œ Œ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ

œ œ œ jœ œ jœ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#

AÑ

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙.œ Jœ Jœ œ Jœ

Ó œb œ n œ œ œ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ

.œ jœ jœ œ jœœ n œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ

D7

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

w

ww

w

w

G7

’ ’ ’ ’!

!

!

!

!

!

D7

F Blues


Bb Instruments


7/17

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# #

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44

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’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

˙ Jœ œ Jœ

œ œ œ œ# œ œ Œ

œ œ œ jœ œ jœ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#

EÑ

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

.œ Jœ jœ œ jœ

Ó œb œ n œ œ œ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ

.œ jœ Jœ œ Jœœ n œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ

A7

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

ww

w

ww

D7

’ ’ ’ ’!

!

!

!

!

!

A7

F Blues


Eb Instruments


8/17

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?

?

b

b

b

b

b

b

b

44

44

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’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ

œ ˙

˙Jœ œ

Jœ

œ œ œ œ n œ œ Œ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ

œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n

GÑ

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

.œ Jœ Jœ œ Jœ

Ó œ b œ b œ œ œ

œ œ œ Jœ œ J

œ

.œ jœ Jœ œ Jœ

œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ

C7

’ ’ ’ ’œ œ œ œ ˙

w

w

w

w

w

F7

’ ’ ’ ’

!

!

!

!

!

!

C7

F Blues


BC Instruments


9/17

& b 44 œ œ œ# œ œ Œ ! œ œ œ n œ œ Œ !

& b jœb .œ œ œ œ ! œb œ œ œ Jœ œ jœ !

& b œ œ œ# œ ˙ Ó Œ ‰ jœ# œ n œ œ œ ˙ !

& b œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œ

˙ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œ ˙ Ó

& b œ œ œ Jœb œ Jœ ! œ œb œ œ jœ œ jœ !

& b œ œ œ œb œ Œ !

œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœb !

& b Jœ œ jœ œ œb œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ œ# œ œ œ !

& b œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œb ˙ Ó œ œb œ œ œ

œb œ !

& b œ n œ œ œ œ œb œb œ Ó Œ ‰ jœ œ œ œ œ

jœb .œ !

Blues Licks in FC Instruments


10/17

& # 44 œ œ œ# œ œ Œ ! œ œ œ# œ œ Œ !

& # Jœb .œ œ œ œ ! œb œ œ œ Jœ œ jœ !

& # œ œ œ# œ ˙ Ó Œ ‰ jœ# œ n œ œ œ ˙ !

& # œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ

˙ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œ ˙ Ó

& # œ œ œ Jœ n œ Jœ ! œ œb œ œ jœ œ jœ !

& # œ œ œ œ n œ Œ !

œ œ œ œ jœ œ Jœb !

& # Jœ œ Jœ œ œb œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ œ# œ œ œ !

&

# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n ˙

Ó œ œ n œ œ œ œb œ

!

& # œ# œ œ œ œ œ n œb œ

Ó Œ ‰ jœ œ œ œ œ Jœb .œ !

Blues Licks in FBb Instruments


11/17

& # # 44 œ œ œ# œ œ Œ ! œ œ œ# œ œ Œ !

& # # Jœ n .œ œ œ œ ! œ n œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ !

& # # œ œ œ# œ ˙ Ó Œ ‰ Jœ# œ# œ œ œ ˙

!

& # # œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ

˙ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ

˙ Ó

& # # œ œ œ Jœ n œ Jœ ! œ œ n œ œ Jœ œ Jœ !

& # # œ œ

œ œ n œ

Œ !

œ œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ n !

& # # Jœ œ Jœ œ œ n œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ œ# œ œ œ !

&

# # œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ n ˙ Ó œ œ n œ œ œ œ n œ

!

& # # œ# œ œ œ œ œ n œ n œ

Ó Œ ‰ jœ œ œ œ œ Jœ n .œ !

Blues Licks in FEb Instruments


12/17

? b 44 œ œ œ# œ œ Œ ! œ œ œ n

œ œ Œ !

? b Jœ b .œ œ œ œ ! œ b œ œ œ J

œ œJœ !

? b œ œ œ# œ ˙ Ó Œ ‰ Jœ#

œ n œ œ œ ˙ !

? b œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ

˙ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ

˙ Ó

? bœ œ œ J

œ b œ Jœ !

œ œ b œ œ Jœ œ Jœ !

? bœ œ

œ œ b œ

Œ ! œ œ œ œ Jœ œ Jœ b !

? b Jœ œ

Jœ œ œ b œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ œ# œ

œ œ !

? b

œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ b ˙ Ó œ œ b œ œ œ œ b œ

!

? bœ n œ œ œ œ œ b œ b œ

Ó Œ ‰ jœ œ œ œ œ Jœ b .œ !

Blues Licks in FBC Instruments


13/17

Blues Playing Test Rubric

Note Choices

Major and minor 3rds are used

correctly. A U S N

Chromatic passing/neighbor tones

are used for color. A U S N

The II – V sound is played in the last

phrase. A U S N

The solo has an overall bluesy

sound. A U S N

Awkward dissonances are avoided. A U S N

General Improvisation Skills

The rhythms are varied. A U S N

Space is used to separate ideas. A U S N

Ideas flow well and are developed

logically. A U S N

The swing feel is smooth. A U S N

Time is consistent. A U S N

The playing is energetic. A U S N

There are varying levels of intensity. A U S N

Comments


14/17

& bb c œb œ jœ œ n jœ

Bb7 ‰ .œb œ œ œEb7 .˙ œb œ

Bb7 ! œb œ jœ œ n

jœEb7 ‰ .œb œ œ œ

& bb .˙ œb œBb7

! œb œ jœ œ n jœCÑ ‰ .œb œ œ œ

F7 .˙ œb œBb7

!

F7

& bb c œ œ œ œ œ œ œbBb7 œ œ œ Ó

Eb7 œ œ œ Jœ œb jœBb7

! œ œ œ œb œ œ œbEb7 œ œ œ Ó

& bb œ œ œ Jœ œb jœB

b7

! œ œ œ œ œ œ œbCÑ

œ œ œ ÓF7

œ œ œ Jœ œb jœB

b7

!

F7

& bb c œ œ œb œ ‰ jœ œ# œBb7

œ œ œb ˙Eb7

œ n œ œ œ jœb œ jœ

Bb7 ! œ œ œb œ ‰ jœ œ# œ

Eb7 œ œ œb ˙

& bb œ n œ œ œ jœb œ jœBb7

! œ œ œ jœ œ n jœCÑ

œ œ œ jœb œ n JœF7

‰ .œb œ œb œBb7

!

F7

& bb c ‰ jœ œ œ œb œ ‰ jœ# Bb7

œ œ

œ œ œb œ ‰ jœ# Eb7

œ œ œ œ œ œ œbBb7 ˙ Œ œ œ

& bb œ œ œ

œb œ œ œ œ

Eb7

œ œb œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ jœb œ

jœ

Bb7

˙ Œ ‰ Jœ n

G7

& bb œ œ n œ œ œb œ# œCÑ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ jœ#

F7

œ œ œ œ jœb œ Jœ

Bb7 !

F7

Blues Head ExamplesAAA Form with a blues scale (1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 8) or bluesy pentatonic (5 6 1 2 b3)

AAA Form with major and minor thirds like the blues warmup

AAB Form

Through-Composed Form


15/17

F Blues Heads

All of these are standard swing tunes that work well in jam sessions. There are other tunes like

“Watermelon Man” that are in a straight-8ths/rock style, but they are more suited to blues scale playing.Tunes with an asterisk have more chord substitutions.

Tune Composer Availability

Au Privave* Charlie Parker HLRB1, REB3

Bag’s Groove Milt Jackson STANBillie’s Bounce Charlie Parker HLRB2

Blues for Alice* Charlie Parker HLRB1, NRB2 Now’s the Time Charlie Parker HLRB1, REB3

Pfrancing (No Blues) Miles Davis HLRB1Sippin’ at Bells* Miles Davis HLRB2

Some Other Blues John Coltrane HLRB2, REB2Teenie’s Blues Oliver Nelson HLRB2

Walkin’ Jimmy Mundy HLRB2, REB2

Bb Blues Heads

There are considerably more blues tunes in Bb than in F. These are some of the better known that followthe standard progression. “Tenor Madness” is especially good for teaching the use of the major/minor 3

rd

and the II-V progression at the end.


Blue Monk Thelonious Monk HLRB1

Blue Seven Sonny Rollins HLRB2, REB1Blues by Five Red Garland HLRB2, REB1

Blues in the Closet Oscar Pettiford HLRB2, REB1Blues March Benny Golson HLRB2, REB2

Duff Hampton Hawes HLRB2Filthy McNasty Horace Silver HLRB2, NRB2

Opus de Funk Horace Silver HLRB4, NRB3Sonnymoon for Two Sonny Rollins REB1

Spontaneous Combustion Cannonball Adderley RJCFB

Straight No Chaser Thelonious Monk HLRB1 (occasionally transcribed in F) Tenor Madness Sonny Rollins HLRB2, REB1The Thumper Percy Heath HLRB2

Trane’s Blues Miles Davis HLRB2 (aka Weird Blues or Veird Blues) Twisted Wardell Gray NRB1, HLRB2

Wee Dot J.J. Johnson RJCFB


16/17

Eb and C Blues Heads

The two other most common blues keys are Eb and C. Both work well for beginning and intermediate

improvisers, and it is a good idea to occasionally get away from Bb and F to get some fresh licks andideas going.


Alright, Okay, You Win (Eb) Watts & Wyche HLRB1

Bessie’s Blues (Eb) John Coltrane HLRB1, NRB2Blue Train (Eb) John Coltrane REB3, HLRB1

C Jam Blues (C) Duke Ellington HLRB2Cool Blues (C) Charlie Parker HLRB2

Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid (C) Lester Young HLRB2Sandu (Eb) Clifford Brown HLRB2, NRB1

The Swingin’ Shepherd Blues (C) Moe Koffman HLRB2

Key to availability:

HLRB – Hal Leonard Real Book, Vol. 1-5• An excellent series published in C, Bb, Eb, and BC

• Replicates the old illegal Real Books from the 70s and 80s without the mistakes• Has only basic melody and chords, no harmonies, little info on form

REB – Real Easy Book, Vol. 1-3

• Published by Sher Music in C, Bb, Eb, and BC• Each tune has sample bass lines and chord voicings for piano and guitar

• Includes harmony parts and details of the form

NRB – New Real Book, Vol. 1-3SRB – The Standards Real Book

• Published by Sher Music in C, Bb, and Eb (no bass clef)• Typically more detailed than Hal Leonard books

• Not as well bound as Hal Leonard, tend to fall apart with use

RJCFB – Real Jazz Classics Fake Book• An earlier Hal Leonard Book

• Now out of print


17/17

About the band…

The Deerfield High School Jazz Band meets as a full-credit class every day. With a seven-person

horn line and double rhythm section, the ensemble can function as a mini-big band, an expanded

combo, a piano trio, or any other combination. Over the years, our flexible instrumentation has

included flute, clarinet, double reeds, mellophone, euphonium, tuba, violin, and oud.

Our main emphasis is developing each student's self-expression through improvisation, arranging,

and composition. We choose jazz standards to learn from lead sheets, transcribe tunes off of

recordings, or compose our own works. We study the chord changes and practice soloing, helping

each other improve through listening and evaluation. Then we arrange the tunes in brainstorming

sessions. The students decide on intros, endings, solo backgrounds and different ways to play the

head. When the form is complete, the teacher or a student voices out the ideas and writes out the

parts. In this manner, the students can learn about twenty tunes each year, ranging from modal to

blues to bebop.

The DHS Jazz Band performs on four formal concerts throughout the year. In addition, we have

performed the Hyatt Deerfield, the Art Center of Highland Park, and in impromptu gigs in the fronthall of the school on the day before vacations. In the 26-year history of the band, we have received

numerous awards at festivals such as Jazz in the Meadows. In addition to the curricular jazz band,

there are three extracurricular combos that meet weekly after school during the winter and spring.

The Jazz Lab Band is a non-performing group, which includes mostly freshmen with some older

students on secondary instruments. The goal of the ensemble is to introduce students to improvisation

and stylistic concepts. Two intermediate groups, Monday and Tuesday Afternoon Jazz, perform

twice yearly in concert.

About our school…

Deerfield High School is located in Deerfield, Illinois, about 25 miles north of Chicago. With an

enrollment of 1645 students, DHS is known for its high academic achievement, competitive athletics,

and comprehensive fine arts program. The school was recognized in 2009 as a Blue Ribbon School

of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. The DHS music program includes three concert

bands, four jazz bands, a volunteer marching band, three orchestras, three choirs, a show choir, and a

music theory/history class. Next year we will also offer beginning guitar. Our ensembles have

performed around the country, from Seattle to New York and Boston to Orlando, as well as overseas

in Ireland, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The concert bands and orchestras will be traveling

to Phoenix in February 2013 for performances and clinics.

About Daniel Brame…

Daniel Brame has been Director of Bands at Deerfield High School since 1988. He holds a doctorate

in music education from Boston University where he studied comprehensive musicianship in high

school band programs in Illinois and Wisconsin. He has a bachelor's degree in music education from

Northwestern University and a master 's in music education from DePaul University. Dr. Brame has

published articles in The Instrumentalist and Teaching Music and is a contributor to Musicianship:

Composing in Band and Orchestra, to be published in 2013 by GIA Publications. He can be

contacted at [email protected].

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