It is important to understand what scale is appropriate or available when soloing over a blues progression. The most common blues is a I, IV, V progression or a twelve bar blues. These progressions tend to contain the same types of chords, usually all of them being seventh chords, major or minor chords. The most common of these arrangements contains only seventh chords.
Now if we examine a typical blues composed of seventh chords we will find that there isn't one particular scale that contains all of the notes within these chords perfectly. The best match might be to play the mixolydian mode over each corresponding chord. This would mean mixolydian mode in the key of the I chord, played only over the I chord, mixolydian mode in the key of the IV chord, played only over the IV chord, mixolydian mode in the key of the V chord, played only over the V chord. This is one way to do it, your solo will certainly sound good over the chord changes and bright with the major 3rd.
A blues progression can also be constructed around entirely major chords in the I, IV, V pattern. In this instance, use the I major scale to solo with. It will fit perfectly with the chords, and it will difficult to hit a wrong sounding note.
When a blues progression contains just minor chords, it is best to use the natural minor scale, also known as the Aeolian mode, or the minor pentatonic scale. These scales will sit perfectly over these chords when soloing with the guitar.
I would like to introduce the most common blues guitar scale, and explain when it is best suited. This scale is simply called the blues scale, and is the same as the minor pentatonic scale, but has a flat five added to it. If you recall, I mentioned that the most common blues progression is made up of entirely seventh chords(R,3, 5,flat7). This is the one scale that is best suited to play over this type of progression. It may occur to you that this scale has a minor or flat third in it - whilst the chords are using major thirds. It doesn't fit, or make musical sense! Well, in a nutshell this is what gives the blues such a "bluesy" sound - the flat 5 also gives this "bluesy" sound.
If you are looking to find a scale to solo over a typical blues progression, typically a I, IV, V chord progression, firstly look at the I chord. If it is a seventh chord, you could use the mixolydian mode over this chord and then use the corresponding mixolydian mode over the other chords. Maybe you could just use the blues scale over the entire progression, in the key of G, you would use the G blues scale. If it is a G major or G minor as the I chord you would use the G major and the G minor scale respectively. You could also just use the G blues scale over these two progressions as well, or a combination. As you can see, there are many options available to you when soloing over the blues. So have some fun, and enjoy these different sounding blues guitar scales.
Now if we examine a typical blues composed of seventh chords we will find that there isn't one particular scale that contains all of the notes within these chords perfectly. The best match might be to play the mixolydian mode over each corresponding chord. This would mean mixolydian mode in the key of the I chord, played only over the I chord, mixolydian mode in the key of the IV chord, played only over the IV chord, mixolydian mode in the key of the V chord, played only over the V chord. This is one way to do it, your solo will certainly sound good over the chord changes and bright with the major 3rd.
A blues progression can also be constructed around entirely major chords in the I, IV, V pattern. In this instance, use the I major scale to solo with. It will fit perfectly with the chords, and it will difficult to hit a wrong sounding note.
When a blues progression contains just minor chords, it is best to use the natural minor scale, also known as the Aeolian mode, or the minor pentatonic scale. These scales will sit perfectly over these chords when soloing with the guitar.
I would like to introduce the most common blues guitar scale, and explain when it is best suited. This scale is simply called the blues scale, and is the same as the minor pentatonic scale, but has a flat five added to it. If you recall, I mentioned that the most common blues progression is made up of entirely seventh chords(R,3, 5,flat7). This is the one scale that is best suited to play over this type of progression. It may occur to you that this scale has a minor or flat third in it - whilst the chords are using major thirds. It doesn't fit, or make musical sense! Well, in a nutshell this is what gives the blues such a "bluesy" sound - the flat 5 also gives this "bluesy" sound.
If you are looking to find a scale to solo over a typical blues progression, typically a I, IV, V chord progression, firstly look at the I chord. If it is a seventh chord, you could use the mixolydian mode over this chord and then use the corresponding mixolydian mode over the other chords. Maybe you could just use the blues scale over the entire progression, in the key of G, you would use the G blues scale. If it is a G major or G minor as the I chord you would use the G major and the G minor scale respectively. You could also just use the G blues scale over these two progressions as well, or a combination. As you can see, there are many options available to you when soloing over the blues. So have some fun, and enjoy these different sounding blues guitar scales.
About the Author:
Clause N Dillon, a musician for over twenty years, has recently written an easy to follow and practical guide to guitar scales and soloing, and is available FREE for a limited time by clicking the blue text : Learn Guitar Scales or Blues Guitar Scales
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