In my last column, I presented a shuffle rhythm pattern for a standard 12-bar blues in the key of G, with some inversions of dominant 7th chords that had the 3rd, 5th or 7th in the bass instead of the root, which create a harmonically rich sound.
This time, I’d like to demonstrate a soloing approach over this rhythm part, using both major and minor pentatonic scales, as well as some chromatic notes.
Figure 1 illustrates the solo: bars 1 and 2 are based on the G minor pentatonic scale (G, Bb, C, D, F) and the G blues scale (G, Bb, C, Db, D, F) with the additional inclusion of the 6th, E and the 2nd, A. In bar 3 into bar 4, I switch to playing lines based on G major pentatonic (G, A, B, D, E), which yields a sweeter sound via the emphasis of the major 3rd, B, and the 6th, E.
Alternating between parallel minor and major pentatonic scales – based on the same root note – is a well-established approach to blues soloing, and one that you’ll hear in the playing of all of the blues greats, from T-Bone Walker to B.B. King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy and many others.
Figure 2 shows the G blues scale in 3rd position. One could stick with this scale through the entirety of the 12 bars and create an effective solo.
There are, however, musical benefits to be found by broadening your melodic palette to major pentatonic as well as the G Mixolydian mode (G, A, B, C, D, E, F) and the chromatic scale, which includes all 12 tones in an octave.
Figure 3 is a line that combines G major and minor pentatonic notes with a little bit of chromaticism.
It begins with D, E and G, alluding to G major pentatonic; an E note is then bent up a half step to F, followed by a descent through D, C and Bb, which references G minor pentatonic.
The Bb then resolves chromatically upward, to B, followed by notes from G minor pentatonic into G major pentatonic.
A great way to utilize these ideas is to “blur” the lines between the different scales via string bending: in Figure 4I begin with Bb-G-Bb then bend the minor 3rd, Bb, up a half step to the major 3rd, B. In bar 2, I bend the 2nd, A, up a whole step, to B, which creates a different sound and feeling.
Let’s jump back to bars 5 and 6 of Figure 1. As the progression moves to the IV (four) chord, C, I modulate to lines based on C minor pentatonic (C, Eb, F, G, Bb) before shifting back to G minor pentatonic in beat 3 of bar 6 into bar 7, with the return to the I (one) chord, G.
In bar 9, I play D minor pentatonic (D, F, G, A, C) over the V (five) chord, D, with the inclusion of the major 3rd, F#. Bar 10 is played over C, and the solo ends with straight chromaticism of E-F-E-Eb-D, resolving back to G major and minor pentatonic played over the final G chord.
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