Learn the Blues Scales on Piano

Leaning blues scales on piano will prove to be an exciting adventure. They create the basics in blues playing. Blues scales are vital in understanding blues music, but other genres have also borrowed its composition in order to create unique sounds.

Leaning new scales can sometimes be daunting and boring, but approaching the subject with excitement and willingness will make the process much easier.

It’s important to practice new scales until they become second nature. Memorization and perfection of scales will create pathways from your muscles and nerves to your brain. Your mind will begin to understand the construction of blues scales on piano once you have understood its importance on piano music.

There are different variations of the blues scales which can sometimes create confusion. Once you have properly memorized the blues scales you should be able to recognize it. If you are unable to identify uses of blues scale, you will have to return to practice until you have the ability to recognize its tune. The structure of blue scale is illustrated below (set in C key):

C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb, C

Repeat this collection over and over again until the end of the song, creating a rhythm. Begin by practicing the sequence as it is showed. Once you have grasped the concept, you can begin to play them randomly.

Have fun by pressing notes all over the place, but do not deviate from these 6 notes. By adding creativity to your blues scale, you will be able to create diverse different sounds and rhythms. Have fun when changing the sequence of the notes, it will prove amusing and informative.

Changing the key of the blues scale is a simple task. You can change the order of the notes; however, you cannot change the type of note chosen. Therefore you must follow this pattern:

Whole step, half step, whole step, half step, whole step, half step, whole step

By following this format you will be able to create a blues scale beginning with any key. Change the initial key and make the corresponding changes to the rest of the scale. In order to properly execute this scale, you must be careful to not make mistakes when changing the key.

Begin by playing slowly and evenly. It is more important to maintain proper spacing and rhythm while playing the blues scale than correct note selection. Once you are more comfortable with the construction and execution of the blues scale, you can then experiment by increasing your speed.

You can play it up or down depending on your mood to create patterns that are pleasing to the ears. One of the best effects utilized while using the blues scale is sliding notes. The best notes to slide while using the scale set in the C key are F, Gb and G.

When you are comfortable playing the scale with your right hand, your left hand can join in for subsequent patterns. Suggested patterns include the walking bass or the boogie bass. Experiencing the blues scale will be a creative and fun experience once you understand its core elements in learning piano.