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Author Topic: Blues in "C' Scale  (Read 853 times)

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Offline kinsuk

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Blues in "C' Scale
« on: May 07, 2015, 06:42:02 AM »
First of all HI!! to all and thanks a lot for the help provided in my previous posts

I have a question as I am trying to learn  blues

IN the progression
All dominants
c7 f7 g7

the notes are c e g a#
                    f a c d#
                    g b d f

how does this fit as I v found no scale with these notes 
could I get some help understanding please
thanks a lot  for reading
« Last Edit: May 07, 2015, 06:43:58 AM by kinsuk »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Blues in "C' Scale
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2015, 06:58:42 AM »
Hi kinsuk,
If you want to spell the dominant seventh chords off of I, IV and V in C, they would be:
   I7: C-E-G-Bb
   IV7: F-A-C-Eb
   V7: G-B-D-F
There is no one major scale that would have all these chords diatonically, or arriving solely from the notes of its scale.  The blues are tricky this way, because they employ a different melodic scale than is used to supply the scale for the harmonization of chords.  The so-called blues scale is a pentatonic scale consisting  of I-bIII-IV-V-bVII.  In practice, though, a major III note is used to harmonize the I chord, a bIII is used to harmonize the IV chord (for which it is the bVII) and a VI note is added to the IV chord to serve as its major third.  In the V7 chord, the bVII note of the pentatonic scale is most often raised to a major VII note.  So you can see that the harmonization of the I7, IV7 and V7 chords do not derive strictly from the pentatonic scale which provides the melodic context for the blues. 
And in performance, especially as sung, the pentatonic scale is bent and twisted, with the III and VII notes being the ones most messed with, though a lot of blues utilize the bV or #IV note as well.  The characteristic blues sound, though, especially in non-Jazz versions of the blues, is that the melodic material from the source pentatonic scale is utilized and works equally well over the I7, IV7 and V7 chords.  There are some blues, too, like a number of Henry Thomas's songs, that employ a major pentatonic scale, too:  I-II-III-V-VI-I.  For a music of such harmonic simplicity (on the face of it), the theoretical underpinnings of blues are really gnarly, especially with regards to vocal pitch.
All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: May 07, 2015, 08:28:41 AM by Johnm »

Offline One-Eyed Ross

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Re: Blues in "C' Scale
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2015, 08:25:53 AM »
John, I just wanted to say "THANK YOU!" for your wonderful explanations.  The depth of your knowledge is amazing...

I still remember my Russian professor explaining declension of nouns.  His best advice:  "Use your farmer brain.  If it sounds right, it usually is." 

I've found this to be especially true with music, harmonically simple but theoretically gnarly...
SSG, USA, Ret

She looked like a horse eating an apple through a wire fence.

Offline frankie

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Re: Blues in "C' Scale
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2015, 12:30:32 PM »
For a music of such harmonic simplicity (on the face of it), the theoretical underpinnings of blues are really gnarly, especially with regards to vocal pitch.

That belongs in the weenie oracle! Brilliant!

Offline One-Eyed Ross

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Re: Blues in "C' Scale
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2015, 01:26:15 PM »
For a music of such harmonic simplicity (on the face of it), the theoretical underpinnings of blues are really gnarly, especially with regards to vocal pitch.

That belongs in the weenie oracle! Brilliant!

We need a REALLY LIKE button...
SSG, USA, Ret

She looked like a horse eating an apple through a wire fence.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Blues in "C' Scale
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2015, 02:20:47 PM »
Thanks for the good words, guys, I appreciate it.
All best,
Johnm

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