How to Play Blues Scales on the Piano

Blues scales are a great way to add some flavor to your piano playing. If you’re not sure how to play them, don’t worry – this blog post will show you everything you need to know. Just follow the simple steps and you’ll be playing blues scales like a pro in no time!

Introduction

Blues music is a staple of American culture, and learning to play blues scales on the piano is a great way to get started with this style of music. While there are many different ways to approach playing blues scales, we’ll go over a few basic tips to help you get started.

First, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the 12-bar blues progression, which is the most commonly used chord progression in blues music. The 12-bar blues progression is made up of three chords: the tonic (or “root”) chord, the fourth chord, and the fifth chord. In the key of C, these chords would be C, F, and G.

Once you’ve memorized the 12-bar blues progression, you can start practicing your blues scales. A blues scale consists of six notes: the root note, the flat third, the fourth, the flat fifth, the fifth, and the flat seventh. In the key of C, these notes would be C, Eb, F,Gb , G , and Bb .

To get started playing blues scales on the piano, try practicing them in both hands simultaneously. Start by playing the root note with your left hand and then add in the other notes of the scale with your right hand. Once you’re comfortable playing all six notes of the scale in both hands simultaneously, you can start experimenting with different rhythms and patterns.

One common way to add interest to your playing is to use what’s known as a “walking bass line.” This simply means that you play one note per beat while adding in occasional embellishments. For example, in a 4/4 time signature (which is commonly used in blues music), you would play four quarter notes per measure (or one note per beat). A walking bass line might look like this:

As you can see from this example, a walking bass line doesn’t have to be complicated – it can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Just remember to keep it consistent and always count out each beat so that your left hand knows when to change chords.

Learning how to play blues scales on the piano is a great way to get started with this style of music. With a little practice, you’ll be able to add your own personal touch to any song in no time at all!

The 12 Bar Blues

The 12 bar blues is a standard chord progression used in blues music. The progression is made up of three four-bar phrases and is usually played in a slow to mid-tempo. The chords typically used in the 12 bar blues are the I, IV, and V chords of a major key. In this lesson we’ll take a look at how to play a 12 bar blues in the key of C using some basic open position chords.

The first phrase of a 12 bar blues progression will usually start on the I chord, which in the key of C is a C major chord. The second phrase will start on the IV chord, which in C is an F major chord. The third and final phrase will start on the V chord, which in C is a G major chord.

One of the great things about the 12 bar blues is that it can be played with just about any kind of instrument. In this lesson we’ll be focusing on how to play the 12 bar blues on piano, but keep in mind that you can apply these same concepts to any instrument you might be playing.

The Blues Scale

The blues scale is a six-note scale with a flattened third, fifth and seventh scale degrees. While the flattened third, fifth and seventh scale degrees give the blues scale its characteristic sound, the rest of the notes in the scale can be altered to create different moods and feelings. The blues scale is commonly used in blues, rock, jazz and pop music.

To play a blues scale on the piano, start by finding the root note of the scale. The root note is the note that gives the scale its name. For example, if you’re playing a C blues scale, the root note would be C. Once you’ve found the root note, play the following notes in order: C (root), Eb (flattened third), F (fourth), Gb (flattened fifth), G (fifth), Bb (flattened seventh).

Playing the Blues Scale

The blues scale is a great tool for improvisation, and can be used in a variety of genres outside of blues music. If you’re new to the world of scales, learning the blues scale is a great place to start. Here’s a quick guide on how to play blues scales on the piano.

To play a blues scale in any key, start by playing the root note of the scale (the note that the scale is named after) on the piano. From there, play the flat third and fifth notes of the major scale corresponding to that root note. For example, if you’re playing a C blues scale, you would play C, Eb, and G. Finally, add in the flat seventh note of the major scale to complete the pattern.

remember that you can use this same pattern to play blues scales in any key – simply start on the root note of the desired key. As you become more comfortable with this pattern, experiment with adding in improvised embellishments to create your own unique sound.

Conclusion

If you’ve followed along with this article, you should now know how to play blues scales in all 12 keys on the piano. You should also have a good understanding of how these scales are used in blues music. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy yourself!