The blues scale
I can play the notes of the C blues scale and a blues scale melody over the 12-bar blues chords.
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- Year 8
The blues scale
I can play the notes of the C blues scale and a blues scale melody over the 12-bar blues chords.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The blues scale is a set of notes commonly used in blues music.
- It includes blue notes (flattened notes) which help to give blues music its distinctive sound.
- The C blues scale includes the flats Eb, Gb and Bb.
- We have performed the C blues scale on the keyboard and played a blues scale melody over the 12-bar blues chords.
Keywords
Blues scale - a scale typically used in blues music; it uses blue notes which gives blues its distinctive sound
Blue notes - the lowered or flattened notes in the blues scale, typically the 3rd, 5th and 7th
Flat - this lowers a note by a semitone
Common misconception
The C blues scale can use any of the black notes (flattened notes) on the keyboard.
The blues scale uses specific flattened notes - 3rd, 5th and 7th. It's important for pupils to practise finding these notes and getting used to how the scale sounds.
Equipment
Keyboard instrument
Licence
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