Learn-by-doing lessons for quickly internalizing the Major Blues Scale… by ear, intellect, eye, and muscle…
Table of Contents
Lesson Goal
To quickly internalize the letter names, scale degrees, solfege, notation, sounds, feelings, and visuospatial keyboard layouts for the Major Blues Scale in all keys.
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
Why Learn the Major Blues Scale?
Because it’s used used in a wide variety of music all around the world: folk, pop, rock, bluegrass, country, and jazz.
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Major Blues Scale Theory
As the name says, the Major Blues Scale (the blues scale that most people are familiar with) has a major, bluesy quality… and only six notes (yet another existence proof that scales are not made up of “half steps” and “whole steps”)…
- The Solfege Syllables for the Major Blues Scale are Do-Re-Me-Mi-So-La-Do (no matter what key you are in).
- The Scale Degrees for the Major Blues Scale are 1-2-b3-3-5-6-1 (no matter what key you are in).
- The notes for the Major Blues Scale in the key of C are C-D-Eb-E-G-A-C…
Major Blues Scale in the Key of C
As the name suggests the Major Blues Scale, sometimes called the Jazz Blues Scale, has a more majorish, jazzier quality than the minor blues…
The distinctive feature of the Major Blues Scale is the side-by-side usage of E(Mi) and the blue note Eb(Me). The combination of this major-minor sound-feeling is what really makes this scale tick!
Major Blues Scale Compared to the Major Pentatonic Scale
Notice that the C Major Blues Scale uses the same five notes as the C Major Pentatonic Scale but adds the tasty blue note Eb(Me)… The side-by-side use of Mi and Me gives this scale a delicious simultaneous major/minor feel that is so characteristic of blues, jazz, and gospel. This is a great example of how much certain scale types have in common, how learning one kind of scale helps you to learn others, and how the addition or subtraction of just one note can profoundly change the character of a scale and allows you to create a whole new kind of music!
Read, play, and listen to the C Major Pentatonic…
Read, play, and listen to the C Major Blues…
Special Note Regarding Notation
In the key of C, you will often see Eb(Me) spelled as D#(Ri) depending on the context and desire to keep the music notation from getting too busy. Do not fret over the names. It’s the sound, feeling, function, and physical keys that count. This is a great illustration of the limits of naming things. In fact, to my intellect and ears, Eb(D#) may may most musically be described as “Mi flat”… because it’s really defined by its relationship to Mi.
I repeat: Don’t get hung up on the names. The letter names, scale degree names, and solfege names are just very temporary training wheels that you will abandon as you learn how music works, as your ears develop, and as you learn you way around the keyboard!
Major Blues Scale Solfege Ear Training
Reading, playing, and singing the Solfege Syllables out loud is an extremely effective way to tune up your ears and to internalize the unique sound-feeling of each note in the scale with respect to the key center Do. Make sure to do this slowly enough for the unique sound-feeling of each Solfege Syllable to make a meaningful impression on your mind’s ear.
Linear, Ascending…
Linear, Descending…
Do-X-Do, Ascending…
Do-X-Do, Descending…
Special Note about Ear Training in Context
We could sing a lot more musical patterns, but a more effective and efficient approach (80:20 Rule) is to get your ear training material directly from the music that YOU want to play!
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Major Blues Scale Theory & Ear Training, All Keys
Any interest? Frank will be happy to produce scores, keyboard layouts, and play along MP3s if someone asks.
The 80:20 Rule teaches us that learning the Major Blues Scale in all keys comes with diminishing returns. A better used of your precious time and energy to study and practice it only in keys you expect to play in. Suggested keys: Eb, Bb, F, C, G, D, A, E.
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