Question about using more than just one kind of scale/chord

[Michael Bishop]

Hi Johnny,
Is it acceptable to use both the Blues Scales and Pentatonic Scales when were Improvising in a song v.s. using only just one scale or the other? I’ve got some stuff that I’m doing with my Alto Sax over a few tracks that are 5 minutes long. There’s sections where I’m Improvising with the Blues Scales and in other areas I wanted to use the Pentatonic Scales. I also threw some minor 3rds and flat 7s in those areas of the track where I’m using Pentatonic Scale, the flat 7 works really nice leading into the 4 chord! 🙂 In some bars, mostly on the 5 chord, I also decided to throw in some dominant chords, 1-3-5-b7. I’m getting a good hold on this stuff and the more I use it, the more I like making use of all of these scales v.s. just sticking with only 1 scale over an entire 5 min. backing track…I think it makes the entire Improvisation a lot more “colorful”.

[john]

yes it all works and we know how well it works depending on the music (track).
as you experiment listen carefully to the music and you’ll know which notes work best over which chord.
but yes, those 2 scale are interchangable.

[Michael Bishop]

That’s great how you mentioned we have to listen to the track…couldn’t help but notice how in some places the Pentatonic Scale is better here, dominant chord is better there, etc.. There’s a spot at around the 3:15 mark or so where I reach a high-screaming climax in my solo and the Blues scale fits better over this portion of the track. The more I work on this stuff, the more I’m learning to “hear, feel” what scale would be better to use/when to use it…great, great stuff Johnny 🙂 It’s really something to see how simple these scales are, yet they sound so good! 🙂 My goal is to start your new Improvisation course around the Spring, I should have a totally rock-solid foundation of Blues/Rock by that time. I started Killer Blues last October..this year will be 1 year in this book alone. Come spring, that would be 1 and 1/2 years of learning to Improvise with what you teach in Killer Blues….I can’t see why I won’t be ready for your new course by the Spring. I wanted to really, really learn this stuff well v.s. just memorizing a few exercises and then think I know how to pull these scales out, at will, and play with them…no way. From reading comments you’ve made about your new course/couple of videos you shared a few months back, it seems like what I’ll learn when I get to your new course is the kind of Improvising that is much better suited to other kinds of music v.s. what I’m doing right now?

[john]

We have to practise and really focus not just on what we’re doing but the track as well because the track is in place of a band…. soon, you will play with a real band and if you can’t blend in you’re out!

[Michael Bishop]

yep, that sums it all in a nutshell and funny timing that you bring that up regarding something that happened here locally regarding 2 guitar players a couple of weeks ago….I think I remember telling you that since I got my audition a month or so ago and I know I remember talking about it with our member Tim over Skype. It opened up a network for me with other musicians, who put me in contact with the Arkansas Blues Society….the Blues is THE TREND here in the south, no gettting around it. I’ve made some great friends and some of us have been getting together once a week, every Wednesday night. That night, we had 2 guitar players, drummer, harmonica player and me. We all decided that we would work with Blues in A that night and I’m on the Alto–I switch from Alto one week and then Tenor next week–as we get going the lead guitar player stops everything and asks his other guitar player, “dude, where did you go? You’re supposed to be playing an Am7 chord, not an A7 chord” They exchanged a few tactful words and the lead guitar player made his point clear…..”can you just get this right…..please?” There was a brief moment of silence between the 2 and then looks at me and says, “Sorry about that dude.” 🙂

Here’s a link to the Arkansas Blues Society…I’m not an official member yet but will be soon. They got a lot of good things going on, always featured on the radio and they always turn up big crowds. Unbelievably, they have had very few Sax players–I’ve only heard of 1 in the past–most of the Sax players here are all into smooth, contemporary jazz…nothing wrong with that either; different strokes for different folks.
http://www.arkansasriverblues.com/

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