LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Blues scale fingering?
superp9 -- 07/15/2007, 23:37:23 -- #35882
Hey all, in all my years of playing, I still haven't found a consistent fingering for playing blues scale runs for more than a couple of octaves before stumbling.  Can anyone recommend fingering that works for them, preferably for all keys, since each is different?

I realize that the actual notes of the blues scale can vary depending on the person.  So whatever you use, I'm interested.  Thanks.

sdm -- 07/16/2007, 08:49:07 -- #35882
Randy Halberstadt does a nice job in his book Metaphor For The Musician.  You can see it on the sample pages here: http://www.shermusic.com/metaphors.htm.  The book is well worth owning.

superp9 -- 07/16/2007, 09:10:47 -- #35882
Randy, nice suggestion!  From the samples I saw, it looks to be a really great book.  I'm very particular about this books.  Most of them, even if they are good, are not very practical and deal mostly with bebop theory, of which I am minimally interested in.  But if the sample pages of this book represent it accurately, it looks to be very good.  I especially like how he is straight-forward without the hipster mumbo jumbo, and gives specific exercises for specific skills.

Thanks!

sdm -- 07/16/2007, 12:16:04 -- #35882
I think there is a thread of reviews on this you could read here on LJP.  Should be in the Book Review room.

DrJazz -- 07/17/2007, 17:21:39 -- #35882
Hi Superboy,

There's another book you should know about - 'The Blues Scales' by Dan Greenblatt. May have the answers to a lot of your questions! I recommend it!

7 -- 07/17/2007, 21:51:11 -- #35882
Can anyone recommend fingering that works for them, preferably for all keys, since each is different?

I find that one characteristic of my playing is that no matter whether I'm dealing with a minor pentatonic or a major pentatonic that the I tend to have a favored position that lands the thumb on the root of the scale.

A minor pentatonic = thumb on A

C major pentatonic = thumb on C

Eb minor pentatonic = thumb on Eb

F# major pentatonic = thumb on F#

The other positions are whatever seems most convenient in whatever key.


Here are a couple of articles on the "tricky" keys:

C# minor Blues Pentatonic Fingerings
The three main fingering postions for C# minor blues pentatonic illustrated. Complete with MIDI audio examples.
http://www.Jeff-Brent.com/Lessons/CsharpMinorBluesPent.html


Piano Fingerings for Eb minor pentatonics & Bbm Blues modes
How to get around these "tricky" scales.
http://www.Jeff-Brent.com/Lessons/FingeringEbm-BbmPents.html

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