LearnJazzPiano.com archives: feeling safe in all keys
ronald1 -- 08/27/2007, 00:58:30 -- #36576
Hi.  I was recently explaining to a beginner how to approach playing/soloing in different keys for things like blues (easier to start in C/Eb/F/G/Bb for example) and how to "feel safe" playing in D/A/E.  So for a 12-bar blues in the key of C, I got him to base soloing in the scale of C major (of course) and add "bluesy" notes like Eb,F#(nothing unusual there).  But this doesn't seem to work so well for beginners in keys E,A,D, so for these keys I got him to play the natural minor or minor pentatonic, and add "major bluesy" notes (like G# in the key of E).  The first approach was soloing in a major context but adding minor embellishments, and the second approach was vice versa, but I think this change of perpective can be quite a powerful tool for starting to solo comfortably in all keys.

ok, so I know that it's probably not the desired end-goal, but to gain a bit of confidence with I think it works well. but what do you think?   Thanks

Copyright © 2005 by Scot Ranney. All rights reserved.
Click Here for more information about performances and clinics. Click Here to sign up for Scot's music announcements.