F Blues Jazz Tutorial by Lot2Learn

A nice medium swing blues in F is a terrific starting point for all kinds of improvisation. For this tutorial I have decided to use my acoustic piano (sorry no Midi or PDF transcription files). I am using the acoustic piano because the blues really has to be felt when played and for me the connection between an acoustic piano and the performer vs a digital piano and the performer = no contest.

I also want to introduce you to a great place to obtain high quality backing tracks. Yes, I know you can get backing tracks on my website (http://www.Lot2Learn.com) but there is plenty of room in this business for all of us and I just feel it is part of my duty to support people who want to further jazz education and the appreciation of this great art form. The backing track I used in this video is from www.playjazznow.com and they really have a fine set of products on their web site - check them out.

Some Tech Notes:
Video recorded with a Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 mounted on a boom stand over my head.
Audio recorded with a Zoom H4N
Audio from piano mixed with backing track in Adobe Audition.
Video titling and rendering done in Camtasia Studio.
Baldwin SF-10 Grand Piano courtesy of Martin Greenberg

As always, thanks for your support.
Roger
(Lot2Learn)
http://www.Lot2Learn.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jazz
• piano
• tutorial
• blues
• mccoy
• tyner
• lot2learn
• roger
• friedman
• playjazznow
• backing
• tracks

[claitontesch]

This blues reminds me of Mccoy. I love this style.

[Lot2learn]

@claitontesch Thanks. I love to play this style. ;-)

[carrieharriet]

Amazing how your mind tells your fingers what to play..I mean learning your scales is the least part of it but that creativity is unique.I've listened to so many good tutorals none like this..I'm still learning from you...alot2 learn I have..caroline

[Lot2learn]

@carrieharriet Yes the mind is involved, but so is the heart. ;-)

[jplanejazz]

Hey, I loved this video. I really liked the pentatonic substitutions. I'm going to practise these ideas.

[lousarh]

Even if I'm a guitar player, this is really inspiring to improvise over jazz-blues changes, great work !

[Lot2learn]

@with9isavailable I'm just gonna take a wild guess and say probably 2 things: #1. I wonder what this will sound like, and # 2. Let's see where this takes me. ;-)

But notice how the next line is completely outside the tonality of the song going to an E Major pentatonic. So the F Minor pentatonic, being only a 1/2 step away, is used as a set-up to go outside. The F Minor is partially in and partially out, which makes the transition to the completely out E Maj pent. not sound quite as out.

[with9isavailable]

@with9isavailable And of course the overall tonality is F, hence the F minor pentatonic. But the G7 voicing (F B E) and F minor pentatonic don't jointly form any scale that makes sense (and I'm now chord-scale theorist, so that's fine). Still though, it seems like the V of V harmony would clash with the rootish melody.

Anyway, I think it sounds good. What were you thinking when you played it?

Thanks

[with9isavailable]

@with9isavailable And of course, the overall tonality is F, hence the F minor pentatonic. But any pure scale-theorist (I'm not one) would tell you that it was a strange choice because the notes don't collectively form any scale that makes any sense.

Anyway, I like the sound a lot. What were you thinking when you played it?

[with9isavailable]

At about 0:47 you play F minor pentatonic over a left-hand voicing for G7, at the time that a Gm7 would occur during the most basic jazz blues.

I understand the sub of G7 for Gmin7, I see that a lot.

It sounds great, but what is your theoretical justification (if any) for playing F minor pentatonic over a G7 voicing? I understand their functions independently: G7 is the V of V in F, and it leads to C7 (which you play more as F#7, B-natural included). CONTINUED NEXT COMMENT

[claitontesch]

Ilove the blues