Blues improvisation and 12 bar blues

[Yazzman]

I would like to thank you ahead of time for helping not only me but everyone else on this forum, you do us all a great service by answering our questions.

I have three instruments I am playing around with, keyboard, bass, and sax. I want to start incorporating blues and the 12 bar blues form. What I am doing is playing this progression in the key of, say, C major on the KEYBOARD.

I7-I7-I7-I7-
IV7-IV7-I7-I7
-V7-IV7-I7-V7

now here is my question, even though I am playing these chords from the major scale on the keyboard, can I play, say, the actual C blues scale on the BASS and/or SAX and have it harmonize well? There are two scenarios I imagine playing:

KEYBOARD: C major scale chords
BASS: C major scale notes
SAX: C blues scale notes

or

KEYBOARD: C major scale
BASS: C blues scale notes
SAX: C blues scale notes

I know you are a bass player, and I want to know what my bass is going to do relative to the keyboard, and then once i know that I can figure out what to do with the sax HOPEFULLY. I've resorted to this forum and books, and I can't find a solid answer to this question. Also, I have noticed that the blues scale and major scale have notes that are different. Is it ok to play the major scale on keyboard, and the blues scale on either bass and/or sax?

Thanks so much for your help in advance.

-Yazzman

P.S. If it makes it easier, eliminate sax from your answer and just focus on how I can accompany keyboard with the bass using the blues scale.

[seanm]

I would say yes. The blues scale fits well with major scales.

And if you are learning blues sax, start practicing in concert E. That is what the guitar players are going to want Don't ignore other keys, but E is very important.

[Yazzman]

So if I play dominant sevenths on the keyboard, do I follow the progression on bass and 'outline' the dominant seventh chord on bass, and then just run through blues scales on sax?

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by Yazzman

I would like to thank you ahead of time for helping not only me but everyone else on this forum, you do us all a great service by answering our questions.

I have three instruments I am playing around with, keyboard, bass, and sax. I want to start incorporating blues and the 12 bar blues form. What I am doing is playing this progression in the key of, say, C major on the KEYBOARD.

I7-I7-I7-I7-
IV7-IV7-I7-I7
-V7-IV7-I7-V7

now here is my question, even though I am playing these chords from the major scale on the keyboard, can I play, say, the actual C blues scale on the BASS and/or SAX and have it harmonize well? There are two scenarios I imagine playing:

KEYBOARD: C major scale chords
BASS: C major scale notes
SAX: C blues scale notes

or

KEYBOARD: C major scale
BASS: C blues scale notes
SAX: C blues scale notes

I know you are a bass player, and I want to know what my bass is going to do relative to the keyboard, and then once i know that I can figure out what to do with the sax HOPEFULLY. I've resorted to this forum and books, and I can't find a solid answer to this question. Also, I have noticed that the blues scale and major scale have notes that are different. Is it ok to play the major scale on keyboard, and the blues scale on either bass and/or sax?

Thanks so much for your help in advance.

-Yazzman

P.S. If it makes it easier, eliminate sax from your answer and just focus on how I can accompany keyboard with the bass using the blues scale.

I'm not Todd and would defer to him on this - but while you're waiting - there is one simple (and totally serious!) answer to your question :

You play what sounds good to you! Listen and if you like it - then that's fine - if you can hear it, it's good !

[Todd Johnson]

Hey there,

Sorry I've been out of touch lately. Long story......

Anyway......Bruce gave you some good inofrmation. ALWAYS PLAY WHAT SOUNDS GOOD!!

You can always just get a bunch of recording and sit down and take off the bass lines. THIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING!!!

But, to supplement that.....I would recommend you learn how walking bass REALLY works.....the rules, the harmony and theory behind it. That way you'll know WHY stuff sounds good. Cool??

So, my first suggestion is that you pick up my Walking Bass DVD's. They're organized.....there's a method to it....you'll be abel to take what you learn and "file it" and recall it later for use on virtually everything you'll play.....Make sense?? If my stuff isn't your cup of tea, then Jim Stinnett and Ed Friedland both have excellent walking materials out there.

Let me know what you decide. Cool??

I'm off to Europe, New Hampshire and Boston......I'll be back the end of March.....talk to you then.

Have fun........Thanks again for your patience.