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Lesson 1

Scales​

The minor pentatonic scale is the foundation for almost all blues and blues-rock riffs, and the blues sound.

Minor Pentatonic Scale (Box #1)​

Am pentatonic #15678EBGDAE111b3b3b34455b7b7

Generic Form​

Minor pentatonic scale (generic form)Open123456789101112FCGDAEBF#111111b3b3b3b3b3b344444445555555b7b7b7b7b7b7b7111b3b3b34455b7b7

Chords and Progressions​

A chord progression is the succession of chord changes in a tune.

Most blues chord progressions are very simple, having only three chords. Sometimes they are called three-chord progressions, or I - IV - V progression.

Open Chords in the Key of E​

I7, IV7, V7 open chords:

E7 (I7) chord notesOpen123456789101112131415161718192021EBGDAE11111111111133333333333555555555555b7b7b7b7b7b7b7b7b7b7
E7 (I7) open chordOpen123EBGDAEo4132o11135b7
A7 (IV7) open chordOpen123EBGDAE2111o1135b7
B7 (V7) open chordOpen123EBGDAE4o3121135b7

Practice​

  • Minor pentatonic scale (box #1).
  • Changing open chords.
I7  => IV7
I7  => V7
IV7 => I7
IV7 => V7
V7  => I7
V7  => IV7