Aebersold - Vol 02 - [Nothin´ But Blues].pdf

Aebersold - Vol 02 - [Nothin´ But Blues].

1. VOLUME 2

PLAY-A-LONG
Book & Recording Set

2nd
REVISED EDITION

For ALL Instruments

A New Approach To JAZZ Improvization

BU 6, ame

2. CONTENTS

Introduction...
Preparatory Excercses
‘Typical Blues Licks...
Major, Minor & Dominant 7th Seales. Treble & Bass Clef

Blues Scales

Simple Piano Voicings for Blues in F,G, Bb and €. -

Pano Voicing: Minor to Dominant 70h t Major
An Essential Discography
Bas Line Construction
concert chorea Progresions to Recorded Tracks
Dos Insruments-Transposed Chord Progressions
Dev tosrumentsTransposed Chord Frogessons.
Ou crt

iments_Chord Progressions .

“Playing The Blues” (an article by Jamey Aebersold) .

Book Cover Design by LANA

CopyrigMQ197I by Jamey Aebersold
Revised Edition Book Copyright @1976 by Jamey Aebersold
2nd Revised Edition Book Copyright@1981 by Jamey Aebersold
Published by: Jamey Acbersold
1211 Aebersold Drive
New Albany, IN 47150

AI Rights Reserved International Copyright Secured Printed in USA.

3. INTRODUCTION TO NOTHIN’ BUT BLUES 1

Volume 2 of A New Approach To Jazz Improvisation deals with the blues in several ofits many forms. In his volume you
sil find two slow blues in the keys of G and F, two medium fast blues in Bb and F, one minor blues in C, one 68 blues in C
‘minor, one medium tempo blues in C, Ihres rock blues, and one blues using substitute chords in the key OFF.

youhaveneverimprovised using scales and chords as the bass for your improvisation, [strongly urge youto study Volume
1 of A New Approach To Jazz Improvisation as that volume deals with the problems of beginning improvisation.

“The recording to Net But Busi designed 1 provide a hyn sein for tos who have never had the oppomnity
ot paying wih plano, bas, and drums; and oler an auhenicazcompariment for tose musicas who do notalvayshave
onc availible. Since the recording isin stereo, piano and guiar payers may practice with bass and drums by tuning off he
Piano channel. Bass players may tum off the bass chanel Úsf chanel and practic wi piano and drums. All ter players
may play wih full ym sion, piano and drums or bess and drums.

Anexisting knowledge of major, minor and dominant seventh scale preferred buts notessental. not already mastered,
| would suggestmemorizing the twelvemajor, twelve minorand twelve dominant Thscaeslistedon page. [is also advisable
tomemorize the twelve blues scales listed on page 5.

Every minor scale employed on the Blues record and Uroughout this book isin the Dorian mode. This minor mode will
be refered to as a scale throughout this book. The ote familiar forms of minor scales, harmonic, pure and melodie minor
sre used in more advanced jaz tunes and will not be covered in this volume because it would tend 10 confuse rather than help
young aspiring improvisors

‘The Blues have traditionally been twelve measures in length or twenty-four measures long-meter, such as side 1, rack 5).
All ofthe Blues on this recording contain twelve measures per chorus excep side 1, track $ which has twenty-four measures
per chorus (longer),

‘The two most important tems to Keep in mind when improvising (within pre-set forms such as Blues and standard tunes)
are the needed scales and the length of time notes ofeach scale will be sounded. The length of time may vary from one beat
to many measures depending onthe form of the tune you are improvising on. For instance, the Fist song on side 1, Mr. Super
Hip, employs three minor scales: F minor, Bbminor and G minor (concert ke). The scales appear inthis onder: concert key.
‘4measutesofF minor, 2 measures of Bbminor, 2 measure of minor, | measure of Gminor, | measure of Fminor, | measure
of G minor, and measure of minor. All seven choruses ofthis tune follow this same harmonic form or sequence. Atthis.
Point Volume 1 would be helpful in organizing scales Into pattems which in um are used to form a more cohesive solo.

In is revised edition have blackened in te chord tone of each scale. You wil find that most scales run from the Tonic
‘note (alo called te Roo) o the 9th tone ofthe scale, Since jazz players have always used scales and chords in building their
improvised solos itisnatuat to stress leaming chords as wellas scales. A Triad consists of the Ist, 3rd and Sthnotes of scale
‘A Th chord consists ofthe Ist, 3rd, Sh and Th notes ofa scale. A Suh chord consists of te It, 3d, Sth, Th and th notes
of scale,

A major chordscae is represented by a ete followed by a triangle (CA). A minor chorlscae is represented by a dash
after the letter (C-). A dominant h chord/scal is represented by a seven after a letter (C7). A hall diminished chortcale
isa@(CO). A dominant 7th chordlscalo which has altered tones in the scale is calle a diminished whole tone scale and is
represented by 449 after the C7 (C749), This diminished whole one scale contains the following tones: root lowered 2nd,
raised 2nd, major Ar, rise 4th, raised St, (no sixth) and lowered Th. Inthe key of C it would look like wis: C Db DA
F#G# Bb C. The chord tones would be E G# Bb and either Db or DA. Volume 3 goes into great detail about this sale
sound and other more advanced jaz sales and chords,

‘There is no substitute fr listening to he jazz masters play blues. Since live jazz concerts are rae,
listen to the jazz recordings listed on page 9.

strongly urge you to

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5. Keys are indicated by letters
F F

2

Er re m

‘The above Blues licks (patterns) will sound good when played in the key indicated by the letter above the first
measure of each two bar phrase. Players like to combine licks and even repeat a favorite lick over and over to form
a simple background RIFF or even use tas a Blues melody (often times called the HEAD). It would be useful to
transpose the licks you like to other keys. Most jazz musicians can play a lick in many different keys if not ALL
tele keys,

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7. HE BLUES SCALE AND I

‘The Blues Scale consists of the following tones: Root,Dird,äch,fäch(bs) Sch and Den.

F Blues Seale. + + PO, BD, B,C, BDF

Playing a twelve bar Siuce in the Key of Bb, you may vant to use the Bb blues
denle exclusively: Bb, DD, Bhy By Fy Ads De

Te Blues scale can
for 2,

120 be used over minor chorda when the minor chord 49 acunded

+ Bor 16 mensures or longer

Example: If D Minor £r sounded for eight measures, you may use the D Blues
scale =D, Fy Gy Aby Ay Cy

Maca playing in minor tonelitt

Minor and the Blues scale, both

‘Jou hay choose to alternate betveen the Dorian

Baap

D minor te sounded for eight measures - play D =inor (Dorian) or
play D Blues scale or alternate between Ehe Evo scale sounds

‘The Blues acota

used to convey a "Funky", "Dovn-one"
the ground by overuse!

Experiment with the Blues scale

then to the recorded tracks on the play 4 ong record

After you become fusilar with the Blues

Shen played ser Jie players’ usually play
he up Licks utilising certain notes of the sex
al tvelve heya for practice,

8. SIMPLE PIANO VOICINGS FOR BLUES

The volcings below are designed to give the non-keyboard player a baste blues sound by
Using only two tones - the Srd and 7th of each chord, These volcings should be menorized.
‘The voicínge can and should be played with the corresponding recorded tracks on the record.
You may want to turn the plano channel off and practice with only the bass and drum channel.
T recommend practicing these volcíngs vith the right hand while the left hand sounds the
root of each chord. Mix your rhythas but do not add or subtract measures or beats from the
original tuelve measure chorus.

After getting the feel of the voteinge in the right hand, switch the voiciugs to the Left
hand. “Tale will leave your right hand free to improvise or practice scales etc. Example
Let the left hand play the voieings to Blues in G concert while the right hand inprovises
on the G Blues scale. The C blues scale contains these tones G Bb C CP D F6 G. Not

In group playing or when playing with the record, the left hand should play the voteings
and the right hand should iaprovise. The roots of the chords will be sounded by the bas

9. Tey watt

ig of each
important 6 mo players. Practice the
through the various foot sequences at the Botton of page 2

Ing the votcinga with the right hand, memorize the votetngs wich the
4 do not use a low root tone. This will Leave the right hand free
practice scales, chords or patterns

Æ ET or tm =

1d voteing to show you the relationship
neventh (V7) chord which in turn

of chords IL,Y7, to 1 is very comon
play a long books and records 15 called

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Below ar several good voicing that soul be raie al keys. The numbers represen ts ol whatever sh you a playing

00 VOICINOS:

EXAMPLE:

C MAJOR

9 5
7 3

s 2
3 7
CMAJOR

7
5

3 PRACTICE IN ALL KEYS - BOTH HANDS!
20)

CMAJOR — CMINOR CMINOR CMINOR

=

y

$e

ee

Another common voicing used by many jazz keyboard players sisted below in example C.

0

1
5
3

20)

y

3
90)
7
6

1
Minor Dow. | Major (Tonic)

7
x

3
26)

Play these dough all weve keys just ike you di in examples À and B. In an actual
‘laying station you would mx up the vocings from examples A Band fra art.
‘of sounds and o keep your voicings from moving ll ove the keyboard, Having Ose
‘oicngs for each mino, major, dom Tu chord gives the player much more variety and
log. And it beps keep the vlcings cently located in he centr of the keyboard

‘high recommend JAZZ/ROCK VOICINGS FOR THE CONTEMPORARY KEYBOARD PLAYER by Dan Has or anyon interested

in finding beer we

o voice chords. Volume 3, THE 1-V7-1 PROGRESSION would be the next logical tp in learning how 10 apply

the above voicings. Tals suggest PIANO VOICINGS transcribed froma Vol. 1 play-along recording..book $4.95,

11. Essential Discography 9

Listening is one ofthe most important elements of learning and playing jaz, Throughout he history of music, the BAR represents
your best teacher and caming device. The following list represen a small but imporan sample ofthe ret recorded jazz hisay.
‘Abough Iam only listing the LP record numbers, many of hese ar available on CD and casete,
Most fes, nd many. many mor, canbe obtained in various formats by wring:

"Doubie-Time" Jazz, P.O. Box 1244, New Albany, IN 47150, US.A.

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Tune map Ed eo man Cam
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12. 10 BASS LINE CONSTRUCTION

‘Good bass lines for Blues progressions can be achieved by applying te following rules:
1. Always play the rot (Conic note) on the first beat of each measure.

2. Approach each new or repeated chord by halfıstep from above or below. This will beihe fourth beat ofthe measure
(Gee notes circled below)

3. Fi in beats two and thre with chord tones (usually the 3rd and Sth, sometimes the 71) ar use tones ofthe sale
‘asin measure 2, 6 and 9 in example A below. Remember to make the fourth note of each measure lead by half-step
o the root tone ofthe new or repeated chord.

4, Make your bass line rise and fall gracefully, Try to use at east a one and one-half octave range.

5. Afteryouleamto approach new orrepeated chords by half step ry to occasionally approach thenew chord by whole
‘step. Good bast players vary the interval of approach — sometimes by half step and others by whole step.

‘When one chordis sounded for more than one measure, you can dd variety by sounding he root onthe first bea ofthe first
measure and sound the fith note of the chord/scale onthe fis beat ofthe second measure. See example B below. All half
step leading ones inthe examples below are circled.

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Bass players should practice scales and pattems just as hom players do. Strive for smoothness and speed. The exercises on
page 2 will give every bassist a strong foundation in scales, chords and basic harmony. Listen to the bass and drum chanel
{eft channel) on this play-along recording carefully. Spend time each day transcribing the bass notes off the recor so you
an ee what the player is doing. Bass lines have been transcribed from Volumes 1,3,,15.25.34.35,37 and 42 displaying ie
‘work of such exceptional jazz basists as Ron Caner, Rufus Reid, Todd Coolman, Steve Gilmore and Bob Cranshaw. For
further study I recommend The Evolving Bassist and Evolving Upward by Rufus Reid, Ray Brown's Bass Method, and The
Improvisor’s Bass Method by Chuck Sher. Al of these books are available from Jazz Aids. Writ or cal fr fre catalog ant
prices

13. CONCERT CHORD PROGRESSIONS TO THE RECORDED TRACKS

0 counts, À triangle
ted by ether

When two chorá/sats appear in
Hs una to denote major ord
du or sand?

MR. SUPER HIP (Played 7 times, then fades out)

22 G-7/ Cw ness + F/ Bb in Bass
= ds After 7th chorus, fade
6-7/Cwsass £7/Dbm 2435 ER GS
de + nem je Fu =
MODAL BLUES (Played 10 times, then fades out)

TURN PAGE FOR SOLOS

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After 10th chorus, fade out on c-

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(Played 6 times)

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FAST BLUES IN Bb (Played 18 times)

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D Bb INSTRUMENTS - TRANSPOSED CHORD PROGRESSIONS

cave two count, A angled,

When two choral appes in one

21. Playing
the Blues*

Jamey Aebersold

The blues is a musical form that jazz
musicians have always embraced because it
ves them the oppariunity lo express emo
on and everyday feeling and intellectual
Concepts that are often learned by studying
Sother players style. Most beginning im
provisers use the blues as a springboard to
‘ther jazz forms. Many band directors and
private teachers think there isnot 100 much
fo playing a decent blues solo. They ay
that all you need to dois learn the blues
Scales ofthe key the blues isin and just im
provise what you fel over the scale sound
‘They probably think this is what they are
hearing when they listen o the top Jazz
players. | admit, they do hear some ofthat
Eat if you check out che major jazz in
fuences, you will begin to hear much more
tham just the blues scale

wold like to point out the things 10
watch for inthe blues that will make your
playing more rewarding, convincing, and
musical. Begin by singing several choruses
Gt ues slong with a record. À play-along
recorded version of blues would be ex
Client because you don't have to listen 10 a
Solis = you ave the soloist 1 suggest ape
Ing yourself, and then with your Instrument
In hand, try playing the phrases that you
just sang. À contend that what we sing is
Stren closer o what a really inside us than
Vhat comes out of our instrument On our
Instruments, we are inhibited and limited
by our lack of knowledge of the instrument
Wihis isso, and I think t,he musician
‘who knows his instrument well will have à
much better chance of conveying Ihe music
In his brain tothe listener. When you are
{tying to play on your instrument what You
Jost sang. be sure to play withthe same i
Ticctions’ articulation, dynamics, ete. I you
are used to listening fo Jazz music, Your
socal solo will probably be fairly
Tecognizable to one who listens to this kind
of music even though your voice may crack
And spatier at times. Practice singing when
you are driving by yoursell or walking to
School Practice singiag in your mind while
[sing in bed or waiting for à hus. Put your

1 to use and it wil instantly start ps
ing you dividends. You will beable 10
‘etognize phases others play and this will
‘cable you to put those ideas in motion on
Sour instrument. [have heard many fine

jazz musicians say they have done a lot of
practicing away from their instrument
They mentally practice, and when they
finally put their instrument in their hands
itis as though they have already played the
musical ides

“The basic 12 bar blues uses three chords,
à dominant 7th built on the root, a domi
fant 7th built on the fourth, and a dom
fant 7th built on the fifth of the key you
are in for a review of sevenths see "Chords,
Part II" i the November December issue)
For example, blues in the key of F uses F
197 and C7. The order of occurrence in a
12 bar sequence looks lke this:

ED eh 218012 FN RICHBBUIFTICN.

There are variations ad infóntuon to the
chord progressions that can be used over a
blues. A few of the more popular are as
follows (key of P) Note that when two
chord symbols appear in the same measure,
tach chord gets to beats

1 BD TIETICmi F7/B 7189 IFTIDTIGADICT!
FIG CH

2. F7(BO7/F7/Cmi 17/807/B07/17/Ami D7
ims/C7/Ami DIET D7/Gmi C7)

3. FTIBDT/FT/C mi FZIBBTIBOTIFTIAmI DI
Gm: C7/D>m TFT DIGT CH

One that Charlie Packer used on “Blues for
Alice” uses descending root movement
coupled with a eycle of fourths (upward),
This is sometimes called Bird Blues

Emi A7/Dmi G7/Cmi FT/B 7/8 mil
AB milGrmiC7/Ami DT/Gmi CT!

11 you need more variations check out Dan
Haerles hook Jaze/Ruck Voicings for the
Contemporary Keyboard Player He lists 17
different progressions ranging from the
Very simple 10 the very complex

‘When beginning to practice the blues, you
should (1) get the feel of the roots, (2) then
the first five notes of each scale, (8) then the
triad (root, 3rd and Sth), and (4) finally the
entire scale. Here is what that would sound
Tike (starting on the next page):

Jumey adbersold Ts author of over 20
volumes uf playazlong jase Improvisation
recordings representing all sists of playing
He also tons euch summer presenting hse
Salope across the contr

orné Lom Anl, 198 eof ACCENT magie
nl Asco Pal Capa

22. A»: [A

It might be good to improvise on the 3rd or
of each chord in order to get the sound
and feel of the harmony in your mind. Us
ing just the 3rd and 71h will sound like this
(notice the halfstep melodie motion from
the fist chord 16 the second)

Esencia 3

E

ite

When two chords apy
you have o alter she rhythm of the pattern
‘ur condense the number of notes in your
pattern No matter what song you are werk
Ing on, use the above method for getting ac-
qusinted with the harmonie movement of
the tune. I have heard two of the top jazz.
trumpet players in the country say this is
the first thing they do, It makes good sense
because it gets your ear accustomed to the
various scale and chord sounds in advance
of the actual soloing. [strongly advise using
this method of practice when approaching
any new song.

“The most important points in the blues.
progression, and those most often totally
neglected by young improvisers, are the
measures circled below; they are all those
(Chords that are not an F7. I am using a

non the basic blues progres.

1 urge those of you who don't play piano to
practice example 3 with your left hand, one
Sctave lower han written, and ty playing
exercises in example 1 with the right hand
Sovyou can hear the basic harmony (rd &
708 in the lef hand while running patterns
Or soloing in the right hand.

Most al good wind players have a know!
edge of the keyboard and can play blues in
Several keys Tt much easier to solve har
‘monte problems wie looking a the plano
keys than ie isto see le ona sex finger table
or trumpet valves

‘tis a good idea to lead into the 3rd or
Tah by hall step. This strengthens the har
‘mony, Notes that are good choices atthe
beginning of measures are shown below.

essen POINTS TO REMEMBER

= Play what you hear in your head. Use a
tape recorder 10 record your volce and
transcribe it on your given instrument,

“+ Sing with your voice while dri
shawering, walking, ete. Think about the in.
tervals you are singing. Are you singing bits
Ind pieces of scales or chords?

+ Listen to jazz players play the blues.
‘Suggested listening: Sonny Rollins and Son.
ny Sutt on the song "After Hours” found on
Verve double record 2VE2-2505 under Dizzy
Gillespie's name.

+ Check out my Volume 2 "Nothing But
the Blues" play-along book and record set
Ifyou already have this volume, have you
tried playing with all the tracks or have you
just played the blues in Bb and F? Time to

+ Remember leading tones are usually the
3rd and 7th. These tones should be em
phasized in order to bring out the harmonic
movement from chord to chord

* Use everything you have learned about
melodic construction when playing on a
blues. Don't just play on the blues scale:
‘That sound can wear pretty thin in the
hands of a novice but can sound fine when
interspersed with phrases from the original
harmony.

' Transcribe a solo or a portion of a
favorite solo and play it on your instrument
‘with the same inflections as the recorded
version. The jazz tradition has been passed
down by imitation and you can bene
‘realy by transcriptions.

a

23. 2

the blues! Ei dda’ clash in the
Beau way does, we wouldnt cal à
blues

Be careful not to confine your soloing to
just the sound of the blues scale and in do
Ing so overlook possiblities of variety b
using the ther scales such as minor an
The blues scale can. of course, be played at dominagt. The blues scale in the key of Fis
Any time during the chorus. The notes of FAP. Br, B,C, Eb, E.
the blues scale often clash with the given
harmony but that is what makes I sound