Any proficient blues guitarists here?

[tiedye]

I'm a die-hard improv blues player, but unfortunately I've got next to no knowledge of theory (working on that) and I've stumbled across the complications of muscle memory as well as the limits of my knowledge of musical mathematics.

What finger exercises and blues-specific theory should I learn to really take my improvisation to the next level? I'm tired of hearing the same fills come out of my fingers.. the habit of following a basic blues scale really gets to me these days.

Oh, and I'm talking lead here... my rhythm guitar is solid. I can 12-bar the youthful spunk out of your little sister and delta-shuffle the joy out of a circus clown. In all seriousness, though, I get a lot of joy out of the music.

[b0ld]

study more on music structure. Perfect example is to study the track "Money" from Pink Floyd..... It has a 7/4 structure...

[Digital Over]

scales...scales, scales scales...start off with nailing your arpeggios, then learn modal structures...I think I have some cool info, gimmie a lil while to find it, totally improved my level of musicianship thats for sure.

[Digital Over]

.adding on...here's something which I often refer to (while giving you a bit of a background on modes)

A lot of traditional music, especially Scottish and Irish is termed 'Modal' because it does not follow the
conventional modern major or minor scales. It is often in the Mixolydian or Dorian mode.
Modes are simply the name given to the pattern of intervals between
each note in an octave i.e the ways of ordering a scale.

Modes and Scales can be traced back to Greek origins, where different tribes evolved different scales.
The scales ran down from a tonic note (rather than up which is the modern method) and maintained
certain intervals between notes.
Two of the scales gave rise to the modern major and modern minor scales (see table below).
Each scale started on a different note and descended by characteristic intervals.
In the middle ages, the church adopted these scales, made them ascending from a tonic note and
renamed them modes.




The Greek scales (and medieval modes) used only the natural notes (no sharps or flats)
which are equivalent to the white notes of a piano. This gives a characteristic interval
between notes in the scale (see individual modes). Providing these intervals are maintained
for a given mode, they can in modern music start on any note (including sharps and flats).




That's more or less just the tip of the ice-berg, have fun with that, great for creating cool riffs and raffs and stuff, I pretty much refer to certain modes almost all the time in some productions Im apart of. Hope that helps man.

*edit: sorry for the crazy sized images, Im on a sucky computer

[tiedye]

Originally Posted by b0ld

study more on music structure. Perfect example is to study the track "Money" from Pink Floyd..... It has a 7/4 structure...

Blues structure is generally a basic 12 bar turnaround. Like I said, my rhthym guitar is solid, so it's not really structure that's my problem... it's just getting to know all the notes that are open to me for lead licks.

Oh, and Money is technically a 7/8 structure because there are 7 quarter notes per measure.

[tiedye]

Originally Posted by Digital Over

...
That's more or less just the tip of the ice-berg, have fun with that, great for creating cool riffs and raffs and stuff, I pretty much refer to certain modes almost all the time in some productions Im apart of. Hope that helps man.

*edit: sorry for the crazy sized images, Im on a sucky computer

That's definately useful information, but I have a really hard time applying theory to my playing. I really need to find a tutor or take a class... start from scratch. My knowledge is riddled with habit and personal experience.

What I really need is just some finger and scale exercises specifically pertaining to the blues. It's not that I'm trying to limit myself... more that I was approached about a gig coming up and I'd like to be able to overcome my habitual style as best I can before then.

[Digital Over]

I'm at work right now, but I'll double check to see if I have anything at home later on tonight. :y:

[tiedye]

*bump*

[ppcock]

tabs tabs tabs.. numbers are better.

[tiedye]

I've used tabs simply to figure out techniques, but I've never been much of a tab junkie. Most of the covers I know are from jamming with others.

Thanks though, Marty. You were a lot of help. Asshole.

[ppcock]

no prob... I HOPE YOU GET SYPHILIS!