Noah the way that you express and visual the thought patterns that soulful and purposeful blues piano pplaying should be really makes it easy to get to that next level as a blues piano player. Love it. Great and insightful content for sure.
The journey of piano is a constant battle, jazz has finally opened up the opportunity for me to understand myself, and it all goes back to the blues scale. Still a jazz beginner, but I can’t imagine a life not filled with it, though I’m not necessarily trying to make an income from it, I do think even us enthusiasts need the technicality and understanding of a professional, for meditation, healing, contemplation and really just guidance in loving this life.
Really enjoyed to.learn how you can use the blues scale from other keys to add tension to the original key and ways to resolve it. Eager to incorporate these ideas in my own playing.
This is extremely helpful because, like you mentioned, I have that tendency to just play the blues scale in the key of whatever the song is, and I've been trying to find ways to make it more nuanced and interesting
Here's my thoughtful comment: there is quite a bit that is over my head here! There seems to be this next level that lots of people, when they've entered into it, become very easily conversational with the topic. I'm not there yet, but I am jealous of you! I get the concepts about tension and resolving, but the way you fly through the scales and the accompanying chords and movements (especially on the left hand) is simply impressive and beyond me. I know there is something I'm missing that will unlock this, but I don't know what I don't know! Is your JPE course for advanced pianists, or would an amateur (like myself) be able to get a good return on the resources you are making available?
in the early 60's musicians started using blues phrases in completely unrelated keys. I think ornette kind of started that, dolphy and herbie did it too. It is a very characteristic sound of those three in particular. Its a way to go outside the harmony, as you say, blues phrases really strongly suggest a key, so it was and is a way of creating a polytonal sound when used in a different key.
I had to come to this through listening a feeling, well said on the tension and resolution. My classical piano teacher was incredible but didn't feel the "blues". He felt Beethoven, Brahms etc which I would argue are expressing the soul differently but with no less than blues. How it is played is where the players should is expressed in the written music IMO. Thank you!
Jazz musicians and also Rock musicand have been using blues scales for a long time . If you can do a video on what is the difference . And how we can use. Them on Rock progressions that would make them sound authentic also. Loved the lesson when we connect to emotion is such a way that is when we learn to express ourselves greatly.
This is just so good and easy to follow. I wish this was around as a teen banging my head away with classical piano trying to pull usable modern music from instead of Hannon exercises.Same with the pentatonics and McCoy videos.
Clears up a lot of the confusion for me about what I’m supposed to do with the blues scales. Running back home to start comping and work the 1625 progression✊🏽
Blues-scale adds nice tension to phrygian vamp too. For example with F7(b9)sus try Bb-blues scale. Probably not the first choise scale but worth trying
I think a combination of learning the song and chords traditionally, learning to solo on chord tones bebop style is paramount to hear and internalize, get the power of knowledge under your fingers first and then be able to get down and dirty with the blues notes from the key of the song would be my strategy. but I also never learned Oscar chops because i thought they were to hard , instead wynton kelly and McCoy were my go to's. ... I'm making a playlist of every Oscar tutorial i can find... I think my goal for this year would be to learn to Oscar-ize any song.
Hey Jay, for sure, I agree with that. I think understanding bebop improvisation is a great foundation. I have some specific tutorials about Oscar as well. Cheers!
Good stuff Noah. I appreciate the multiple examples, and how you worked the blues scale in with other scales. Very useful technique for adding different colors.
I’m really loving your videos man, thanks for sharing your insights brother. Super keen on the neo soul reharm concepts, would love to dive into that!!!
Yeah that’s cool! Sometimes I also love to use the blues scale from a minor third beneath the dominant I chord. So like if I’m jammin out in G7 I can use the G blues scale for sure and also the E blues scale too and then mix em up with a few chromatic fills and a quick slice of the altered scale of root’s tritone. In fact, recently I’ve found and have been exploring that every altered scale is functional on any dominant chord. Believe me! I know! I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one, but it’s true! I’m seriously in uncharted waters a lot and am loving sailing to somewhere totally unknown before! 🤣
I think the Major 3rd should be included in the Blues Scale, like you are actually doing I guess. As an organ player that listened a lot to the greats like Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff and all the other legendary players that played a lot of blues orientated jazz, I think they almost always include the major 3rd in the Blues Scale. Usually as a slide from the minor third to the major third or as a resolution note.
Thanks for this video! I always associated the blues scale with pentatonic scales, but this video has opened my eyes a bit about how you can use it as something else!
Great video. I've been really getting into using the "happy" blues scale based on the 6th of a key, it has this old timey Count Basie ish sound. Practicing that has made the blue notes creep into my wackier chord progressions. I never thought of using the full blues scale over neo progressions, I'll definitely give it a try.
@Noah Kellman @Noah Kellman I don't know what to call it. I discovered it from Tony Winston, who sometimes calls it "the other blues scale" or "the jazz blues scale" or "the happy blues scale". For example, I'm playing Hay Burner, which is in F, but soloing using a D blues scale. I don't really like to call a blues scale major or minor, it just is what it is. But I really appreciate the advice in your video to use it more often on more kinds of chords and progressions.
Awesome lesson Noah! There are a lot of good tips here. I like using the Emin7 blues scale over the 5 and 4 descending back to the 1. Although jazz is a more complexed music, blues is a much more complicated music as it has rules LOL. You have to know when and how to break those rules for it remains blues LOL. Thanks for sharing!
Would be great with a lesson on options and examples of how to use the blues scale in a turnaround and in jazz standards. Which key, which tension resolution and must-notes.
I tried to understand that device from old Ray Charles recordings, but now it is much more clear¡ Love that resolution sound :) Thanks and greetings from Spain,
Noah, the rhythm changes part was incredible. Can you explain us more about those amazing blues lines? I see some double notes but I don't know how to create that sound
Thank Noah this was great! It helps a lot to see the blues scale resolving in different progressions and contexts, specially when it’s more jazzy stuff. It’s a very detailed explanation as well
hahah actually the artist who did my album art made it and it's the character logo of his company! His name is Nick Prevas and he's incredible, check him out - www.feral-kids.com/nickprevas
Would have been nice if you explained what the blues scale is... Seems like some say it includes the flat 3, others say it contains the sharp 4.. As a beginner, it was unclear what u were talking about right away. Perhaps this channel isn't for beginners?
The blues scale used here has both a minor 3rd AND a sharp 4. In C, it's: C Eb F F# G Bb C In G, it's: G Bb C C# D F G This is sometimes referred to as the "minor blues scale," but often is simply the "blues scale."
Hey Vince, I do have a nice playlist of beginner videos which is called Jazz Piano 101, however the channel overall is more geared toward intermediate and beyond as there are a lot of other beginner channels out there. Make sure to check out Marcus' answer below as it's a great answer to your question! Nice to meet you and hope to see you around the channel and jazz piano community. If you'd like more tips / guidance, consider joining the discord server (link beneath video) as there are tons of people in there who could help you.
I upvoted this video before watching it. After watching this video, I can confirm I made the right decision.
hahaha thanks so much appreciate it!!
Just like every one of Noah’s videos
@@johncracker5217 🙏🙏 thanks John!!
Nice. Playing scales on keyboard piano is my favorite hobby. Thanks. 😉
Great video…helped me use the blues scale when I solo
on all my pieces.
Thx a lot ! The major blue scale works pretty well too !
Hey Florent, yes absolutely! That one is great as well.
Noah the way that you express and visual the thought patterns that soulful and purposeful blues piano pplaying should be really makes it easy to get to that next level as a blues piano player. Love it. Great and insightful content for sure.
Just the kind of stuff I've been looking for. Thank you.
The journey of piano is a constant battle, jazz has finally opened up the opportunity for me to understand myself, and it all goes back to the blues scale. Still a jazz beginner, but I can’t imagine a life not filled with it, though I’m not necessarily trying to make an income from it, I do think even us enthusiasts need the technicality and understanding of a professional, for meditation, healing, contemplation and really just guidance in loving this life.
1. Noah, you make it look easy; I am working towards the day it is easy for me.
2. This is an excellent video, as are your others.
3. You da man.
Hey thanks appreciate that 🙏🙏
I'm a brasilian pianist, and whant enterro in your curse jazz plano evolucion! Yuo are very ditact to explain ! Congratulacion
I speak portuguese and corretor is in portuguese, sorry about english errors
Really enjoyed to.learn how you can use the blues scale from other keys to add tension to the original key and ways to resolve it. Eager to incorporate these ideas in my own playing.
This is extremely helpful because, like you mentioned, I have that tendency to just play the blues scale in the key of whatever the song is, and I've been trying to find ways to make it more nuanced and interesting
Hey Michael, that's awesome, can't wait to hear how this changes your approach!
Here's my thoughtful comment: there is quite a bit that is over my head here! There seems to be this next level that lots of people, when they've entered into it, become very easily conversational with the topic. I'm not there yet, but I am jealous of you! I get the concepts about tension and resolving, but the way you fly through the scales and the accompanying chords and movements (especially on the left hand) is simply impressive and beyond me. I know there is something I'm missing that will unlock this, but I don't know what I don't know!
Is your JPE course for advanced pianists, or would an amateur (like myself) be able to get a good return on the resources you are making available?
Brilliant Noah! Thank you for this ideas, again!!
Thanks for sharing this. I had never tought about resolving the blues scale 😅
Noah is that rare case where musical intellectuality meets musicality in the most seamless way! Wonderful material, again.
Makes sense......must try
in the early 60's musicians started using blues phrases in completely unrelated keys. I think ornette kind of started that, dolphy and herbie did it too. It is a very characteristic sound of those three in particular. Its a way to go outside the harmony, as you say, blues phrases really strongly suggest a key, so it was and is a way of creating a polytonal sound when used in a different key.
Love from India... Your experiences helps me a lot to understand the scales and applying it to improve playing skills...
I had to come to this through listening a feeling, well said on the tension and resolution. My classical piano teacher was incredible but didn't feel the "blues". He felt Beethoven, Brahms etc which I would argue are expressing the soul differently but with no less than blues. How it is played is where the players should is expressed in the written music IMO. Thank you!
Jazz musicians and also Rock musicand have been using blues scales for a long time . If you can do a video on what is the difference . And how we can use. Them on Rock progressions that would make them sound authentic also. Loved the lesson when we connect to emotion is such a way that is when we learn to express ourselves greatly.
Thank you. Very helpful
A very thoughtful insight into using the blues scale.
Thanks glad you liked it!
I am trying to use your advice on my trumpet solos and piano solos. Very satisfying when I get it right.
This is just so good and easy to follow. I wish this was around as a teen banging my head away with classical piano trying to pull usable modern music from instead of Hannon exercises.Same with the pentatonics and McCoy videos.
Hey thanks 🙏 I definitely know what you mean
Great guidance for the blues scale!
Thanks, David, happy you enjoyed it!
Clears up a lot of the confusion for me about what I’m supposed to do with the blues scales. Running back home to start comping and work the 1625 progression✊🏽
That's awesome! Glad it's helping you move forward.
Blues-scale adds nice tension to phrygian vamp too. For example with F7(b9)sus try Bb-blues scale. Probably not the first choise scale but worth trying
Very nice , i have found your videos to be very helpful
Noah, thanks for demoing these blues tips -- especially the basics of inferring and resolving.
Sure thing, Vince. Thanks for the comment.
The way you use of dope ass patterns is inspiring❤
Man alive this has opened some doors. As a guitarist I am hearing a lot of Benson doing this. A big thank you!
Hey Ray, amazing, keep up the good work!
I think a combination of learning the song and chords traditionally, learning to solo on chord tones bebop style is paramount to hear and internalize, get the power of knowledge under your fingers first and then be able to get down and dirty with the blues notes from the key of the song would be my strategy. but I also never learned Oscar chops because i thought they were to hard , instead wynton kelly and McCoy were my go to's. ... I'm making a playlist of every Oscar tutorial i can find... I think my goal for this year would be to learn to Oscar-ize any song.
Hey Jay, for sure, I agree with that. I think understanding bebop improvisation is a great foundation. I have some specific tutorials about Oscar as well. Cheers!
I'm learning so much from your videos thank you Noah!
You’re welcome!
Good stuff Noah. I appreciate the multiple examples, and how you worked the blues scale in with other scales. Very useful technique for adding different colors.
Hey Stevie, thanks for the comment. Glad you are finding the tips helpful. Cheers!
I’m really loving your videos man, thanks for sharing your insights brother. Super keen on the neo soul reharm concepts, would love to dive into that!!!
Resolution is a key 🔐
Yeah that’s cool! Sometimes I also love to use the blues scale from a minor third beneath the dominant I chord. So like if I’m jammin out in G7 I can use the G blues scale for sure and also the E blues scale too and then mix em up with a few chromatic fills and a quick slice of the altered scale of root’s tritone. In fact, recently I’ve found and have been exploring that every altered scale is functional on any dominant chord. Believe me! I know! I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one, but it’s true! I’m seriously in uncharted waters a lot and am loving sailing to somewhere totally unknown before! 🤣
I think the Major 3rd should be included in the Blues Scale, like you are actually doing I guess. As an organ player that listened a lot to the greats like Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff and all the other legendary players that played a lot of blues orientated jazz, I think they almost always include the major 3rd in the Blues Scale. Usually as a slide from the minor third to the major third or as a resolution note.
Thanks for this video! I always associated the blues scale with pentatonic scales, but this video has opened my eyes a bit about how you can use it as something else!
Glad to hear it, Wiard! My pleasure.
Great video. I've been really getting into using the "happy" blues scale based on the 6th of a key, it has this old timey Count Basie ish sound. Practicing that has made the blue notes creep into my wackier chord progressions. I never thought of using the full blues scale over neo progressions, I'll definitely give it a try.
Hi Steve, yes I believe you're referring to the Major Blues Scale. Absolutely, that one sounds great! Let me know how giving this a shot goes.
@Noah Kellman @Noah Kellman I don't know what to call it. I discovered it from Tony Winston, who sometimes calls it "the other blues scale" or "the jazz blues scale" or "the happy blues scale". For example, I'm playing Hay Burner, which is in F, but soloing using a D blues scale. I don't really like to call a blues scale major or minor, it just is what it is. But I really appreciate the advice in your video to use it more often on more kinds of chords and progressions.
THANX THANX THANX ......THANX!
Awesome lesson Noah!
There are a lot of good tips here.
I like using the Emin7 blues scale over the 5 and 4 descending back to the 1.
Although jazz is a more complexed music, blues is a much more complicated music as it has rules LOL.
You have to know when and how to break those rules for it remains blues LOL.
Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure! Thanks for the comment, appreciate you sharing your approach.
Would be great with a lesson on options and examples of how to use the blues scale in a turnaround and in jazz standards. Which key, which tension resolution and must-notes.
I tried to understand that device from old Ray Charles recordings, but now it is much more clear¡ Love that resolution sound :) Thanks and greetings from Spain,
Hey Alan, I’m glad to hear you understand it now. Cheers!
very interesting
Noah, the rhythm changes part was incredible. Can you explain us more about those amazing blues lines? I see some double notes but I don't know how to create that sound
5:24 reminds me of Jill Scott - Golden, or was is an Anita Baker song (sweet love) ..
Great video and detailed teaching!! Thanks so much!!
My pleasure!
About considering destination and resolving to the next chord rather than micro focusing on the current chord.
How many times do you listen to that little intro?
Three.
Awesome stuff.
Thank Noah this was great! It helps a lot to see the blues scale resolving in different progressions and contexts, specially when it’s more jazzy stuff. It’s a very detailed explanation as well
Hey Gabriel, happy to help! Yeah I always found this subject confusing so I liked the idea of clarifying for everyone. Cheers!
Thanks for the video, interesting ideas
My pleasure, Donnie
Thanks for the video
My pleasure!
Hi, what app do you use to show the keyboard, the staff, the chords and intervals as you play? Thank you
As soon as you mentioned that this was a device by Oscar Peterson you got my interest. Very useful video.
Thanks Phil, good to hear you found it valuable.
what is the programm your working with called?
I was stinkfacing my way through this entire video. Thanks for the wrinkles Noah, great tutorial!
Hey, you're welcome! Thanks for the comment.
You should collaborate with brother Jeff Schneider
😮😮😮
Bro, what is that tee-shirt?!! LOL
hahah actually the artist who did my album art made it and it's the character logo of his company! His name is Nick Prevas and he's incredible, check him out - www.feral-kids.com/nickprevas
Would have been nice if you explained what the blues scale is... Seems like some say it includes the flat 3, others say it contains the sharp 4.. As a beginner, it was unclear what u were talking about right away. Perhaps this channel isn't for beginners?
The blues scale used here has both a minor 3rd AND a sharp 4.
In C, it's: C Eb F F# G Bb C
In G, it's: G Bb C C# D F G
This is sometimes referred to as the "minor blues scale," but often is simply the "blues scale."
Hey Vince, I do have a nice playlist of beginner videos which is called Jazz Piano 101, however the channel overall is more geared toward intermediate and beyond as there are a lot of other beginner channels out there. Make sure to check out Marcus' answer below as it's a great answer to your question! Nice to meet you and hope to see you around the channel and jazz piano community. If you'd like more tips / guidance, consider joining the discord server (link beneath video) as there are tons of people in there who could help you.
1:15 _"it's interesting because the chord itself has also a natural pr..."_ what?
great stuff and very usable thanx
Sure thing, Jack