Re: [Harp-L] Blues scale vs. Pentatonic scale

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes; it's not strictly a minor scale in terms of its application. Most blues is played over major and dominant chords, so that the b3rd creates a dissonance with the major 3rd (in fact it is working more as a #9th)
With a major, harmonic or natural minor scales, we play  'scale tone chords', meaning chords built from the scale set in 3rds. But the 'blues scale' is imposed on chords that don't necessarily reflect the scale.
That's one important factor of the distinctive sound of the blues.
RD
 

>>> George Brooks <gbrooksvt@xxxxxxxxxxx> 31/10/2007 16:12 >>>
> A Minor pentatonic:
 >
 > A C D E G

Yes.

 > A Minor blues scale:
 >
 > A C D Db E G A

Not exactly.  While there is both a major pentatonic scale and a minor 
pentatonic scale, the blues scale is always a minor scale (flat 3rd 
degree and flat 7th degree), so there is no such thing, strictly 
speaking, as the "minor blues scale."  It is simply the blues scale.  
The blues scale starting on A is spelled:

A C D D# E G

or, alternatively:

A C D Eb E G

The blues scale starting on C is spelled:

C Eb F F# G Bb

I hope this helps.

GB

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