Here’s a free sheet I give to all my students after they learn their major scales. It’s just a sheet with all the 12 Blues Scales on it.
When I teach my students to use the blues scale I teach them to try to move off the #4 note quickly when playing. Many student who are new to improvising will land on the #4 and just sit on it without resolving it. This is a great note because there’s tension to it but tension sounds best when you hear it resolve. For example, if I’m using the A blues scale and play an Eb many times you will hear me resolve it to E or to D which in most cases are more pleasing notes to the ear. It’s good to practice each blues scale to it’s corresponding minor chord but also to it’s relative major chord. Ex. A blues scale- practice this over an A minor and a C Major chord. There is slight variations in how you use this scale depending on the harmony behind it.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD –> 12-blues-scales
For more information and licks using the blues scales check out my two books on Mastering the Blues Scales. There are tons of great sound lines and licks in these two books!
Mastering the Blues Scale Volume 1-Minor
Mastering the Blues Scale Volume 2-Dominant Chords
I also have tons of lessons in my Neffmusic store on the blues scales and the 12 bar blues both for alto and tenor saxophone. I always tell my students, “If you can master the blues scale and wail with it………..you are ready for your first gig!”
Are these 12 free blues worksheets that will be emailed to me? Thanksing you in advance.
N. Palise
Just right click on the link and “save as” to your desktop.
Hi, This really helped my inprov skills! Thank you so very much! I’ve added the scales to my warm up and I’m planing to share it with a few friends of mine. Could you do this for Bebop scales as well?
Steve, I love your website. I was trying to subscribe to your newsletter but it wouldn’t let me. Also I wanted to know it you have lessons on the tenor sax pentatonic blues scales written in treble clef format. I want to start with the Cmaj, Cmin, Fmaj, Fmin, Gmaj, Gmin, Bb maj and Bb min. I will eventually need all of them but I wanted to play along with some blues cd’s I have and needed to know the scales to solo on the 4th chord and turnarounds.
thanks
Ron Statler
I do have lessons on the pentatonic scales. Just do a search for pentatonic scales in the upper right search bar of this page and the lessons will come up. I have a number of them. Or you can start with the Beginning Improvisation Series for tenor sax and that will get you started with the scales and improvisation. I’m glad you like the site. Steve
Thank you so Much! i handed this out to my entire jazz band class!
Hai Steve,
i would like to receive the 12 blues scale.
I play baritonsax in a blues band and it would help me a lot in my improvisations.
Thanks, IJsbrand Sorgedrager, the Netherlands.
I would love to receive them and work on them as I work on my beginning lessons. it might be too much right now due to the fact that I am very new to the Saxophone and do not know my major scales right now, but would love to receive them. Vinny
vinzenzo1, You just click on the link that says “12 blues scales download” above. After you click on it it should open up in your browser. Then click on “File” at the top of your browser and choose “save as” or “save” to your computer. You can then print them out……….or you can just print them from your browser…….
Sorry for the inconvenience. I see that now. Vinny
I like the a blues scale on the baritone i can use the hole range on my barytone sax but i normely play it from A2 and up and can go down to lowA
Would you happen to have the 12 Blues Scales sheet in bass clef too?
Sorry, I haven’t made a copy for bass clef as of yet. Steve
Hello,
Thank you for the putting the blues scale sheet on your blog.I printed it out to use to help me practice memorizing the scales.
thank you for help
Hi! thank you for help.Wich regard!Viktor.
GOOD THANKS