Seven Steps to the Blues:

Beyond the Blues Scale

A presentation on the teaching of blues

improvisation from beginning to
intermediate levels

Daniel Brame
and the
Deerfield High School Jazz Band

Illinois Music Education Conference

Thursday, January 24, 2013
3:30-4:45 p.m.
Civic Center Room 405/406
 The 12-Bar Blues Progression
The earliest blues progressions tended to be very simple, with three 4-bar phrases and three triads:

I I I I
IV IV I I
V V I I

As the blues developed, dominant 7th chords replaced basic triads. In addition, new chords were added. The V
chord at the end is used to bring the progression back to the beginning. This is the form that is used in most
blues music as well as early jazz and rock:

I7 IV7 I7 I7
IV7 IV7 I7 I7
V7 IV7 I7 V7

Eventually, most jazz musicians began using a [II-7 / V7] in the third phrase. This is what we will call the basic
blues. Notice that all of the chords are dominant 7th chords except for the minor 7th in bar 9:

I7 IV7 I7 I7
IV7 IV7 I7 I7
II-7 V7 I7 V7

There are countless chord substitutions that can be used in the blues. Some common ones are:

bar 4: V-7 / I7
bar 6: !IV°7
bar 8: VI7
bar 12: II-7 / V7

In the mid to late 1940s, bebop musicians created a very dense blues progression now known as “Bird Blues,”
named after legendary alto saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker. There are a few variations on it, but here is a
fairly standard version:

Imaj7 VII-7"5 III7"9 VI-7 II7 V-7 I7

IV7 (or maj7) IV-7 "VII7 III-7 VI7 "III-7 "VI7
II-7 V7 III-7 VI7 II-7 V7

There are also many different minor blues progressions. Here is a common one. The minor chords on I and IV
can be played as -6, -6/9, or –(maj 7):

I- I- I- I7"9
IV- IV- I- I-
II-7"5 ( or "VI7) V7+9 I- II-7"5 V7+9
 Blues Warm Up

c œ œ1 œ œ1 Ó œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó œ3 œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó œ3 œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó
I7 IV 7 I7
23 -3

œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó œ œ1 œ2 œ1 Ó œ3 +œ1 œ2 +œ1 ˙
IV 7 I7 VI 7
-3 -3 3

œ œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ œ Ó œ œ1 œ œ1 Ó œ œ2 œ œ2 ˙
II -7 V7 I7 II -7 V7
4 2 3 2 4 2 3 2 3 2 4 3

œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó œ3 œ3 œ3 Ó œ3 œ3 œ3 Ó
I7 IV 7 I7

J J J J J J J J
3 3 3 -3 -3 -3

œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó œ3 œ3 œ3 Ó
IV 7 I7 VI 7

J J J J J J J J
-3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 3 3 3

œ4 œ4 œ4 Ó œ4 œ4 œ4 Ó œ3 œ3 œ3 Ó œ4 œ4 œ4 Ó
II -7 V7 I7 II -7 V7

J J J J J J J J

œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó œ -œ7 œ Ó
I7 IV 7 I7 I7

J J J J J J J J
-7 -7 -7 6 6 6 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7

œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó œ -œ7 œ Ó
IV 7 I7 VI 7

J J J J J J J J
6 6 6 6 6 6 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7

œ8 œ8 œ8 Ó œ7 œ7 œ7 Ó œ -œ7 œ Ó œ7 œ7 œ7 Ó
II -7 V7 I7 II -7 V7

J J J J J J J J
-7 -7

œ 6 -œ7 œ 6 -œ7 œ
I7 IV 7 I7

œ œ œ 5 œ
œ 5 œ
œ !
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 2 3 4 1 8 8 1 2 -3 4 8 2 3 4
5 6 -7

-7 œ -7 œ
IV 7 I7 VI 7

œ œ œ œ ! œ œ œ œ !
œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 2 8 -3 4 1 2 8 3 4
5 6 5 6

7 8 œ 5 œ œ œ 7 8 œ
II -7 V7 I7 II -7 V7 I7

œ 6 œ
œ œ ! œ œ œ 6 œ
œ œ œ œ Œ Ó
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 3 4 5 9 1 2 3 4 2 3 4 5
6 -7 8 8 8 9
 Seven Steps to the Blues

1) The Bluesy Pentatonic scale

5 6 1 2 !3

2) Add the major 3rd

5 6 1 2 !3 3 (don’t use 3 on IV chord,!3 can be a pickup to 3)

3) Add the "5

5 "5 6 1 2 !3 3 (use as a pick up to 6)

4) Add the !7

5 "5 6 !7 1 2 !3 3 (can be a substitute for 6 or work with 6)

5) Add the 4

5 "5 6 !7 1 2 !3 3 4 (use as a passing tone on I chords or a stable

tone on II, IV, and V)

6) Hear the II7 – V7 progression as II dorian or V mixolydian, or play standard II – V

licks over it

7) Use the blues scale

1 !3 4 !5 5 !7 1 (use sparingly—especially effective in last chorus)

C Instruments
F Blues
Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase
GÑ C7 F7 C7
4
&b 4 ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’’’’

4 œ œ ˙ œœ œ
b
& 4 œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ !

4 ˙ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ j
b
& 4 J J J J œ w !

4 bœ bœ œ œ œ
& b 4 œ œ œ nœ œ œ Œ Ó w !
3

4 œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ w
&b 4 œ œ œ œJ œ J J !

& b 44 œ
j
œ
j
œ. j œj œ j
œ w !
œ œ œ œ œ

4 œ œ œ œ œ nœ
b
& 4 œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ w !
B b Instruments
F Blues
Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase
# 4 AÑ D7 G7 D7
& 4 ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’’’’

# 4 œœ œ ˙ œœœ
& 4 œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ !

# 4 ˙ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ
& 4 J J J J œ w !
J

# 4 œ œ#œ œ œ Œ Ó bœ nœ œ œ œ w !
& 4 œ
3

# 4 œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ w
& 4 œ œ œ œJ œ J J !

# 4 j j j œj œ j !
& 4 œ œ œ. œ w
œ œ œ œ œ

# 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ
& 4 œ w !
E b Instruments
F Blues
Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase
# # 4 EÑ A7 D7 A7
& 4 ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’’’’

## 4
& 4 œœœ œ ˙ œœœ
œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ !

## 4 ˙ j
& 4 œ œ œ
J
œ. œ œ œ j
œ w !
J J

## 4 œ œ œ # œ œ œ Œ bœ nœ œ œ œ w
& 4 Ó 3
!

## 4 j j œ w
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œJ œ J !

## 4 j œ
& 4 œ œ œ œJ œ œ
J
œ. œ œJ œ w
J !

œ
## 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ w
& 4 !
BC Instruments
F Blues
Ideas for the II-V in the last phrase
GÑ C7 F7 C7
? 4
b 4 ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’’’’

œ œ ˙ œœœ
? b 44 œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙
!

˙ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ
? b 44 J J J J œ w
J !

bœ bœ œ œ œ
? 4 œ œ œ nœ œ œ Œ Ó w !
b 4 3

œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ w
? 4 œ œ œ œJ œ J J !
b 4

? b 44 œ j œ
œ œ œJ œ œ
J
œ. œ œJ œ w
J !

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ w
? b 44 !
C Instruments
Blues Licks in F

4 œ nœ œ œ Œ
&b 4 œ œ #œ œ œ Œ ! œ !

j
b
& bœ œ œ œ ! b œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ
j !
œ.

& b œ œ #œ œ ˙ Ó Œ ‰ # œj n œ œ œ œ ˙ !

&b œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙ Ó
3

&b œ œ œ b œJ œ œ ! œ bœ œ j
œ œ œ œ
j !
J

œ œ œ bœ œ j œ b œj
&b Π!
œ œ œ œ œ
!

jœ
& b œJ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ #œ œ œ œ !

œ bœ œ œ œ
& b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ ˙ Ó bœ œ !

& b nœ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ Ó Œ ‰ j œ œ œ œ b œj œ . !
3

œ
B b Instruments
Blues Licks in F

# 4 œ #œ œ œ Œ
& 4œ œ #œ œ œ Œ ! œ !

#
& b œJ œ . œ œ œ ! b œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ
j !

# ‰ # œj n œ œ œ œ ˙
& œ œ #œ œ ˙ Ó Œ !

# œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙ Ó
3

&
3

# œ œ n œJ œ œ œ bœ œ j j
& œ J ! œ œ œ œ !

# œ œ œ nœ œ j œ bœ
& Œ ! œ œ œ œ œ !
J

# œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙ Ó œ #œ œ œ œ !
& J J œ

# œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ nœ ˙ Ó bœ œ !

# #œ œ œ œ œ nœ bœ
& œ Ó Œ ‰ j œ œ œ œ bœ œ. !
œ J
3
E b Instruments
Blues Licks in F

# 4œ œ #œ œ œ Œ œ œ #œ œ œ
& # 4 ! Π!

## n œ . œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ
& J œ ! J !

## œ œ # œ œ ˙ # œ # œ œ œ œ ˙
& Ó Œ ‰ J !

## œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ ˙
& Ó Ó
3 3

## œ œ œ n œJ œ œ œ nœ œ
œ œJ œ œ
& J ! J !

œ œ œ nœ œ
# nœ
& # Œ ! œ œ œ œ œJ œ J !

# # œJ œ œ œ nœ œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ #œ œ œ œ !
& J

œ nœ œ œ œ
## œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ ˙ Ó nœ œ !
& œ

## # œ œ œ œ œ n œ n œ œ
& Ó Œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ n œJ œ . !
3
BC Instruments
Blues Licks in F

? 4œ œ #œ œ œ Œ œ œ nœ œ œ
b 4 ! Π!

? b b œJ œ . œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ
! J !

œ œ œ ˙
? b œ œ #œ œ ˙ Ó Œ #
‰ Jœ n œ !

?b œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙
Ó Ó
3 3

?b œ œ œ b œJ œ œ œ bœ œ
œ œJ œ œ
J ! J !

œ œ œ bœ œ
bœ
?b Œ ! œ œ œ œ œJ œ J !

? b œJ œ œ œ bœ œ œ ˙
J Ó œ œ #œ œ œ œ !

œ bœ œ œ œ
? b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ ˙ Ó bœ œ !

? b nœ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ Ó Œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ b œJ œ . !
3
 Blues Playing Test Rubric

Note Choices
Major and minor 3rds are used
correctly. A U S N
Chromatic passing/neighbor tones
are used for color. A U S N
The II – V sound is played in the last
phrase. A U S N
The solo has an overall bluesy
sound. A U S N
Awkward dissonances are avoided. A U S N

General Improvisation Skills

The rhythms are varied. A U S N
Space is used to separate ideas. A U S N
Ideas flow well and are developed
logically. A U S N
The swing feel is smooth. A U S N
Time is consistent. A U S N
The playing is energetic. A U S N
There are varying levels of intensity. A U S N

Comments
 Blues Head Examples
AAA Form with a blues scale (1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 8) or bluesy pentatonic (5 6 1 2 b3)

B b7 E b7 B b7 E b7
b
& b c b œ œj n œ œj ‰ b œ . œ œ œ ˙ . bœ œ ! j j ‰
bœ œ œ nœ œ bœ. œ œ
œ
œ
B b7 CÑ F7 B b7 F7
b j j ‰ bœ.
& b ˙. bœ œ !
bœ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ ˙. bœ œ !

AAA Form with major and minor thirds like the blues warmup

B b7 E b7 B b7 E b7
b œ œ œ œ œJ b œ œj œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó
& b c œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó !

B b7 CÑ F7 B b7 F7
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ œJ b œ œj
& b œ œ œJ b œ œj ! !

AAB Form
B7 b E7 b B b7 E b7
j j j
b œ
& b c œ œ bœ ‰ œ #œ œ œ œ bœ ˙ œ œ œ b œ œœ ! œ œ b œ œ ‰ œj # œ œ œ œ
nœ bœ ˙
B b7 CÑ F7
j œ ‰B 7 F7
b
bb j j ! j œj !
& b œ œ œ œ bœ nœ J bœ. œ bœ œ
nœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ nœ
œ

Through-Composed Form
B b7 E b7 B b7
b
& b c ‰ œj œ œ b œ œ ‰ # œj œ œ œ œ b œ œ ‰ j œ œ œ œ bœ ˙ Œ œ œ
#œ œ œ
3

E b7 B b7 G7
bb j j
& œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ ˙ Œ ‰ nœ
J
CÑ F7 B b7 F7
b j
& b œ nœ œ œ bœ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ j œ b œ œ !
#œ œ œ œ œ J
 F Blues Heads
All of these are standard swing tunes that work well in jam sessions. There are other tunes like
“Watermelon Man” that are in a straight-8ths/rock style, but they are more suited to blues scale playing.
Tunes with an asterisk have more chord substitutions.

Tune Composer Availability

Au Privave* Charlie Parker HLRB1, REB3

Bag’s Groove Milt Jackson STAN
Billie’s Bounce Charlie Parker HLRB2
Blues for Alice* Charlie Parker HLRB1, NRB2
Now’s the Time Charlie Parker HLRB1, REB3
Pfrancing (No Blues) Miles Davis HLRB1
Sippin’ at Bells* Miles Davis HLRB2
Some Other Blues John Coltrane HLRB2, REB2
Teenie’s Blues Oliver Nelson HLRB2
Walkin’ Jimmy Mundy HLRB2, REB2

Bb Blues Heads
There are considerably more blues tunes in Bb than in F. These are some of the better known that follow
the standard progression. “Tenor Madness” is especially good for teaching the use of the major/minor 3rd
and the II-V progression at the end.

Tune Composer Availability

Blue Monk Thelonious Monk HLRB1

Blue Seven Sonny Rollins HLRB2, REB1
Blues by Five Red Garland HLRB2, REB1
Blues in the Closet Oscar Pettiford HLRB2, REB1
Blues March Benny Golson HLRB2, REB2
Duff Hampton Hawes HLRB2
Filthy McNasty Horace Silver HLRB2, NRB2
Opus de Funk Horace Silver HLRB4, NRB3
Sonnymoon for Two Sonny Rollins REB1
Spontaneous Combustion Cannonball Adderley RJCFB
Straight No Chaser Thelonious Monk HLRB1 (occasionally transcribed in F)
Tenor Madness Sonny Rollins HLRB2, REB1
The Thumper Percy Heath HLRB2
Trane’s Blues Miles Davis HLRB2 (aka Weird Blues or Veird Blues)
Twisted Wardell Gray NRB1, HLRB2
Wee Dot J.J. Johnson RJCFB
 Eb and C Blues Heads
The two other most common blues keys are Eb and C. Both work well for beginning and intermediate
improvisers, and it is a good idea to occasionally get away from Bb and F to get some fresh licks and
ideas going.

Tune Composer Availability

Alright, Okay, You Win (Eb) Watts & Wyche HLRB1

Bessie’s Blues (Eb) John Coltrane HLRB1, NRB2
Blue Train (Eb) John Coltrane REB3, HLRB1
C Jam Blues (C) Duke Ellington HLRB2
Cool Blues (C) Charlie Parker HLRB2
Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid (C) Lester Young HLRB2
Sandu (Eb) Clifford Brown HLRB2, NRB1
The Swingin’ Shepherd Blues (C) Moe Koffman HLRB2

Key to availability:

HLRB – Hal Leonard Real Book, Vol. 1-5

• An excellent series published in C, Bb, Eb, and BC
• Replicates the old illegal Real Books from the 70s and 80s without the mistakes
• Has only basic melody and chords, no harmonies, little info on form

REB – Real Easy Book, Vol. 1-3

• Published by Sher Music in C, Bb, Eb, and BC
• Each tune has sample bass lines and chord voicings for piano and guitar
• Includes harmony parts and details of the form

NRB – New Real Book, Vol. 1-3

SRB – The Standards Real Book
• Published by Sher Music in C, Bb, and Eb (no bass clef)
• Typically more detailed than Hal Leonard books
• Not as well bound as Hal Leonard, tend to fall apart with use

RJCFB – Real Jazz Classics Fake Book

• An earlier Hal Leonard Book
• Now out of print
About the band…
The Deerfield High School Jazz Band meets as a full-credit class every day. With a seven-person
horn line and double rhythm section, the ensemble can function as a mini-big band, an expanded
combo, a piano trio, or any other combination. Over the years, our flexible instrumentation has
included flute, clarinet, double reeds, mellophone, euphonium, tuba, violin, and oud.
Our main emphasis is developing each student's self-expression through improvisation, arranging,
and composition. We choose jazz standards to learn from lead sheets, transcribe tunes off of
recordings, or compose our own works. We study the chord changes and practice soloing, helping
each other improve through listening and evaluation. Then we arrange the tunes in brainstorming
sessions. The students decide on intros, endings, solo backgrounds and different ways to play the
head. When the form is complete, the teacher or a student voices out the ideas and writes out the
parts. In this manner, the students can learn about twenty tunes each year, ranging from modal to
blues to bebop.
The DHS Jazz Band performs on four formal concerts throughout the year. In addition, we have
performed the Hyatt Deerfield, the Art Center of Highland Park, and in impromptu gigs in the front
hall of the school on the day before vacations. In the 26-year history of the band, we have received
numerous awards at festivals such as Jazz in the Meadows. In addition to the curricular jazz band,
there are three extracurricular combos that meet weekly after school during the winter and spring.
The Jazz Lab Band is a non-performing group, which includes mostly freshmen with some older
students on secondary instruments. The goal of the ensemble is to introduce students to improvisation
and stylistic concepts. Two intermediate groups, Monday and Tuesday Afternoon Jazz, perform
twice yearly in concert.

About our school…

Deerfield High School is located in Deerfield, Illinois, about 25 miles north of Chicago. With an
enrollment of 1645 students, DHS is known for its high academic achievement, competitive athletics,
and comprehensive fine arts program. The school was recognized in 2009 as a Blue Ribbon School
of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. The DHS music program includes three concert
bands, four jazz bands, a volunteer marching band, three orchestras, three choirs, a show choir, and a
music theory/history class. Next year we will also offer beginning guitar. Our ensembles have
performed around the country, from Seattle to New York and Boston to Orlando, as well as overseas
in Ireland, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The concert bands and orchestras will be traveling
to Phoenix in February 2013 for performances and clinics.

About Daniel Brame…

Daniel Brame has been Director of Bands at Deerfield High School since 1988. He holds a doctorate
in music education from Boston University where he studied comprehensive musicianship in high
school band programs in Illinois and Wisconsin. He has a bachelor's degree in music education from
Northwestern University and a master's in music education from DePaul University. Dr. Brame has
published articles in The Instrumentalist and Teaching Music and is a contributor to Musicianship:
Composing in Band and Orchestra, to be published in 2013 by GIA Publications. He can be
contacted at dbrame@dist113.org.