Hi everyone. Vinni Smith here.
I have spent a lifetime playing guitar. I don't get to practice as much as I would like to , so I get in a few minutes or hours here and there when ever I can. I am like a sponge, however, when I am around anyone with cool ideas. I was taking some picks to one of our local music stores last week and saw my old friend Gordon Kennedy. He is a wonderfull guitar player, and is also a magnificent piano, bass, and horn artist as well. The guy really knows his stuff. Anyway, I was sharing some of the things I learned from the last Robben Ford clinic I attended and he showed me a cool little trick for some jazzy sounding I-IV-V Blues. I would like to pass this on to you if I may.
It is a real simple trick and I cannot believe I have not learned it years ago. Simply play the major IV scale over each chord you are playing on. For instance, we are in A. So, we have A - D - E. Right? When the band is playing over the A chord, you simply solo in the IV chord scale which would be, of course, D. So while the band is playing A, you solo in D Major scale. Then when the band goes to the D or IV chord, you solo in the IV of D which would be G. Got me so far? Then the band goes back to A and you go back to D Major scale. Then when the band goes to the IV chord which would be E, you go to the IV chord of E, A Major scale!
I know this sounds too easy and too good to be true, but it works! You are mostly playing all the same notes you normally would play, however, since you are thinking about them in a different key, you tend to play things that you would not usually play. It has a cool, jazzy feel and sound. It is very easy to do, if you simply know your major scales.
I have been having a good time with this principle this week. Try it out and let me know what you come up with...........
Vinni