BASIC BLUES

IAN KING

2

INTRODUCTION READ THIS! You'll enjoy the book more if you do!

* EASY CHORD PATTERN Nearly all these pieces use the simplest 12 bar chord pattern found in Jazz & Blues:

In the Key of C: C C C C F F C C

G G C C

* SWING RHYTHM All the Basic Blues should be played in swing rhythm.

* MIX AND MATCH As the chords and speed are the same for most of these Basic Blues, you can mix and match the RH and LH from different pieces. Some combinations will work better than others, so feel free to experiment and see

what sounds good.

* MAKE LONGER PIECES You can join 2 or more Basic Blues together to make your own longer pieces. The CONCERT PIECES at the end of the book give some good examples of this.

See p. 15 for advice on how to join up the pieces.

Fast, loud, swing rhythm

44

44

44

44

3 2 1

BASIC BLUES No.1

3

32 3 4

3

No. 2

3

3

3

44

44

44

44

No. 3

2

No. 4

1

4

toot! toot!

mf

Loud, heavy, fairly slow

Straight or Swing Quavers

This is the only one of the Basic Blues that sounds good if played in Straight rhythm, though you can play it in Swing if you prefer.|

No. 5 The Train

slow down

Medium speed, swing

Learn the new left hand chords first, then add the right hand.No. 6

5

Fast, loud, swing

Fast, swing

44

44

44

44

No. 7

TOP TIP: If you want to keep things simple, just play long chords in the L.H. from no. 8 onwards.

NEW! moving chords in Left Hand. Learn these first before adding the tune.

2

No. 8

2

2 2

2

6

44

44

44

44

No. 9

2 1

No. 10

2 1

21

7

44

44

44

44

2

Now the left hand goes down for the F & G chords:

No. 11

2

No. 12

non-legato

8

44

44

44

44

4

Here's a variation on the left hand chord pattern:

No. 13

4

4

In Nos. 14, 18 and 19 you'll find a common variation on the 12 bar Blues chord pattern: in bar 10 the L. H. plays an F chord instead of G.

No. 14

9

44

44

44

44

Or 1 fingering?

2

NEW: Walking Bass in the left hand

No. 15

3

53 2 1

2 2

1 1 3

53

2 1 3 2 1

141

No. 16

1

1 1

1 4 51

10

44

44

44

44

Here's the full left hand walking bass:

2 1

No. 17

53

2 1 2 1

1 2 2 1

53 2 1 2 1

21

2

53

2 1 2

3

No. 182 3

2 3

1 2 1 2 3 1 1 2 3 4

11

Slow medium, swing

rall.

44

44

44

44

4

New: a rolling 'Cowboy' left hand:

No. 19

1 2 3

4 1 2 3 3 4 1 2 3

43 4 5

321

Fast, loudNo. 20

non-legato

12

NEW KEYS

So far you've played everything in C, the easiest key for pianists.

Now you can try playing Basic Blues in the next 2 easiest keys, G and F. The 12 bar pattern in these new keys:

in the Key of G: G G G G in the Key of F: F F F F C C G G Bb Bb F F D D G G C C F F (C) (Bb)

44

44

44

44

No. 9 in G

2

You could play the L.H. in bars 1 to 4 an octave higher.

No. 6 in F

2

2

13

44

44

2 2

4 No. 13 in G

4

4

21

No. 17 in F

53

2 1 2 1

12

21

53 2 1 2 1

(R.H. variation)2 1 3 5 4 3 2

14

Fast, loud, swing rhythm

44

44

MAKING LONGER PIECES Now let's join up some of the Basic Blues to make longer pieces:You can play the Concert Pieces below, and also make up your own combinations.

Joining up the Basic Blues: All the pieces have an ending. So when you're making your own longer pieces, to keep them flowingsmoothly, you'll need to replace bars 11 and 12 with bars 3 and 4. For the final bars of your longer piece

you can use the ending that's written.

CONCERT PIECE No. 1

5 3 2

1 3 2 1 5 3 2 1

15

3 2 1

5 3 2 1

3

3

3 2 1

5

16

mf

344

348

44

44

CONCERT PIECE No. 2

1

Or 1 fingering?

2 3

2 2

1 1

17

f

pnon-legato

18

mp

mf

mf

4

CONCERT PIECE No. 3 in G 1 2 3

4 1 2 3 3 4 1 2 3

4 4

21 4 5

2 1 4 5

12 4 5

21 4 5

MIDDLE 8

5 3 2 1 2 1

19

f

Slow Down

1 2 3

4 1 2 3 3 4 1 2 3

4 442

(or octave lower)

31

42

31

4

35

2 3 1 1

R.H.

20