Combining Scales and Arpeggios
In Blues playing, it is common to play licks which combine the sounds of the Blues scale and the dominant seventh arpeggio. Most of the notes of the arpeggio (1, 5, b7) are also contained in the Blues scale. The natural 3rd degree of the arpeggio (3) is not in the Blues scale.
This note is an important one because it tells you whether the chord is major or minor. It is common to go from the flattened 3rd to the natural 3rd in the one lick. The following examples demonstrate licks derived from a combination of the dominant seventh arpeggio and the Blues scale in various forms. The first one is played within the E form. As with previous licks, analyze each one, particularly in regard to where the major 3rds occur in each lick. Notice the difference this note makes to the sound of the lick.
This one comes from the D form. Learn it from memory, analyze it and transpose it to other keys.
Here’s one played in the C form.
This one comes from the A form.
This one is from the G form.
To finish this lesson, here is a shuffle solo which makes use of both the Blues scale and dominant seventh arpeggios, and moves around between the five forms. It is in the key of E, so you will need to be sure you know your scales and arpeggios in that key. Eventually it is important to be able to play and create licks from all scales and arpeggios in all 12 keys used in music.
