Download Blues Chords and Scales in E Minor (G Major)

Blues Chords and Scales in E Minor (G Major)
The blues is a very influential style of music. It is the principal inspiration for what eventually became rock music. The
basic blues chord progression is based on a repeated 12 bar pattern. This is called the 12-Bar Blues. The diagram below
illustrating the 12-Bar Blues uses Roman Numerals to represent the chord number as it relates to the key name or tonal
center. For example, if we were in the key of E, the Roman Numeral for the E chord would be I. The A Chord would be
IV (4 notes above E), and the B chord would be V (5 notes above E).
12 Bar Blues
I
IV
V
I
IV
IV
I
I
I
I
I
I (V to repeat)
E7
A7
A7
E7
E7
E7
E7
E7
E7 (B7)
12 Bar Blues in E
E7
A7
B7
The Chords used above
The Pentatonic Scale
The pentatonic scale is a scale of 5 notes. The major and minor pentatonic scales have the same notes, only the scale
officially starts and ends on the note of the key. For example, the E Minor and G Major Pentatonic scales have the same
notes, E G A B D E. When we play a E Minor Pentatonic, the scale begins on E. When we play a G Major Pentatonic, the
scale begins on G.
The Blues Scale
The Blues Scale adds one note to the Pentatonic scale. We call it the Flat Fifth (bV). In this case, we will add the note Bb
to our scale.
Guitar Licks (Riffs)
Guitar Licks, or Riffs, are short melodic note patterns. Here are a couple famous ones using the notes of the Blues Scale.