2 Easy C blues Scale Licks on Piano - Beginning Improvising
Here is a good definition of a lick:
A lick is “a stock pattern or phrase” (Middleton 1990, p. 137). In other words, Its a short melody made of a small number of notes that you have rehearsed. You want to do this so you sound better prepared for playing solos or improvising.
I am constantly adding new licks to my musical vocabulary. Here are a few short ones to get started with as well as a short explanation of fingering for the blues scale:
This lesson starts off covering two different easy blues scale licks at :04
Then we cover the two hand positions at :15
Make sure to learn the scale from both hand positions. Otherwise your limiting your creative possibilities. If you just start improvising from the C note every single time, what should be “improvising” will fall into becoming very routine.
I show you the fingering for the blues scale at :40
There are two different options for fingering the C blues scale:
You could use 1212121. (Thumb, Pointer, Thumber Pointer Etc)
Or 1234123 (Thumb = 1, Pointer = 2, Middle = 3, Ring Finger = 4).
Its good to be comfortable playing both fingerings.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions by posting a comment!
Good demonstration of the blues lick on the piano.
I liked it a lot.
Thanks Jazz Licks!
-Chris Marx
I also lliked your concise demo, thanks!
Thanks Suzanna!
Glad you liked it. I’ll post more short ones like this in the future since its popular
Do you think having notation to print off would help?
Thanks!
Chris Marx
Hi Chris, Glad to hear you are feeling better. I am new to your site and when I signed up you were temporarily out of commish, glad you’re back and want to say thank you for sharing your talent and knowledge of the keyboard to those of us just learning. I’m 57 years old and have always admired those who played the piano and vowed someday to learn. last Christmas my wife tired of hearing me wish bought me a used piano which I am enjoying immensely. I’ve mastered a few songs by ear and sites like yours are a godsend. Anyway take care.
Frank
Thanks Frank!
I’m feeling a lot better… regaining health feels like two steps forward one step back, but I’m really glad to be feeling better!
Thats a great gift from your wife to get a piano! (I still get socks just about every christmas.. they don’t even have piano keys on them).
I’m learning guitar from other websites online, it really is very helpful to have a few short videos to give you something to work on.
Keep me posted with your progress and let me know what I could do to improve the site!!!
Thanks,
Chris Marx
those blues licks are hot!!!!! thanks for the insight.