Blues Ensemble Approach
Found in: Blues, Composition & Improvisation, Curriculum
Pat M., Canada
This is a question about The Blues Improv Program. When we get to The Ensemble Approach Project #15, when you use the Bishop Chords or 13ths in the LH and the Blues Scale in the RH, my students say it doesn’t sound good when we process it in different keys. What am I doing wrong? Your help is always appreciated.
Mark M., New York
More info needed. Maybe your students just don’t like jazzy harmonies. Maybe something’s actually happening that’s wrong which you’d need to explain more for us to know. Maybe the bass is not present to fill out the sound and make it all make harmonic sense. More info needed.
Pat M., Canada
Mark There is no bass to fill out the sound.
Mark M., New York
Pat The ensemble approach is meant to be in an ensemble. Just as accompaniment requires the melody before the performance can be considered complete, blues ensemble requires the bass.
Indeed, various Acc1 chords (any of the 7s/11/13) can sound weird/wrong on their own until the LH bass note is provided. Same thing here.
Any viable LH blues technique will do — including the very basic one from Jackson that is done as the default in the other pre-ensemble B&I projects. No need for anything fancier than that. That’s all the B&I Program intends for the LH.
Original discussion started March 7, 2022