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Free Lessons

Finding An Alternative To The Blues Scale

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Horace Silver was always searching for new sounds and he often borrowed from other styles in this search (Bossa Nova - Song For My Father, Samba - Cape Verdean Blues).


In this tune he is looking for a different way to play the blues and finds a more "positive" sounding alternative based on a major 6 chord.


By adding a minor third passing note to the major 6 chord, he get the same effect that the #4 in the blues scale has on the minor pentatonic scale, and finds a more uplifting sound for his music.

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