Improvising through chord changes
The F Blues Etude is built around the really basic idea of hitting the chord's two most distinctive notes. In particular, the dominant chord's third and flatted seventh.
For instance, the third in a F7 chord is A, and the flatted seventh is Eb.
F Blues Etude No. 1
F Blues Etude #1
| MEASURE | ANALYSIS |
|---|---|
| Measure 1: F13 | - 3rd of F13 chord on first beat (A) |
| - b7 of F13 chord on third beat (Eb) | |
| - Indication of F chord with A-C-F arpeggio | |
| - C# fills upbeat gap by using chromaticism to note D in second measure | |
| Measure 2: Bb7 | - 3rd of Bb7 chord on first beat (D) |
| - b7 of B13 chord on third beat (Ab) | |
| - Indication of Bb chord with D-F-Bb arpeggio | |
| - The repetition of the arpeggio adds to the thematic movement | |
| Measure 3: F13 | - 3rd of F13 chord on first beat (A) |
| - b7 of F13 chord on third beat (Eb) | |
| - Descending line is taken from Bb scale with additional E | |
| - Chromatic passing tone | |
| Measure 4: Cmi9 - F13 | - 3rd of F13 chord on third beat (A) |
| - Movement is to Bb13 chord... | |
| - Therefore, utilizing Bb scale... | |
| - Which leads to D on first beat of measure 5 | |
| Measure 5: Bb13 | - 3rd of Bb7 chord on first beat (D) |
| - Bb9 arpeggio, continuing with arpeggio | |
| - Starting on third of chord (D) | |
| Measure 6: Bb7 | - Note the #11 on third eighth note (E) |
| - Leading tone G# (last note in measure) | |
| - Which leads to A (third of F chord-next measure) | |
| Measure 7: F13 | - 3rd of F13 chord on first beat (A) |
| - Note C-Eb-G arpeggio, (third beat), which hints at F9 | |
| - F (last note in this measure), leads to F# in next measure | |
| Measure 8: D7(#9) | - 3rd of D7(#9) chord on first beat (F#) |
| - Chromatic passing notes, F E, Eb | |
| - Note the C#, which leads directly into D in next measure | |
| Measure 9: Gmi7 | - The F# and A, indicate a Ma7 and a 9, against a minor 7th chord |
| - Gmi7 arpeggio (G-Bb-D-F) on third beat | |
| Measure 10: C7(b9) | - 3rd of C7(#9) chord on first beat (E) |
| - b7 of C7(#9) chord on third beat (Bb) | |
| - Note G-G#, which leads to A in next measure (chromaticism) | |
| Measure 11: F13 - D7(#9) | - 3rd of F13 chord on first beat (A) |
| - 3rd of D7(#9) chord on first beat (F#) | |
| Measure 12: Gmi7 - C7(#9) | - Chromatic passing notes, which lead to E (third beat) |
| - 3rd of C7(#9) chord on first beat (E) |