FOREWORD
The easiest way to learn Blues piano is to learn the
LEFTHAND rhythms LONG before you learn all the
fancy licks in the Right Hand.
You need to be able to play these Left Hand rhythms in
your sleep.
Play them over and over THOUSANDS of times. Watch
TV while you play them - just get your mind and fingers
used to them - build those Blues muscles!
As you work your way through the next few books play
these Blues Rhythms in each practice session and then
by book 8 you will be ready to add in the tricky Right
Hand blues licks and patterns.
Enjoy.
2-2
RHYTHM # 1
BASIC TRIAD BLUES
2-3
BASICTRIADBLUES
The most basic blues tune is a combination
of three chords played over 12 bars.
To begin with well use the key of C.
The three chords from the key of C will be C - F and G (all major chords)
The sequence is as follows
C C C C F F
C C G F C C (or G)
To get you started well use a really basic left hand rhythm that uses the three
notes of the basic chord. (Just HOLD a C chord in the Right Hand)
C C E G C E G
Left Hand Right Hand
C C
5 3 1 3
C E G E C E G E
Now TRANSPOSE the pattern to the chords of F and G and try the next tune.
F F A C F A C
G
G B D G B D
2-4
BASICTRIADBLUES
C C C
5 3 1 3
C E G E C E G E C E G E
C F F
C E G E F A C A F A C A
C C G
C E G E C E G E G B D B
F C C
F A C A C E G E C
2-5
RHYTHM # 2
STRAIGHT EIGHT BOOGIE
2-6
STRAIGHT EIGHT BOOGIE RHYTHM part 1
(Jerry Lee Lewis)
Play these notes in the LEFTHAND separately from C up to Bb back down to E
(Use the correct fingering - notice you swivel on your thumb up to the Bb back to the G)
LEFTHAND Mid C
C
Bb
C E G A
FINGERS 5 3 2 1 2
Remember - play C, then E, then G, then A, then Bb, then A again, down to G, and E - REPEAT
Now play a RIGHT HAND C chord (at middle C) INBETWEEN each of the left hand notes
C CHORD
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C E G A Bb A G E
The above way is the easiest way to play this rhythm but the Jerry Lee Lewis way
is to play 2 RIGHT hand chords for each left hand note. (8 HALF BEATS per bar)
C CHORDS
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C E G A Bb A G E
2-7
STRAIGHTEIGHTBOOGIE part 2
Now that you can play the sequence using the chord of C, try transposing it all to
the chords of F and G.
Notice that all three patterns are almost IDENTICAL but the G pattern ends on a
white note instead of a black note
C Bb
C E G A
FINGERS 5 3 2 1 2 C CHORD
F Eb
F A C D
FINGERS 5 3 2 1 2 F CHORD
G
F
G B D E
FINGERS 5 3 2 1 2 G CHORD
Now try the Jerry Lee Lewis style blues tune on the next page.
2-8
STRAIGHT EIGHT BOOGIE part 3
12 BARJERRYLEE STYLE BOOGIE
* In bars 9 and 10 you only play half the left hand pattern for each chord
C (C) C
G A Bb A G G A
C E E C E
(C) F (F)
Bb A G A C D Eb D C
E F A
C (C) G
E G A Bb A G G B D E
C E
F C C (or G to repeat)
F A C D E G A Bb A G
C E
2-9
STRAIGHT EIGHT BOOGIE part 4
HOWTOWORKOUTA 12 BARBLUESINANYKEY
The most basic 12 bar Blues only uses three chords.
For instance, in the key of C we use the chords C, F and G
If you go by the scale of C you will see that the three chords are built on the
1st, 4th and 5th notes of the scale (These chords are known as I, IV and V)
C F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
If we use this formula we can figure out the three basic Blues chords of ANY key.
Here is the standard Blues progressions for the easier keys.
12 Bar Blues in C
C C C C F F
C C G F C C or G
12 Bar Blues in G
G G G G C C
G G D C G G or D
12 Bar Blues in F
F F F F Bb Bb
F F C Bb F F or C
12 Bar Blues in A
A A A A D D
A A E D A A or E
12 Bar Blues in C
D D D D G G
D D A G D D or A
2-10
STRAIGHT EIGHT BOOGIE
PRACTICESONGS
Try the following songs using the STRAIGHTEIGHTBOOGIE. Remember there are
two ways to play it - with the Right Hand chord in-between each Left Hand note or
using a Right Hand chord on every beat. It makes a big difference to the song!
ALLSHOOKUP The key of G Alternating Right Hand
BLUESUEDESHOES G (opening riff F# on to G) Alternating Right Hand
CRAZYLITTLETHINGCALLEDLOVE (Queen) G Alternating Right Hand
DIZZYMISSLIZZIE C Full Right Hand
GOODGOLLYMISSMOLLY (Little Richard) C Full Right Hand
GREATBALLSOFFIRE (Jerry Lee Lewis) Full Right Hand
HOUNDDOG (Elvis) Alternating Right Hand
JAILHOUSEROCK G (opening riff F# on to G) Alternating Right Hand
JOHHNYB.GOODE (Chuck Berry) A Full Right Hand
LONGTALLSALLY (Little Richard) C Full Right Hand
LUCILLE (Little Richard) C Full Right Hand
ROLLOVERBEETHOVEN (Chuck Berry) G Full Right Hand
TEDDYBEAR C Alternating Right Hand
THATS ALRIGHT MAMA D Alternating Right Hand
TUTTI FRUTTI (Little Richard) C Full Right Hand
WHOLELOT OFSHAKIN (Jerry Lee Lewis) G Full Right Hand
2-11
RHYTHM # 3
BLUEBERRY HILL
2-12
BLUEBERRYHILL RHYTHM
This is a rhythm known as 12/8 TIME or TRIPLET FEEL
TRIPLETFEEL means that the basic rhythm comes in GROUPS of three notes.
In 12/8 TIME there are FOUR of these groups (of 3 beats) per bar.
So the RIGHT hand will be playing 12 beats per bar. Try it now with a C CHORD.
C chord Right Hand
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
The LEFT hand plays a 3 note pattern
Like the TWIST rhythm the 3 notes of the LEFT hand match the 3 notes of the
RIGHT hand chord
RIGHT hand
LEFT hand notes C CHORD
C E G
5 3 1
Practise it SLOWLY at first.
Look carefully where the left hand notes come in (x)
C x x x x x x x x x
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
C E G E G C E G E G
Now TRANSPOSE this rhythmic pattern to the chords of F and G (below mid C)
and youll have the 3 main chords for BLUEBERRYHILL
2-13
RHYTHM # 4
12/8 BOOGIE SHUFFLE
2-14
12/8 BOOGIE SHUFFLE RHYTHM
Remember how you counted 12 beats in each bar in BLUEBERRYHILL?
Count the same TRIPLETFEEL rhythm (4 groups of three beats)
and TAP out a rhythm on the 1st and 3rd beats ONLY (leave out the 2nd beat)
TAP
COUNT 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Notice how it SHUFFLES along
Now find these 2-note chord shapes with your LEFT hand.
C5
FINGERS 5 2
C6
FINGERS 5 1
Try the rhythm using the two chord shapes
(C)
C5 C5 C6 C6 C5 C5 C6 C6
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
2-15
12/8 BOOGIESHUFFLE part 2
NOW TRANSPOSE the chord shapes to F and G and then play the 12 bar blues
on the next page
C5
FINGERS 5 2
C6
FINGERS 5 1
F5
FINGERS 5 2
F6
FINGERS 5 1
G5
FINGERS 5 2
G6
FINGERS 5 1
2-16
12/8 BOOGIESHUFFLE 12BARBLUES
Notice that the RIGHT hand plays and HOLDS the
relevant C, F or G chord on the first beat of each bar
C C C
C5 C6 etc
C7 F F7
F5 F6 etc
C C7 G
G5 G6 etc
F C C (or G to turnaround)
F5 F6 etc
C5 C6 etc
2-17
SONGSFOR12/8 BOOGIESHUFFLEPRACTICE
BE BOP A LULA (Gene Vincent) In the key of C
GETBACK (Beatles) F
FORYOUBLUE (Beatles)
YERBLUES (Beatles) C
NOPARTICULARPLACETOGO (Chuck Berry) G
BRANDNEWLEOPARDSKINPILLBOXHAT G (Bob Dylan)
MEETMEINTHEMORNIN (Bob Dylan) G
BEENDOWNSOLONG G (Sting)
ANYWAYYOUWANT - LETITROLL (Elvis)
GOTAWOMANMEANASSHECANBE G
HONKYTONKWOMAN (Stones) G
INTHESUMMERTIME (Mungo Jerry) C
AINT THATASHAME (Fats Domino) C
IMWALKIN (Fats Domino)
THEWANDERER
CARSHISSBYMYWINDOW
ROADHOUSEBLUES (Doors)
2-18
RHYTHM # 5
BLUES BROTHERS
2-19
BLUESBROTHERSRHYTHM
This is a fun rhythm which reminds me of the Blues Brothers theme but is also
used in the chorus of Im A Believer by The Monkees. See if you can also work
out the theme tune for The Odd Couple and Sesame Street. Have fun!
Play each RIGHT HAND chord TWICE - Keep repeating
G note G Chord
1
Twice
1 3 5
2
Twice
1 3 5
3
Twice
1 3 5
2
Twice
1 3 5
Repeat
1 2 3 2
Bring the BASS note (Left hand) in slightly before the RIGHT hand chord
2-20
YOU ARE NOW
READY FOR SECTION 3
