Practice Track: Acoustic Blues in E

Here is a 12 bar blues in E which you can play along with. The accompaniment is just acoustic guitar playing basic open position chords. Use the E blues scale, or the E minor pentatonic scale as the basis for your improvisation. Try using bends on the b7 (D, 3rd fret 2nd string), the b3 (G, 3rd fret 1st string) and the 4th (A, 2nd fret 3rd string). Once you can play through confidently using the E minor pentatonic scale, try mixing in notes from the E7, A7 and B7 arpeggios when those chords come up.

Free MP3 download: 12 Bar in E – Acoustic

The chord progression is:

Enjoy!

 

Rob to play at Mini-Manouche

Rob will be playing at the upcoming Mini-Manouche festival at the Brisbane Jazz Club on Sunday July 31st. The festival celebrates the Gypsy Jazz guitar style as played by Django Reinhardt. Rob will be playing double bass accompanying guitarists Sean Quinlan and Henry Wang of the “East West Hot Club”, playing at the brunch session, which starts at 9:30am. See the Brisbane Jazz Club for details and ticket prices!

Rob Plays at the Mount Nebo Winter Ball

Rob will be playing a folk rock set at the upcoming Mount Nebo Winter Ball. Starting at 8pm, the 45 minute set will feature Rob’s new band, with Llew Strutt on Bass, and Michael Sax on Drums. The set will feature all original tunes, with plenty of opportunities for improvisation in a rock trio setting. Originally billed as Rob Reeves and the Misfits, we will have to come up with another name, as there is already a band called the Misfits! The ball will be held on Saturday Night, 23rd July, at the Mount Nebo Hall in View St, Mount Nebo. It is a fund raiser for the local residents’ association, so come along and have a great night! See the face book page below for more details!

Facebook event details

Improvising against IV and V chords

In some pop and rock songs, there are passages of music where there are major chords two frets (a tone) apart, such as D and E or F and G. To improvise over these passages, one approach is to recognize that these chords are the IV and V chords of a major scale. For example D and E are the IV and V chords of the A major scale, so an A major scale will work over this passage. Likewise, F and G are the IV and V chords of a C major scale, so use a C major scale to solo over a passage of F and G chords.

Here are some practice tracks to try over passages of IV and V chords:

Example 1: D and E chords (2 bars each): Free MP3 Download

Example 2: F and G chords (2 bars each): Free MP3 Download

If you listen to Pearl Jam’s Better Man, you will hear just such sections as these! Have fun!

 

Rob at The Homestead in July

My residency at the Homestead Restaurant in Main St Samford continues on Friday nights in July, with performances on Friday 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th of July. So come along and enjoy a great night of guitar jazz in front of the log fire. My set includes favourites from Col Porter spiced with some Latin and Balkan flavours, and grooves from my Virtual Guitar Orchestra! I play from 6:30 until 10ish! Phone Steve at the restaurant for bookings or more information, on 3289 1485.