Blues in G, I Mean C, I Mean G!

I am taking a Piano With Jonny course in G Blues Improvisation. I learned the C blues scale when I was 11 or 12 years old, and, while I never actually learned to play the blues then, I've always known and played that scale. My long history with the scale may be part of why I have struggled so mightily to master G blues improvisation.

The C and G blues scales are very similar—start with a white key, go up a minor third to a black key, then up a whole step to a white key, a half-step to black key, a half-step to white key—and then it changes. In C, we go up a minor third to B-flat, whereas in G, the minor third is to F natural.

This shouldn't be that hard, but I have had so much trouble making the switch to G! I keep throwing in the F# from the C scale, and then the E-flat. It's a mess.

To show you what I mean, here's a video I talk about (and unintentionally demonstrate) some of the problems. As you can see, I'm slowly getting better at blues in G, but I still have a ways to go.

Question for Readers (if I have any): “Have you ever struggled with switching between scales or mastering a new key? Drop a comment below and share your tips or stories—I’d love to hear how you navigated the challenge!”

Comments

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