From Guitar World · · 50s
Eric Gales on jazz and classical blues
Eric Gales explains how jazz, gospel and classical music shape his blues style.
In brief
Eric Gales explains how jazz, gospel and classical music shape his blues style. Eric Gales blends jazz, gospel and classical music to create unique blues harmonies and chord progressions. Originally reported by Guitar World.
Eric Gales' musical influences
Eric Gales blends jazz, gospel and classical music into his blues playing.
“An essential part of my approach to guitar playing is the incorporation of chordal sounds, melody and harmony that I've picked up from listening to jazz and classical music, as well as gospel.”
Unique chord progressions
He uses jazz and classical scales to create blues harmonies not typically found in traditional blues.
“Utilizing elements of these rich musical traditions offers one such a wide range of sounds and emotions that you don't usually find in blues”
Playing upside down
Eric Gales plays guitar upside down with strings reversed and tuned a half step lower.
“I play the guitar "upside down"; in other words, I take a guitar strung for a right-handed player and play it left-handed, so the order of the strings is reversed, with the high E string closest to the ceiling, and the low E string closest to the floor. Additionally, I tune down a half step (low to high: Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb).”
Chord examples
He demonstrates chord progressions using A natural minor and A harmonic minor scales.
“The line in bar 3 is based on the A natural minor scale, also known as the A Aeolian mode (A, B, C, D, E, F, G), followed in bar 4 with a shift to the more classical-sounding A harmonic minor scale (A, B, C, D, E, F, G#).”
Harmonic transitions
Eric Gales uses natural harmonics and chord shifts to move between tonalities.
“At the end of bar 3, I use natural harmonics (N.H.) on the A, D and G strings as a transition point between Am and Fmaj7.”
The key point
Eric Gales blends jazz, gospel and classical music to create unique blues harmonies and chord progressions.
