Lesson Using Diminished Sounds (& Melodic Minor) On The Blues

[Jimi75]

Great lesson Rob! I always liked that diminished approach in the Blues and make use of it very often - most poeple think of Malmsteen's neoclassical style when hearing diminished and harmonic minor......Anyways, I think it is utmost important to get a feel for this "strange" sound, which means that in the beginning when you apply it it will sound a little bit like playing scales, but you have to hang in there until it flows naturally :-)

[RobGLA]

Great lesson Rob! I always liked that diminished approach in the Blues and make use of it very often - most poeple think of Malmsteen's neoclassical style when hearing diminished and harmonic minor......Anyways, I think it is utmost important to get a feel for this "strange" sound, which means that in the beginning when you apply it it will sound a little bit like playing scales, but you have to hang in there until it flows naturally :-)

Thanks! And yes I completely agree, with any new sound you have to spend a lot of time getting the physical fingering part down but more importantly you have to work on really hearing that sound in a musical context. As you said, it's only when you start to really hear it that you can use it in an organic musical way.

Aside from the neo-classical use the revelation for me was when I realized the relationship between a dominant chord and a diminished arpeggio - that really opened things up.

It's great that you use the diminshed sound on the blues.