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Blues Turnarounds

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    Video Lessons

    Chapter 1:  12 Bar Blues  In order to understand how a turnaround works you must be familiar with the 12 bar blues chord progression.

    Chapter 2: The Basic Turnaround If you break down the blues turnaround into it’s most basic form you’ll left with this generic version.

    Chapter 3: Anatomy Of A Turnaround The blues turnaround may only lasts 2 bars, but a lot is happening. In this chapter we’ll explore it’s structure and see what exactly is happening.

    Chapter 4: Simple Progression Turnaround Variations There are ways to add “spice” to any blues turnaround as you’ll discover in this chapter.

    Chapter 5: Ascending Turnaround An ascending turnaround has a shifting melody that travels to higher notes.

    Chapter 6: Descending Turnaround A descending turnaround has a shifting melody that travels to lower notes.

    Chapter 7: Expanding Turnaround The expanding turnaround has a moving melody line that moves away from a static note.

    Chapter 8: Contracting Turnaround These turnarounds are similar to the “generic” turnarounds we learned in chapter 2 in the fact that the notes in the shifting melody grow closer to each other or contracts. The moving melody either rises up or falls down closer to the static note used in the counterpoint.

    Chapter 9: Contrary Motion Turnaround In this turnaround when one of the lines move up, the other line moves down.

    Chapter 10: More Complicated Progression Turnarounds Some songs will have a turnaround, but not use the standard V-IV-I progression. Chapter 10 explores what to do when faced with a non-standard progression.

    Chapter 11: Using Shifting Melodies Elsewhere We are not restricted to only using a shifting melody as part of a turnaround at the end of a progression. This type of phrase can also be used to change between chords anywhere in the chord progression.

    Chapter 12: Using Turnarounds In Intros And Endings A good turnaround is an ideal way to begin or end a song. This chapter tells you how.