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Lulu- Take Good Care Of Yourself

Up until now we have been looking at the major and minor blues scales. A good solo probably will not be just made up of these. Although you can get away with using a minor blues scale to cover those 12 bars, and initially this may be your best way of overcoming the fear of jumping in there when suddenly you are confronted with a 12 bar solo to improvise, a good solo is often a bit more complex, but need not be too complex, this is rock & roll remember.

You can combine all the elements we have looked at to create a melodically interesting and rocking solo. These elements can include just playing long notes with or without effects such as growling and note bending. The note bending is very useful when playing flattened blue notes as you can play slightly sharper or flatter than the actual pitch to get a much better blues feel... You can also use the good old major scale in places, sometimes with a flattened 3rd or 7th. At other times you can just play a phrase that makes sense musically but may not conform to any of the rules or music theory. The important thing is to get all these things in a sort of balance, too much of any one technique can become predictable. Above all don’t be scared of repeating phrases or leaving gaps, these are all useful musical tools that also give you time to think about what to play next.


Lulu- Take Good Care Of Yourself
  • Released in: 1970
  • Released on: Melody Fair album
  • Genre: Pop, Rock

"Lulu's long and distinguished career in the U.K. earned her the honor of being named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. She would become an enduring star in pop music, on television, on stage, and in the movies, thanks to her strong, versatile voice and sunny disposition."

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