THE LEAD STYLE OF T-BONE WALKER
While historians argue whether T-Bone, Charlie Christian, or Eddie Durham was truly the first
electric guitarist, about one thing there can be no debate: T-Bone is the source of single-note, horn-type blues soloing. In addition, his phrasing was so expressive of the blues sensibility that it has come
to define the style of every electric blues and rock guitarist who has followed in his dancing footsteps.
A diagram of the basic blues box from which T-Bone played almost exclusively for his entire
career is shown below. This box, as well as its other four forms, are moveable to all keys. In the key
of A, the notes are A, C, D, E¯, E, and G (formula: R–¯
3–4–¯
5–5–¯
7).
T-Bone would also alter the basic blues scale with notes from the Mixolydian mode. The notes in
the A Mixolydian mode are A, B, C˜, D, E, F˜, and G (formula: R– 2–3– 4–5– 6–¯
7).
When you combine the two, a hybrid blues/Mixolydian mode scale results.
&
###
oe noe oe boe noe noe oe noe oe boe noe noe oe noe
5
5fr
567 57
5
78
58
58
8
T
A
B
&
###
oeoeoeoeoeoenoeoeoeoeoeoeoenoeoe
4fr
57
54
7
54
7
5
5
78
64
7
T
A
B
&
###
oe oe noe #oe oe boe noe noe oe noe #oe oe boe noe oe noe oe oe noe
4fr
5
4
67
5
678 5
87
5
87
5
7
57
8
T
A
B
A Blues
A Mixolydian
A Hybrid blues/Mixolydian
16 T-Bone Walker
THE LEAD STYLE OF T-BONE WALKER
While historians argue whether T-Bone, Charlie Christian, or Eddie Durham was truly the first
electric guitarist, about one thing there can be no debate: T-Bone is the source of single-note, horn-
type blues soloing. In addition, his phrasing was so expressive of the blues sensibility that it has come
to define the style of every electric blues and rock guitarist who has followed in his dancing footsteps.
A diagram of the basic blues box from which T-Bone played almost exclusively for his entire
career is shown below. This box, as well as its other four forms, are moveable to all keys. In the key
of A, the notes are A, C, D, E¯, E, and G (formula: R–¯
3–4–¯
5–5–¯
7).
T-Bone would also alter the basic blues scale with notes from the Mixolydian mode. The notes in
the A Mixolydian mode are A, B, C˜, D, E, F˜, and G (formula: R– 2–3– 4–5– 6–¯
7).
When you combine the two, a hybrid blues/Mixolydian mode scale results.
&
###
oe noe oe boe noe noe oe noe oe boe noe noe oe noe
5
5fr
567
57
5
78
58
58
8
T
A
B
&
###
oeoeoeoeoeoenoeoeoeoeoeoeoenoeoe
4fr
57
54
7
54
7
5
5
78
64
7
T
A
B
&
###
oe oe noe #oe oe boe noe noe oe noe #oe oe boe noe oe noe oe oe noe
4fr
8
87
5 T
A
B
A Blues
A Mixolydian
A Hybrid blues/Mixolydian
T-BONE WALKER
From Inside the Blues
(00695952)
BLUES His Favorite Scales and Licks BY DAVE RUBIN
While historians argue whether T-Bone, Charlie Christian, or Eddie Durham was truly the first electric guitarist, about one thing there can
be no debate: T-Bone is the source of single-note, horn-type blues soloing. In addition, his phrasing was so expressive of the blues sensibility that it has come to define the style of every electric blues and rock guitarist who has followed in his dancing footsteps.
A diagram of the basic blues box from which T-Bone played almost exclusively for his entire career is shown below. This box, as well as its
other four forms, are moveable to all keys. In the key of A, the notes are A, C, D, E%, E, and G (formula: R–
3–4–
5–5–
7).
T-Bone would also alter the basic blues scale with notes from the Mixolydian mode. The notes in the A Mixolydian mode are A, B, C#, D,
E, F#, and G (formula: R– 2–3– 4–5– 6–
7).
When you combine the two, a hybrid blues/Mixolydian mode scale results.
A Blues
THE LEAD STYLE OF T-BONE WALKER
While historians argue whether T-Bone, Charlie Christian, or Eddie Durham was truly the first
electric guitarist, about one thing there can be no debate: T-Bone is the source of single-note, horn-type blues soloing. In addition, his phrasing was so expressive of the blues sensibility that it has come
to define the style of every electric blues and rock guitarist who has followed in his dancing footsteps.
A diagram of the basic blues box from which T-Bone played almost exclusively for his entire
career is shown below. This box, as well as its other four forms, are moveable to all keys. In the key
of A, the notes are A, C, D, E¯, E, and G (formula: R–¯
3–4–¯
5–5–¯
7).
T-Bone would also alter the basic blues scale with notes from the Mixolydian mode. The notes in
the A Mixolydian mode are A, B, C˜, D, E, F˜, and G (formula: R– 2–3– 4–5– 6–¯
7).
When you combine the two, a hybrid blues/Mixolydian mode scale results.
&
###
oe noe oe boe noe noe oe noe oe boe noe noe oe noe
5
5fr
567
57
5
78
58
58
8
T
A
B
&
###
oeoeoeoeoeoenoeoeoeoeoeoeoenoeoe
4fr
57
54
7
54
7
5
5
78
64
7
T
A
B
&
###
oe oe noe #oe oe boe noe noe oe noe #oe oe boe noe oe noe oe oe noe
4fr
8
87
5 T
A
B
A Blues
A Mixolydian
A Hybrid blues/Mixolydian
A Mixolydian
