The Turnaround


ScottinWyo
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Joined: 03/11/16
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ScottinWyo
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Joined: 03/11/16
Posts: 2
09/07/2019 12:32 am

Hello GT,

I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction so I can better understand "the turnaround" in blues. I am having a heck of a time understanding the concept.

I found one titled, "Spiced up Blues Turnarounds by Ben Lindholm" and am clearly not ready for that.

Thank you for your time on this.

- Scott


# 1
William MG
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William MG
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09/07/2019 12:45 am

Have you looked at the Blues course taught by Anders? He shows a very simple turn around in a 12 bar blues lesson that won't take long to learn.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 2
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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Joined: 08/09/05
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09/07/2019 3:22 pm

Hey, Scott!

Originally Posted by: scottintacoma253I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction so I can better understand "the turnaround" in blues. I am having a heck of a time understanding the concept.

In general a turnaround in music is a little melody or phrase that ends one section and leads to the next section.

Specifically in blues a turnaround is a little melody that effectively "sums up" everything that the music has done so far, but in a shorter time. Basically starting at the I chord and quickly moving through the IV & V chords. Doing this makes a turnaround a very effective way to end a chord progression or blues chorus or verse pattern and then either start over or end the song. It's an annoucement that the blues form has reached the end of the form & is going to start again or end!

The most common blues turnarounds usually have some variation of a desending line like this. Both examples are in E.

|--0--0------------------------|------------------------|[br]|---------3--3--2--2--1--1--|--0----------0---------|[br]|-------------------------------|------2--3-------------|[br]|-------------------------------|------------------------|[br]|-------------------------------|------------------------|[br]|-------------------------------|------------------------|

Or an ascending line like this.

|--------------------------------|------------------------|[br]|--------------------------------|------------------------|[br]|--------------------------------|------------------------|[br]|--------------------------------|------------------------|[br]|-----------------0--0--1--1--|--2---0---1---2-------|[br]|-0--0--4--4------------------|------------------------|


Christopher Schlegel
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# 3
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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09/07/2019 3:25 pm

There are many variations of these basic turnarounds. These tutorials have a variety of the most widely used blues turnarounds.

Blues Orchestration 1

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=151

Blues Orchestration 2

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=274

This lesson is an example of the most basic lead line blues turnaround (example in A major).

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9948&s_id=217

There are also stereotypical jazz style turnarounds! I devoted this whole to tutorial to that concept.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=2148

Hope that helps! Please ask more if necessary & best of success with those turnarounds!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 4
ScottinWyo
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ScottinWyo
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09/07/2019 9:21 pm

Thank you for all the information. I will get going on those lesson. I really appreciate it.

-Scott


# 5
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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09/08/2019 1:50 pm
Originally Posted by: scottintacoma253

Thank you for all the information. I will get going on those lesson. I really appreciate it.

You're welcome!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 6

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