More Blues Chord Progressions and Georgia on My Mind

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More about Blues Chord Progressions.

After you get comfortable playing the classic I IV I V I blues progression and have played it enough times you will want to explore other Blues Chords progressions.

You will find that the blues is more a feeling than it is just that basic three chord progression.

One of my favorite Blues chord progressions is The classic blues progression for "Georgia on my mind" by Hoagy Charmichael and Stuart Gorrell.

While learning to play this Classic song you will learn to expand your knowledge of blues chord progressions in general and how to use the blues scales and pentatonic scales you have learned over more interesting chord movement.

You may even be inspired to write your own blues songs using some of the tricks you will learn.

In this lesson I will give you the basic chord progression along with the lyrics ( for those of you who sing ), and analyize how the chords function in the key of C in this case.

I will also give you the scales that I use to play over the chords in the hope that it will help you improve you improvisation skills.

The chords and lyrics...

Georgia On My Mind

Words & Music by Hoagy Carmichael & Stuart Gorrell
Recorded by Ray Charles, 1960 (#1)
Also by Willie Nelson, 1976

Georgia, Georgia,
The whole day through
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

I'm say Georgia
Georgia
A song of you
Comes as sweet and clear
As moonlight through the pines

Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you

I said Georgia,
Ooh Georgia, no peace I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you

Georgia,
Georgia,
No peace, no peace I find
Just this old, sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

I said just an old sweet song,
Keeps Georgia on my mind

To get the most from this lesson on Blues Chord Progressions......

If you cannot see the computer screen and your keyboard at the same time I suggest that you make a copy of this arrangement to follow along.

Get familiar with the chords in both hands before you start to attempt to "solo" or improvise.

If you need some help figuring out some of the chords see the lesson on Chord Formulas first.

What makes the song "bluesy" is the use of a lot of seventh chords that are not directly related or "diatonic" to the key of C.

Notice in particular the E 7 in measures 2, 10, 16, and 26. Though they are diatonic to the key they act as the V7 chord of Am which is related or diatonic to the key.

The same holds true of the A9 and A7 chords where they resolve to Dm.

In these instances you are leaving the key of C only briefly which allows you to still use the C pentatonic and C blues scale through out the song.

Learning to solo over chord changes will take trial and error and practice and you will develop your own style and feel which is the real beauty and fun of making music on keyboards.

As you watch the video lesson feel free to take what you like and make it your own.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson on Blues Chord progressions and be sure to use the contact form on the page to ask question and suggest songs or lessons that wold help you reach your musical goals......

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