View the full lesson at The Blues Curl on the Flat 3rd | JustinGuitar
Seems recently we had a discussion about facial expressions while play and a few examples were given, even our own @kasper. There’s some classics here from Justin around the 7:46 mark. I’ve yet to find a lesson on how to do this. May be its one for @JustinGuitar to add as part of the Grade 3 syllabus ? Gurning The Blues ? 
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Now now, you’re asking for trouble mister! 
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Love it!
Maybe Richard can add a side course on facial expressions for gnarly guitar playing.
The ones Justin makes in this video are clearly far to advanced for me.
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Quick question, I understand why curling the b3 works in a major blues progression, but what about curling the b3 in a minor blues progression? Does it typically work? Ive tried it and have mixed feeling about it.
Given the logic of curling the b3 interval closer the major pitch of the chord being played, does that mean when switching to the E7 chord of the 12 bar blues you would now apply the curl to the b3rd of that chord (the note G) instead of the note C? Thanks!
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No. Yuck.
That is an ‘avoid’ in minor blues.
The A minor pentatonic contains the b5 of the V chord (G is b3 of E7).
The curl on the G can work.
Try it to see if you like it.
The same doesn’t really apply to the IV chord. The note F is the b3 of D7 and is an avoid note in a blues in A major.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. So what about curling the note C whilst the IV chord part of the progression (in this case the D7 chord) is playing.
I think it’s this area that confuses me. The videos and text suggests to me that the C note is suitable to curl throughout the chord progression in the Key of A (so I can curl the note C over the A, D and E chords). But surely the context of that note changes depending upon the chord I am playing it over.
And to your point about the note F being bad over the D7 - I can absolutely hear that, but I don’t understand why. How is it different to playing the C over the A chord or the G over the E chord? It’s all just playing the b3 over the major third in the equivalent chord, and I have to assume it would work if I had switched the the D minor pentatonic for the IV chord (which obviously would have included the F interval).
I’m not expecting you to reply all of this btw, i’m just venting because I don’t understand why it works in 2 of the 3 instances.
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@Kaz1980
If you like the sound of the blues curl on the C note regardless of the chord then use it.
If it sounds good it is good.
You’re right that the function of the note, or the way it can be described varies from chord to chord.
A7 → b3rd pushing towards major 3rd
D7 → b7th pushing towards major 7th
E7 → b6th pushing towards 6th.
Why does F not work in a blues in A?
It’s one of life’s mysteries. It is just generally acknowledged as not sounding so good and isn’t in the blues language.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply.
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