Flute · Level 7 · Advanced
The minor blues in A minor on Flute
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The minor blues follows the familiar 12-bar shape with minor seventh chords and a ♭VI7–V7 approach. It is a core jazz and blues form.
Am7
Notes: A · C · E · G
Dm7
Notes: D · F · A · C
F7
Notes: F · A · C · E♭
E7
Notes: E · G♯ · B · D
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: Am7, Dm7, F7 and E7. Press play on the card, then match each note.
- Keep a steady air stream between notes; for the higher notes, aim the air a little higher instead of blowing harder.
- Set the tempo to 66 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Mark bar nine clearly; it is where the ♭VI7 changes the colour.
- Play the chord tones one at a time, one note per beat, tonguing each note lightly (“too”).
- Raise the tempo to 88 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the half-step fall from ♭VI7 to V7.
Listen for
Aim for the half-step fall from ♭VI7 to V7. A common mistake is losing the form during the long stretches on i.
Why it works
♭VI7 is a tritone substitute for the V7 of V, leading by half step into V7.
A minor has no sharps or flats; its relative major key is C major.
Questions
What are the chords in i–iv–i–♭VI7–V7–i in A minor?
In A minor the progression is Am7 | Am7 | Am7 | Am7 | Dm7 | Dm7 | Am7 | Am7 | F7 | E7 | Am7 | E7.
What is the key signature of A minor?
A minor has no sharps or flats. Its relative major is C major.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 7 lesson (advanced). If it feels too hard, start with “Borrowed chords: the minor iv”.
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