Blues Piano & Improvisation in the Slow Blues Style

Name: Blues Piano & Improvisation in the Slow Blues Style
Rating: 4.8 (193 reviews)

Improvise Blues Piano in the "Slow Blues" Style | An Intermediate to Advanced Blues Piano Course

Created byArthur Bird

Last updated 11/2025

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

How to play "Slow Blues" style piano
How to improvise Blues piano fluently
Learn a wealth of blues licks, riffs, scales and techniques
Upon completing the course you will be also be able to play five Blues piano pieces
Improve your hand and finger coordination with the vast amount of exercises
Improve your timing/ability to play with an even tempo with the use of the blues backing tracks

Course content

5 sections • 135 lectures • 5h 16m total length

Introduction2:52
Explore slow blues piano techniques, learn essential exercises, and integrate licks, riffs, and scales to improve improvisation and play along with blues pieces.
Course Navigation1:19
Navigate blues piano and improvisation in slow blues style with dual notation and keyboard visuals, read music or play by ear, and practice with backing tracks at adjustable playback speeds.
Bonus eBook Download0:10
The C Minor Blues Scale3:06
Learn the C minor blues scale in the key of C, with fingering for one octave and guidance to extend to two octaves through careful ascent and descent practice.
The C Minor Blues Scale (Supplement)0:11
A Quick Improv4:00
Explore a quick improvisation in the key of C using the C minor blues scale over four left-hand notes (C, B-flat, A, A-flat), with call-and-response and simple four-beat phrasing.
A Quick Improv (Supplement)0:24
The Basic Left Hand Chords4:27
Master the slow blues left-hand basics through a classic 12-bar blues form in C, practicing C7, F7, and G7 shapes with smooth fingering and steady counting.
The Basic Left Hand Chords (Supplement)0:17
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet Eighths (Simple Left Hand)3:43
Practice the minor blues scale in the right hand with triplet eighths, coordinating with the left hand to improvise a blues progression across two octaves starting at middle C.
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet Eighths (Supplement)0:43
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet Eighths with Backing Track3:34
Play along with a backing track to turn minor blues scale exercise with triplet eighths into jam, practicing at 50 and 70 bpm over 12 bars ending on C chord.
A Quick Tip on Playing Along to Tracks1:26
Learn to play along with backing tracks by pausing, listening, and dropping back in instead of rushing to catch up, enabling smoother improvisation in slow blues.
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Swung Eighths (Basic Left Hand Chords)5:31
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Swung Eighths (Supplement)0:41
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Swung Eighths with Backing Tracks2:32
Practice the minor blues scale with swung eighths alongside two backing tracks, using a reference point to compare timing, starting at a slower tempo and building to 70 bpm.
Thoughts on Practice1:04
Develop solid technique and smoothness on each lick before advancing, even if it takes days. Memorize patterns to improvise confidently in the moment.
Mixing Up the Rhythms & Improvising4:03
Mixing Up the Rhythms & Improvising0:17
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Alternating Rhythms (Basic Left Hand Chords)3:36
Practice the minor blues scale exercise, alternately swapping swing and triplet rhythms with the right hand over the left-hand chords, within two-bar blocks in the slow blues style.
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Alternating Rhythms (Supplement)0:04
Including the Sustain Pedal1:43
Use the sustain pedal to improve the sound in the slow blues style, and let left-hand cards guide when to reset it to prevent notes from merging.
Jumping Left Hand Pattern4:49
Expand the left hand with jumping patterns, moving roots down an octave to add bluesy variety, and practice until smooth while pairing right-hand improvisation over a C minor blues scale.
Jumping Left Hand Pattern (Supplement)0:43
Easy Left Hand Version (Without the Jumps)2:15
Easy Left Hand Version (Without the Jumps) - (Supplement)0:05
Minor Blues Scale Exercise (Jumping Left Hand) Triplet Eighths3:29
Practice the minor blues scale with a jumping left hand pattern and triplet eighths, applying the new left-hand technique to play smoothly, then join the backing track at 50 bpm.
Minor Blues Scale Exercise (Jumping Left Hand) Triplet Eighths - (Supplement)0:16
Minor Blues Exercise - Triplet Eighths - Simplified Left Hand (Without Jumps)2:02
Practice the minor blues exercise with a simplified left hand, without jumps, using the minor blues scale in the right hand with triplets, then combine hands and finish on c.
Minor Blues Exercise - Triplet Eighths - Simplified Left Hand (Supplement)0:06
Minor Blues Exercise - Swung Eighths with Jumping Left Hand Pattern1:53
Minor Blues Exercise - Swung Eighths with Jumping Left Hand Pattern (Supplement)0:07
Minor Blues Exercise - Swung Eighths - Simple Left Hand Pattern (Without Jumps)1:46
Practice the minor blues exercise with swung eighths using the simplified left hand, following the broken car pattern instead of jumps, for accessible blues piano improvisation.
Minor Blues Exercise - Swung Eighths - Simplified Left Hand Pattern0:04
A Quick Improv - Swung & Triplet Rhythms Over Left Hand Jumping Pattern5:55
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet 16ths (with Left Hand Jumping Pattern)3:58
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet 16ths (Supplement)0:15
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet 16ths (Simplified Left Hand)2:00
Minor Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet 16ths - Simplified Left Hand (Supplement)0:03

Rocking 3rds Riff in C (from the 5)5:50
Rocking 3rds Riff in C (from the 5) - (Supplement)0:25
Crushed/Slide Notes2:13
Explore crushed and slide notes in the C minor blues, using semitones quickly and finishing on a scale note to improvise from the flat fifth and third.
Crushed/Slide Notes (Supplement)0:29
Octave Harmony4:10
Octave Harmony (Supplement)0:39
Octave Harmony Exercise - Swung Eighths4:00
Octave Harmony Exercise - Swung Eighths (Supplement)0:07
Octave Harmony Exercise - Swung Eighths (Simplified Left Hand)2:30
Octave Harmony Exercise - Swung Eighths - Simplified Left Hand (Supplement)0:05
What You've Learnt So Far - Etude/Practice Piece4:04
What You've Learnt So Far - Etude/Practice Piece (Supplement)0:12
Building the Improv3:01
Explore improvising with minor blue scale in c, swung eighths, triplet eighths, triplet sixteenths, octave harmony, rocking thirds, and syncopated rhythms, focusing on the right hand over 12-bar blues backing.
Building the Improv (Supplement)0:34
Left Hand Chromatic Transitions & Turnaround Walk-Up6:10
Left Hand Pattern With Chromatic Transitions & Turnaround Walk-Up2:46
Master a slow blues left-hand pattern with chromatic transitions and a turnaround walk-up, moving through C, C-sharp, F, G, and related chords.
Left Hand Pattern With Chromatic Transitions & Turnaround Walk-Up (Supplement)0:47
To add some variety to the left hand, you can add some passing notes and also a turnaround using a walk-up.

To include this technique in your playing, before you hit the root of the next chord, play a note a semitone/half-step above or below to where you are going to. For instance if you are moving to an F bar, on the last beat of the previous bar you can play either an E or an F# as a transition.

Here is the left hand part with chromatic transition notes added:
Chromatic Transitions & Walk-Up Turnaround - Simplified Left Hand2:08
Chromatic Transitions & Walk-Up Turnaround - Simplified Left Hand (Supplement)0:17
Syncopated Rhythms3:19
Learn to improvise syncopated rhythms in slow blues piano by playing off the beat with swing feel, combining offbeat accents with existing rhythms and simple left-hand patterns.

Slow Blues Lick 13:38
Master a slow blues lick with left-hand chromatic transitions, a walk-up, octave harmony, and syncopation, beginning on middle C and moving to F sharp and C above, with triplet timing.
Blues Lick 1 (Supplement)0:09
Slow Blues Lick 22:20
Blues Lick 2 (Supplement)0:03
Slow Blues Lick 1 & 2 Practice Piece - Etude 27:58
Practice piece integrates left-hand chromatic transitions and an octave walk-up turnaround with blues lick 1 and 2, across a backing track to develop rhythm, timing, and triplet feel.
Slow Blues Lick 1 & 2 Practice Piece - Etude 2 (Supplement)0:07
Chromatic 3rds Turnaround with Octaves7:14
Explore a chromatic thirds with octaves turnaround in C for slow blues piano, learn its core voicings, left-hand patterns, and triplet timing to anchor 12-bar progressions.
Chromatic 3rds Turnaround with Octaves (Supplement)0:17
Chromatic 3rds Turnaround - Easier Variation3:21
Chromatic 3rds Turnaround - Easier Variation (Supplement)0:04
C7 Tremelo Chord Finish1:42
Blues Licks 1 & 2 - Etude 2 (with Chromatic 3rds Octave Turnaround)4:38
Blues Licks 1 & 2 - Étude 2 with Chromatic 3rds Octave Turnaround (Supplement)0:06
Blues Licks 1 & 2 - Étude 2 with Turnaround Variation (Supplement)0:07
Progressing in Blues - Etude 38:52
Progressing in Blues - Etude 3 (Supplement)0:26
Alternating Swung & Triplet Exercise (With Left Hand Chromatic Transitions)4:46
To give you the ability to improvise with the minor blues scale over those chromatic transitions and the walk-up turnaround, here is an exercise that alternates between the swung and triplet eighths rhythms in the right hand.
Alternating Rhythms Exercise with Chromatic Transitions & Walk-Up (Supplement)0:09
Octave Harmony Triplet Rhythms Exercise6:35
Octave Harmony Triplet Rhythms Exercise (Supplement)0:27

The Major Blues Scale2:25
The Major Blues Scale (Supplement)0:16
Major Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet 8ths5:05
Learn to play the major blue scale over the jumpy left-hand pattern using triplet eighths; practice two-octave right-hand figures with a chromatic transition and walk-up, then improvise with backing tracks.
Major Blues Scale Exercise - Triplet 8ths (Supplement)0:08
Major Blues Scale Exercise - Swung 8ths4:38
Major Blues Scale Exercise - Swung 8ths (Supplement)0:04
Practice Improv Play Along with the Major Blues Scale5:48
Hopefully now you feel comfortable with the major blues scale over that jumping left hand. Now I’d like you to have a go at improvising with the major blues scale in your right hand.
Improvisation - Mixing the Major & Blues Scales1:46
A Classic Blues Chords Riff7:03
Learn to integrate classic blues riffs with the slow blues pattern by applying a rocking left-hand pattern over the C, F, and G chords, used sparingly for variety.
A Classic Blues Chords Riff (Supplement)0:24
Classic Blues Chords Rocking Riff Over the Left Hand3:50
Classic Blues Chords Rocking Riff Over the Left Hand (Supplement)0:07
Classic Blues Riff - Playing Around With the Rhythms & Order of the Patterns3:15
Experiment with rhythm and order of right-hand patterns by varying rhythms, adding triplets, and using syncopation across C, F, and G riffs to build improvisational blues phrasing.
Integrating the Classic Rocking Riffs Into Your Improvising4:52
Now have a go to see if you can include some of these major rocking patterns in your improvising. You could start off by alternating every bar between the classic rocking riff and the other techniques you've been learning, then once you get used to that try to break away from the pattern and be free-er with your choices. (See video for example)
Slow Blues Lick 34:11
Slow Blues Lick 3 (Supplement)0:16
Slow Blues Lick 3 with Left Hand2:32
Learn right-hand blues riff while the left repeats a C pattern with triplets and a swung feel; practice the variation to control, then add more blues licks in next lecture.
Slow Blues Lick 3 with Left Hand (Supplement)0:04
Slow Blues Lick 45:56
Blues Lick 4 (Supplement)0:22
Slow Blues Lick 53:43
Slow Blues Lick 5 (Supplement)0:35
Slow Blues Lick 5 Extended2:12
left hand moves to f bar; right hand follows the c minor blues line, playing f, e flat, c, e flat, f with a triplet feel. practice to build speed.
Slow Blues Lick Extended (Supplement)0:13
Blues Licks 1-5 in Practice - Etude 47:07
Blues Licks 1-5 in Practice - Etude 4 (Supplement)0:16
Etude 4 with Alternative to Lick 5 (Supplement Only)0:07
It's Improv Time3:57
It's Improv Time (Supplement)0:28
A Few Tips on Improvising with Scales1:23
Explore blues improvisation by prioritizing rhythm and melodic ideas in scales over scale runs. Use the minor blues scale to craft melodies, repeat groups of notes, and create circular phrases.
A Few Tips on Improvising with Scales (Supplement)0:22
Slow Blues Lick 63:53
Blues Lick 6 (Supplement)0:16
Slow Blues Lick 75:36
Learn a slow blues piano lick that uses octave harmonies and triplet eighths, navigating E-flat, F-sharp, and G over a C and B-flat context to craft a smooth blues improvisation.
Blues Lick 7 (Supplement)0:12
Slow Blues Lick 7 with Left Hand3:44
Learn slow blues lick 7 with left hand, master triplets and swung endings, practice four-bar phrases, and extend the lick across twelve bars for a polished improvisational sound.
Blues Lick 7 with Left Hand (Supplement)0:09
Tremelo 3rds3:26
Master tremolo thirds on piano by rocking between two notes, such as e to g, and speed the pattern for expressive blues improvisation.
Tremolo 3rds (Supplement)0:26
Octave Blues Scale Solos in Right Hand3:31
Octave Blues Scale Solos in Right Hand (Supplement)0:21

The Slow Blues Cruise - Etude 511:35
The Slow Blues Cruise - Etude 5 (Supplement)0:34
The Slow Blues Cruise - Etude 5 - Part 29:45
The Slow Blues Cruise - Full Piece Played Slowly (Practice Reference)3:41
A Short Intro on the Dominant 5th1:52
A Short Intro on the Dominant 5th (Supplement)0:20
Putting it All Together in Improvisation2:45
Combine the learned blues piano techniques by alternating licks, switching between major blue scale and minor blue scale, and adding octave and left-hand walk up to improvise over 12-bar blues.
Putting it All Together in Improvisation (Supplement)0:11
Play Along Improv Practice - 45bpm3:40
play along with the left hand backing track to improvise on top, focusing on right-hand decisions and thinking ahead in a 12-bar form at 45 bpm, then 60 bpm.
Play Along Improv Practice - 60bpm2:15
Practice blues piano improvisation at 60 bpm by improvising the right hand with a backing track, while the left hand accompanies, counting two bars and repeating the 12-bar blues.
It's Over to You0:31
Try improvising with both hands and apply what we've learned, with or without backing tracks, to expand your flexibility and enjoy live blues piano.
Alternate Progression - The 8 Bar Blues5:42
Alternate Progression - The 8 Bar Blues (Supplement)0:23
The 8 Bar Blues - Applying Your New Skills5:13
Practice applying blues licks over the left-hand core progression in the slow blues. Integrate lick one, lick two, lick three with octave harmony and chromatic third turn around.
Closing Thoughts1:07

Requirements

Not for beginners! You must understand piano basics such as key names, basic rhythm and be able to play simple chords.
An understanding of how to read music notation would give you an advantage, but not required.
An understanding of basic blues concepts is preferable not essential.
A keyboard or piano.

Description

Take your blues piano playing to the next level with this course on blues piano and improvisation in the slow blues style! Beginning with a basic slow blues progression, it methodically builds your skills all the way to being able to freely improvise impressive blues piano. Throughout you’ll accumulate a wealth of licks, riffs and techniques that will have you creating blues sounds in a way that you’ve always wanted to!

Systematic Approach - The strength of the course comes from the systematic approach to implementing of every aspect or skill, with exercises that enable you to easily integrate your new abilities fluently into your improvisations.

Practice Pieces - It’s important to have the opportunity to put your new skills into practice. Which is why there are also specially designed blues pieces that incorporate every you’re learning as you progress, culminating in a final blues tune that shows off everything you’ve learnt in the course.

50+ Sheet Music Downloads – Everything in the course has been notated for those that can read music, with over 50 PDF downloads available!

Music Reading Ability Not Essential – You don’t need to be able to read music notation to take this course. Every scale, lick, riff, technique, exercise and practice piece is broken down and talked through during the video lessons by the instructor, for students that prefer to copy and play by ear. The tutorials include highlighted keyboard graphics, and the notation within the videos also include the note names (inside the note heads) for anyone that may find it useful.

Improvisation – Improvising is at the heart of Blues piano, which is why the course has a core focus on giving you the skills to be able to fluently improvise using a step-by-step approach.

Backing Track Downloads – So you can have even more fun whilst learning and playing the blues, the course also has backing tracks so you can play along to a blues band sound in the comfort of your own home.

Bonus eBook – Everyone learns differently, which is why as an added bonus the course includes a 60+ page eBook that you can download and print off, to further enhance the learning process.

Not For Complete Beginners - This course is not for beginners and assumes some previous knowledge on the piano, although it is still suitable for pianists that may be early on in their piano learning journey, because it starts with a gentle approach, and methodically builds to advanced levels as you move through.

START TODAY - So if you want to have fun improvising smooth blues piano right off the top of your head, then sign up, and start playing today!

Who this course is for:

Blues piano lovers who want to take their blues skills to the next level.
Piano players wanting to learn how to improvise in a smooth slow Blues style.

Blues Piano & Improvisation in the Slow Blues Style

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction39 lectures • 1hr 15min

Building Up the Blues20 lectures • 44min

Let's Take It Up A Notch20 lectures • 53min

Minor & Major Contrast41 lectures • 1hr 35min

Putting it All Together15 lectures • 50min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: