The snake scales answer all of those questions asked in Part One. First, all the positions contain all the same notes so you can change positions any time you want. May I recommend changing on a downbeat to start.

You might want to begin by using the positions that start on the root of the chord that is being played, using the snake scale to get there and back. For example: position 1 for the I chord, position 3 for the IV, 4 for the V. How do you get there? Slide up the snake. On the strings where the snake scale uses 3 notes, slide up from the middle note with your 3rd finger, moving your whole hand into the next position. The middle note is also a note you can bend and you bend it up until it sounds like the note 2 frets higher.

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One of the big differences between a good blues player and a blues player that sucks is the sound of the scales. There is a distinct pattern to the style of fair-to-middlin’ players. It is a natural sound, reflecting the fact that they are still playing the scale rather than the notes. The rhythm is too regular and the pattern of notes too repetitive. “This” note always follows “that” note because it is the next note in the scale or it’s on an adjacent string. The trill always happens on “these” notes because they fall a fret apart, under the first and second finger, which are stronger than the ring and pinky so they trill better.

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Sounding like that is a natural biproduct of learning the scales the way we do. We all did it. At some point we sat down and learned the patterns and played them up one side and down the other until they became second nature. We move them around and plunk, plink, plunk our way up and down the scale “playing lead.” That isn’t a solo. You know it and they know it and it is a frustrating habit to break.

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