Blues turnarounds are 'the bit at the end' of a blues progression.
A full description can be found in Olav Torvund's lesson (LSN-1).
These turnarounds are mainly in E, but I've put in a few in other
keys. They are just a collection of things I've picked up over the
years. I'd be very interested in any others anyone's got.
The timing for all is 4/4, and I've used triplets to try and convey
the timing, although it's not a 100% guaranteed accurate! Experiment,
and get the feel. 'Underlined' notes are the main beat (1 2 3 4), other
numbers the triplets. I've tried to identify songs where I can, but
I'm sure I've subconciously 'borrowed' most of them; Sorry Mr.
Johnson.... Where a song is given, try and listen to the record to
get a feel for the timing. The main thing with these is not
necessarily accuracy and timing, but getting that 'blues feel'.
Experiment with slides, slight bends, slightly late or early notes,
etc. until it feels 'bluesy'.
I tend to play most of these fingerpicked, but most are amenable to
plectrum with a bit of practice. If you like these, let me know, I'm
sure I can dig out some more if ht edemand is there...
Enjoy...
Turnarounds in E
----------------
A useful 'basic' turnaround in E is (L = slightly late):
L
|------------0--------0--------0--|--0-------------
|------3--------2--------1--------|--0-------------
|------4--------3--------2--------|--1-------3s-2--
|---------------------------------|----------2s-1--
|---------------------------------|----------3s-2--
|--0------------------------------|----------------
1 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 3 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
Picking the notes individually gives a different feel:
L
|---------0--------0--------0-----|--0-------------
|------------3--------2--------1--|--0-------------
|------4--------3--------2--------|--1--3s-2--
|---------------------------------|-----2s-1--
|---------------------------------|-----3s-2--
|--0------------------------------|----------------
1 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
Adding hammer-ons and slides gives more interest. Play these
as grace notes (i.e. short as possible). The hammer-on can
be 'trilled', i.e. rapidly hammered on and off (listen to
'Before You Accuse me' by Clapton for the effect). The final
B7 can slid to from above or below:
L
|----------0--------0--------0-----|-----0-------------
|-------------3--------2--------1--|-----0-------------
|----3s-4--------3--------2--------|--0-h1--1s-2--
|----------------------------------|--------0s-1--
|----------------------------------|--------1s-2--
|--0-------------------------------|----------------
1 + 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
An alternate last bar is (in the second bar, play
either the E or G string, whichever sounds best - don't
play both...):
L
|---------0--------0--------0-----|-----4--4--3--2--
|------------3--------2--------1--|-----0--0--0--0--
|------4--------3--------2--------|--1--4--4--3--2--
|---------------------------------|---------------
|---------------------------------|---------------
|--0------------------------------|--0-------------
1 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 1 + 2 + 3 (4)
- - - - - - - -
For a change, finger the E string as well, and try a
different arpeggio...
L
|-----4--------3--------2-----0--|-------------
|--------3--------2--------1--0--|-------------
|--4--------3--------2--------1--|-----0s-1s-2-
|--------------------------------|--------0s-1-
|--------------------------------|-----0s-1s-2-
|--------------------------------|-------------
1 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 3 4 (1) + 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
There are 'endless' variations on this one, and
experimentation is recommended. The next one is bit more
complicated, and is is a double-stopped run. Try
experimenting around the shapes in the examples above,
and bits of the E7 chord, to get similar effects.
t is a 'bendy tremelo'.
|-----------------------------|--------------
|-----3s-4s-3--0--------------|--------------
|-----2s-3s-2--0--------------|--------1s-2--
|-----------------0--2--2-----|--2-----0s-1--
|-----------------0--2--------|--------1s-2--
|--0--------------------3t-0--|-----0--------
1 g + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
For the rest of the turnarounds, I've just given one, basic
version, but the same effects can be achieved with slides,
hammer-ons, different pickings, etc. Again, experiment until
something sounds good. Try and achieve variety; a long blues
song has a lot of turnarounds...
Some other basic ones...
|-----0-----0-----0--------|--------0-----2--
|--------------------------|-----0-----3--0--
|--------4-----3-----2--0h-|--1-----------2--
|--------------------------|--------------1--
|--------5-----4-----3-----|--------------2--
|--0-----------------------|-----------------
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 2 3 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
This can 'triplet-ed' for slow stuff. 9ths are used instead
of 7ths for a different, 'jazzier' feel.
|-----0-----0--------0--------0-----|-----3s-2--
|-----------------------------------|-----3s-2--
|--------4-----4--3-----3--2-----2--|--1--3s-2--
|-----------------------------------|-----2s-1--
|--------5--------4--------3--------|--2--32-2--
|--0--------------------------------|-----------
1 + 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
Here's a few runs for turnarounds.
It's a bit difficult to express the timing of this one. The
hammer-on is a grace note, and the pull-off run is in the
time of half a note.
L
|-----------0--------------------------|-----2--
|--------0-----3--0--------------------|-----0--
|--0h-1--------------3p-2p-0-----0-----|-----2--
|-----------------------------2-----2--|--0--1--
|--------------------------------------|-----2--
|--------------------------------------|--------
g 1 2 3 2 + |--3--| + 4 + 1 +
- - - - -
This one is quite simple, and be played quite fast with a
plectrum or picked.
|-----------------------------|--------
|--------3--------------------|--------
|--3s-4-----2--0--------------|--------
|-----------------2--0--2--0--|--------
|-----------------------------|--2--2--
|-----------------------------|--------
g 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 +
- - - - -
This one is from a Lightnin' Sam Hopkins song - I've
probably cobbled it together from lots of his stuff. Try
'Bald-Headed Woman' if you can get hold of it (I may be
wrong). Don't worry too much about the timing of the
'fast bit', just fit it in. It's written down as
16th notes. Bend the G with a bit of tremolo for best
effect.
|--------------------------------|--------------
|--------------------------------|--------------
|--------------------------------|--------3--2--
|--------0h-2p-0-----0--2--------|--------2--1--
|-----2-----------2--------3-----|-----3-----2--
|--0--------------------------3b-|--0-----------
1 + 2 a + a 3 + 4 + 1 +
Here's a couple of ideas for turnarounds up the neck. This
one is "Malted Milk" by Robert Johnson, (almost) as done by
Clapton on "Unplugged". (I've simplified the ending a bit)
L
|--------7--7--6--6-----5--|--5--------2--
|--------6--6--5--5-----4--|--4--------0--
|--------6--6--5--5-----4--|--4--------2--
|-----6--------5--5-----4--|--4--0h-1--1--
|--------------------------|-----------2--
|--0-----------------------|--------------
1 + 2 + 3 + (4) + 1 + 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
This is a slight variation, using diminished chords). It
sounds best in a slow blues, otherwise you don't hear the
subtlety in the second bar (i.e. the G string change).
|-----7--7--6-----6-----5--|--5--5--5--
|-----6--6--5-----5-----4--|--4--4--4--
|-----7--7--6-----6-----5--|--5--4--4--
|-----6--6--5-----5-----4--|--4--4--4--
|--------------------------|-----------
|--0-----------------------|-----------
1 + 2 3 (2) 3 (4) + 1 2 + (3 4)
- - - - - - - -
|-----9--9--9--8-----8--8-----8--|--7------7--0h-2--
|-----7--7--7--6-----6--6-----6--|--5------5--0--0--
|--------------------------------|------------0h-2--
|--------------------------------|---------------1--
|--------------------------------|---------------2--
|--0-----------------------------|------------------
1 2 2 3 3 (2) 3 4 (2) 3 1 (2) 3 2 +
- - - - - -
For other variations, try bits of other inversions of
B7 and E7 chords at the appropriate places.
Finally in E, Not really a turnaround, but a nice finish
to a song (i.e. the last turnaround) is to slide into E9.
Let the final chord ring. You can even do a slow slide down
after it's rung for a bit.
|-----6-s7----
|-----6-s7----
|-----6-s7----
|-----7-s8----
|-----6-s7----
|--0-------
1 2 +
- -
Turnarounds in Any Key
----------------------
Handy in a solo... (of the right 'feel'). This is in G -
move it up and down the neck as required (i.e. to 5 for
A, 6 for Bb, etc.).
|--3-----3--3-----3--3-----3--3--------|-----
|--6--------5--------4--------3--------|--3--
|--------------------------------------|--5--
|--------------------------------------|--4--
|--------------------------------3-h4--|-h5--
|--------------------------------------|-----
1 (2) 3 2 (2) 3 3 (2) 3 4 2 3 1 (2 3 4)
- - - - - - - -
You can substitute 9ths for the end of this, e.g.
|--3-----3--3-----3--3-----3--3--3s-4s-|--5--
|--6--------5--------4--------3--3s-4s-|--5--
|--------------------------------3s-4s-|--5--
|--------------------------------2s-3s-|--4--
|--------------------------------3s-4s-|--5--
|--------------------------------------|-----
1 (2) 3 2 (2) 3 3 (2) 3 4 2 3 1 (2 3 4)
- - - - - - - -
Experiment with only bits of the (9th) chords, e.g. 3rd,
4th and 5th strings only.
The 1st run in E (above) is also good in any key; I take
it up to the 8th fret for blues in C. Listen to "I'm Tore
Down" by Clapton (From the Cradle) for use of similar stuff
(He did it long before me...). Try with this start to the
run if higher up the neck - this is in A:
L
|--------5--------------------------|--------
|-----5-----8--5--------------------|--------
|--7b-------------8p-7p-5-----5-----|--------
|--------------------------7-----7--|--5-----
|-----------------------------------|-----7--
|-----------------------------------|--------
1 2 3 2 + |--3--| + 4 + 1 +
- - - - -
Turnarounds in A
----------------
This is from Robert Johnson's "32-20 Blues". It's a bit
simplified.
-----|--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|--------0----
-----|--------------------------------------|-----------3-
-----|--------------------------------------|--0-h1-------
-----|--4--------3--------2--------1--------|-------------
--0--|--------------------------------------|-------------
-----|--------------------------------------|-------------
(4)+ 1 2 3 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 3 2 (3 4)
- - _ - - - - - -
Turnarounds in Open G (DGDGBD)
-----------------------------
This is from a Robert Johnson song, I think it was
"Kind-Hearted Woman". Use a bottleneck for the slide. The
'g's in this and the next one are grace notes.
G--------------------------------------|-----------------
B--------------------------------------|-----------------
G-----------------0--------0--0--0--0--|--0--------------
D-----------3--------2--------1--------|-----------0--0--
G--------------------------------------|-----2s-4--------
D-----------3--------2--------1--------|--0--------------
1 (2) 3 2 (2) 3 3 (2) 3 4 2 3 1 g + 2 +
- - - - - -
This is from "Walking Blues". Clapton also does this on
"Unplugged". Use a bottleneck for the slide.
G-----------------------------------------|--------
B--0--0--0--0-----0--0-----0--0-----------|--------
G--0--0--0--0-----0--0-----0--0-----------|--0--0--
D--3--------2--------1--------0-----3s-4--|--------
G-----------------------------------------|--------
D-----------------------------------------|--------
1 (2) 3 2 (2) 3 3 (2) 3 4 (2) g 3 1 + (2 3 4)
- - - - -
Steve Wells (aka Fatbelly)
swells@bnr.co.uk
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