In one sentence: C minor pentatonic with Gb, a passing blue note between F and G.

Formula and map

• Formula: 1-♭3-4-♭5-5-♭7.
• Notes: C-Eb-F-Gb-G-Bb.
• The minor pentatonic is C-Eb-F-G-Bb; Gb adds tension between F and G.

Useful fingering

• Right hand up: 1-2-3-4-1-2-3. Down: 3-2-1-4-3-2-1.
• Left hand up: 5-4-3-2-1-3-2. Down: 2-3-1-2-3-4-5.
• Group C-Eb-F, then Gb-G-Bb to prepare the crossing.

Do it, use it, understand it

1. Do it: play F-Gb-G slowly and evenly.
2. Use it: over C7-F7-G7, answer a short phrase with another one that includes a rest.
3. Understand it: Gb does not replace G; it is the rub that makes the arrival at G clear.
4. Listen: in B.B. King's “The Thrill Is Gone,” follow the rests between phrases; use the phrasing as a reference, not the recording's key.

Listening and context

Minor-blues vocabulary travelled from singing and acoustic guitar to electric bands. Listen to B.B. King or Muddy Waters for phrasing and the blue note; they are style references, not pitch maps for C.

Common mistakes

• Do not confuse Gb with G: play them back to back to hear their closeness.
• As an initial practice, keep Gb moving toward F or G.
• Do not accent every finger equally: silence also shapes a phrase.

Checklist

• I can locate Gb between F and G.
• I can play one octave without losing the pulse.
• I can use F-Gb-G as a short connection.
• I leave a clear space between two phrases.