Theory Workshop No.6
Blues Progressions & Turnarounds
Workshop Details
Session Dates:
- Thurs 9th April 2026 @3pm(BST)
- Thurs 16th April 2026 @3pm(BST)
Unlock the next level of your blues playing with a practical, bass‑focused look at real‑world blues progressions and turnarounds. Across two 60‑minute sessions, you’ll move beyond a single 12‑bar pattern and learn how 12, 8 and 16‑bar blues - plus more jazz‑flavoured blues - actually work, sound and feel under your fingers.
In Part 1 (9 April, 3pm), we’ll map out the core blues forms you’ll meet at jams and in songs: standard 12‑bar, common 12‑bar variations, and a classic 8‑bar blues. You’ll learn simple but musical bass patterns you can reuse in any key, and start building a small “turnaround toolbox” of short lines that clearly lead you back to bar 1.
In Part 2 (16 April, 3pm), we’ll expand into 16‑bar and more jazz‑orientated blues progressions. You’ll see how extra chords and ii-V movements change the feel, and how to keep your bass lines clear and supportive using roots, 5ths and a few well‑chosen approach notes. We’ll finish by practising several plug‑and‑play turnaround ideas you can adapt across all the forms.
This workshop follows on from the last three walking workshops and is designed for high‑beginner to intermediate hobbyists who already know basic scales/chords and want to feel more secure when someone “calls a blues”. You’ll get diagrams and example lines to keep, time for Q&A, and guided play‑along sections so you can immediately hear and feel the difference in your own playing.
- Dates: Thurs 9th April & 16th Thurs April, 3pm BST
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Format: Two x 60‑minute group Zoom sessions + homework + replays
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Price: $70 / £55
Replays available after each session so you can catch up or re-watch workshops
Norman Nimmo-Smith
"By the end of Workshop No.2 I had the confidence to create my own riffs and fills using the pentatonic and blues scales - a rewarding personal achievement"
Martin Carman
"I took part in your Walking Workshop and loved it! Your explanation of why All My Loving works has given me the knowledge and confidence to stray away from the chord tones in other songs. Thanks!"
Ken Suski
"Greg comes through for the working bassist with applying scales and modes to developing bass lines and some great ideas for solos or bass features within a song"
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Lee Fowble
"Thank you Greg for putting together your theory workshop. Beginning bassists should find it to be a perfect foundation upon which they can build upon"
Barry Eisenberg
"I thoroughly enjoyed the GBS 2-part Theory Workshop on chords and chord structures. A great mix of new information and insights combined with a helpful review of some previous materials. Totally worth the time and effort, and am now looking forward to Part 3!"
Laurel Latimer
"With an infectious enthusiasm for bass and a gift for teaching it, Greg's engaging and systematic approach make the Bass Shed an enriching hub for learning and playing!"
