Another important aspect of articulating notes is the use of Accents. Accent markings are used to indicate notes which are to be played louder than other notes. There are two common types of accents, these being a tenuto accent (long) and a staccato accent (short).
The long accent is indicated by a horizontal wedge mark above or below the note. The short accent is indicated by a vertical wedge mark above or below the note.
Listen to the recording to hear the difference between these two accents. Practice this exercise until you can do it easily and then work on playing the Blues scale with both types of accents, separately and then alternating. It is recommended that you do this with all the scales in the book in all positions. This way you will develop the ability to use accents naturally whenever you feel them.
Here is an example which uses both types of accents. Try adding accents to phrases you already know and then make a habit of using accents in your improvising.