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New page: '''Blues''' is a genrea of music originating in America. It evolved from field shouts and hollers of slaves in the Deep South, and many of its properties are similar to those of ethnic...
'''Blues''' is a genrea of music originating in [[America]]. It evolved from field shouts and hollers of slaves in the Deep South, and many of its properties are similar to those of ethnic [[African]] music. These characteristics include [[tumbling strain]], [[call and response]] structure, and short, repetitive phrases. Blues is also known for its 12-bar chord progression and [[blue notes]], which can be found in a majority of blues songs.
There are distinct blues styles associated with [[Atlanta]], [[Chicago]], [[Detroit]], the [[East Coast]], [[Kansas City]], [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], the [[Mississippi Delta]] region, [[New Orleans]] (which is separate from Louisiana blues), [[St. Louis]], [[Texas]], and the [[West Coast]].
==Common Characteristics of Blues==
In modern blues the tumbling strain and call and response are usually combined together in a three phrase strain. The famous 12-bar format lends itself directly to this type of phrase structure: music phrases are often 4 bars long, which makes for 3 phrases per chord cycle. The first two phrases are based around the root chord, and the third line is based around the dominant chord in the scale.
There are some variations on the 12-bar format, but the most basic form is as follows:
Phrase one: I I / IV I I
Phrase two: IV IV I I
Phrase three: V IV I I / V
If the last chord is the dominant (V), then the last line is called a turn around line, because it turns the phrase around and sets it up for another cycle. Another variation is to make the last bar in each line a seventh chord.
==Beginning: Delta Blues==
The [[Delta Blues|Delta]] region southern Mississippi is known as “the land where blues was born.” This is where some of the first forms of blues were recorded in the 1920’s; however these recordings did not often represent the sound of live blues at the time. Live performances were usually a string band, but most recordings from the day were of a solo [[singer]] accompanying himself on the [[guitar]]. Nowadays, however, the entire band is recorded, sometimes adding [[brass]] and [[woodwind]] instruments on top of the standard [[harmonica]] (sometimes called a harp) and strings. The Delta style is also known for ''[[surge singing]]'', which is short, surging phrases of sound.
==Further Migration of Blues==
[[Chicago blues|Chicago style blues]] was started after the “great migration” of poor black workers into the industrial Northeast and Midwest in the first half of the twentieth century. Chicago style blues is traditional Delta style, but with electric guitar added as well as drums, bass, piano and sometimes saxophone. It has a more electrofied and gritty feel than the Delta style.
After the great migration blues moved across the country; it even was highly influential in the [[British rock invasion]] of the 60’s. Almost every modern American genre of music, especially [[jazz]], [[country music|country]], and [[rock and roll|rock]] were greatly influenced by, or inseparably linked with blues.
[[Category:Music]]
There are distinct blues styles associated with [[Atlanta]], [[Chicago]], [[Detroit]], the [[East Coast]], [[Kansas City]], [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], the [[Mississippi Delta]] region, [[New Orleans]] (which is separate from Louisiana blues), [[St. Louis]], [[Texas]], and the [[West Coast]].
==Common Characteristics of Blues==
In modern blues the tumbling strain and call and response are usually combined together in a three phrase strain. The famous 12-bar format lends itself directly to this type of phrase structure: music phrases are often 4 bars long, which makes for 3 phrases per chord cycle. The first two phrases are based around the root chord, and the third line is based around the dominant chord in the scale.
There are some variations on the 12-bar format, but the most basic form is as follows:
Phrase one: I I / IV I I
Phrase two: IV IV I I
Phrase three: V IV I I / V
If the last chord is the dominant (V), then the last line is called a turn around line, because it turns the phrase around and sets it up for another cycle. Another variation is to make the last bar in each line a seventh chord.
==Beginning: Delta Blues==
The [[Delta Blues|Delta]] region southern Mississippi is known as “the land where blues was born.” This is where some of the first forms of blues were recorded in the 1920’s; however these recordings did not often represent the sound of live blues at the time. Live performances were usually a string band, but most recordings from the day were of a solo [[singer]] accompanying himself on the [[guitar]]. Nowadays, however, the entire band is recorded, sometimes adding [[brass]] and [[woodwind]] instruments on top of the standard [[harmonica]] (sometimes called a harp) and strings. The Delta style is also known for ''[[surge singing]]'', which is short, surging phrases of sound.
==Further Migration of Blues==
[[Chicago blues|Chicago style blues]] was started after the “great migration” of poor black workers into the industrial Northeast and Midwest in the first half of the twentieth century. Chicago style blues is traditional Delta style, but with electric guitar added as well as drums, bass, piano and sometimes saxophone. It has a more electrofied and gritty feel than the Delta style.
After the great migration blues moved across the country; it even was highly influential in the [[British rock invasion]] of the 60’s. Almost every modern American genre of music, especially [[jazz]], [[country music|country]], and [[rock and roll|rock]] were greatly influenced by, or inseparably linked with blues.
[[Category:Music]]