What Makes Blues Music Blues?

The blues is a genre of music with a rich history and tradition. What makes blues music blues? Let’s explore the answer to this question.

The Birth of the Blues

It is generally accepted that the Blues were born out of the African-American experience in the deep south of the United States around the end of the 19th century. But how did this music, which was born out of such hardships, come to be so beloved by people all over the world?

The early history of the blues

The early history of the blues is shrouded in mystery, but there is no doubt that the blues played an important role in the development of American popular music. The blues evolved from the work songs, field hollers, and spirituals of African-American slaves, and it was first popularized by black musicians in the southern United States.

The first recorded blues song was “Crazy Blues,” released in 1920 by Mamie Smith and her Jazz Hounds. This song signaled the beginning of a new era in music, and within a few years, the blues had spread from its roots in the southern states to become a national phenomenon.

By the 1930s, the blues had evolved into a distinct musical genre, with its own characteristic sound and style. Chicago became a major center for blues music, and artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf helped to shape the sound of the electric blues. In the 1940s and 1950s, artists like B.B. King and John Lee Hooker took the blues to new heights, and their music continues to influence musicians today.

The transition from work songs to the blues

The transition from work songs to the blues was a gradual process that occurred over the course of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The earliest blues songs were simply adaptations of existing work songs, with new lyrics that reflected the singer’s personal experiences of love, heartbreak, and poverty. As these songs spread from region to region, they began to incorporate elements of other popular music styles, such as ragtime and gospel. By the 1920s, the blues had developed into a distinct musical genre with its own characteristic sound and feeling.

The Elements of the Blues

There are several elements that make up the blues genre of music. These include the call and response format, the use of blue notes, and the 12-bar blues progression. The blues is a unique genre of music that has influenced many other genres of music.

The 12-bar blues

The 12-bar blues is the most common blues chord progression. It is commonly used in blues music and in rock, jazz, and pop music. The chord progression usually consists of 12 bars, or measures, played in 4/4 time. Most 12-bar blues progressions use three chords: the tonic (the “home” chord, often represented by a Roman numeral), the subdominant (usually represented by a IV), and the dominant (usually represented by a V). For example, in a major key, the tonic would be I, the subdominant would be IV, and the dominant would be V. In a minor key, the tonic would be i, the subdominant would be iv, and the dominant would be V.

In a 12-bar blues progression in a major key, the first four bars would typically be I-I-I-I, the next two bars would be IV-IV, the next two bars would be V-V, and the last four bars would typically be I-I-I-I. In a 12-bar blues progression in a minor key, the first four bars might be i-i-i,-i, followed by iv-iv,, v-v,, and i-i-.

The most common variation of the 12 bar blues is known as “quick change,” which uses i7-IV7-V7 instead of just I-, IV-, and V-. This variation gives the progression a more modern sound.

The key of the blues

The key of the blues is the key of minor thirds. This can be seen in the way that the blues scale is made up of a series of minor thirds:

If we take a C blues scale as an example, we can see that it consists of the notes C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb and C – all minor thirds apart from each other.

This gives the blues its distinctive ‘bluesy’ sound, which is created by the clash between the major third (the note that would usually resolve a chord progression) and the flat third interval found in the blues scale.

The sound of the blues

The sound of the blues is often described as melancholy, sad or downbeat. The music is based on a 12-bar chord progression, which gives it a distinctive structure. The lyrics often deal with personal themes such as heartbreak, loneliness and rejection.

The blues began in the American South in the late 1800s, when African-American musicians began to combine African musical traditions with European styles such as gospel and folk. The resulting sound was raw and expressive, and it quickly gained popularity both among black audiences and white listeners.

Over the next few decades, the blues evolved and split into several different subgenres, including country blues, urban blues and Delta blues. These styles all have their own distinctive sounds and themes, but they all retain the original music’s feeling of pain and loss.

The Influence of the Blues

The blues is a genre of music that is steeped in history and tradition. The blues has its roots in the African-American experience, and its sound is reflective of the pain and suffering of the black experience in America. The blues is a genre of music that is steeped in history and tradition. The blues has its roots in the African-American experience, and its sound is reflective of the pain and suffering of the black experience in America.

The blues today

The blues today is widely recognized as a legitimate music genre and has been updated for modern audiences. While it still draws on its origins in the Deep South, the blues today has been electrified and incorporates elements of rock and roll, R&B, and even country music. Did you know that several popular artists got their start in the blues? Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Willie Dixon are all legendary blues musicians who have shaped the sound of popular music as we know it.

The influence of the blues on other genres of music

The blues is a genre of music that has its roots in African-American culture. It is a style of music that is characterized by simple, repeating melodic phrases and a 12-bar chord progression. The blues has influenced many other genres of music, including rock and roll, jazz, and country.

The blues has been described as the “foundation of American music.” The blues has had a significant impact on other genres of music, including rock and roll, jazz, and country. The blues is a genre of music that originated in African-American communities in the American South in the late 19th century. The blues is characterized by simple, repeating melodic phrases and a 12-bar chord progression. The blues has been influenced by many other genres of music, including European folk music, gospel, and ragtime.