5 Facts About the Blues You Might Not Know

The blues is a genre of music that is often misunderstood. Here are 5 facts about the blues that you might not know.

The origins of the blues

The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American communities in the American South in the late 19th and early 20th century. The blues is a style of music that is characterized by its use of the blue notes. The term “blue notes” refer to the lower pitched notes that are played in between the major notes in a scale.

The blues as a form of expression

The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American community in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. The term “blues” refers to the fact that the music is often melancholy or sad. The blues is also a form of expression, often used to communicate feelings of hardship or pain.

The origins of the blues are closely associated with the experience of African Americans in the American South. This includes both the hardships experienced during slavery, as well as the difficulties faced after emancipation. The blues was initially created and performed by African Americans who were looking for a way to express their feelings and experiences.

Over time, the blues has evolved and been taken up by other cultures. It has been adapted and modified by artists from all over the world, resulting in a wide variety of different styles and genres. Today, the blues can be heard everywhere from jazz clubs to rock concerts, and its influence can be seen in many different types of music.

The blues as a form of music

The blues as a form of music evolved from work songs, spirituals, field hollers, shouts and chants of both the African-American and white cultures in the American South. At its core, the blues has always been about expression, about vocalizing personal stories and afflictions in a style that was easily understood by everyone. For the original performers, the blues offered a way to communicate their daily trials and tribulations, as well as their hopes and dreams.

The first blues recordings were made by white country musicians in the early 1920s. But it was black artists like Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and Blind Lemon Jefferson who really popularized the genre and helped to shape it into what we know today. The classic blues sound is characterized by its 12-bar structure, its use of blue notes and its often honest and direct lyrics.

While the blues might have originally been born out of hardship, it has since gone on to inspire some of the most famous musicians in history, including Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, B.B. King and Eric Clapton. The genre has also given birth to other important musical styles like jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

The different types of blues

There are many different types of blues, from the classic blues of the early 20th century to the modern blues of today. The blues can be divided into two main categories: the 12-bar blues and the 8-bar blues.The 12-bar blues is the most common form of the blues and is usually played in a major key. The 8-bar blues is less common and is usually played in a minor key.

The 12-bar blues

The standard 12-bar blues is a chord progression lasting 12 measures that use three chords, typically the I, IV and V chords of a key. (In C: C-F-G.) A measure is two beats long, so the 12-bar blues divides nicely into 24 counts. Even if you don’t know anything about music theory or jazz chords, you’ve probably grooved to the 12-bar blues without even realising it.

The 8-bar blues

The most common form of the blues is the 8-bar blues. This form consists of eight bars of music, each of which is eight measures long. The 8-bar blues is sometimes called the “standard” blues because so many blues songs are based on this form.

The 8-bar blues is built on a basic chord progression of two chords: the tonic (I) and the subdominant (IV). In the key of C, these chords would be C and F. The tonic chord usually appears in bars 1, 4, and 5, while the subdominant chord appears in bars 2, 3, and 6. The other two chords in the 8-bar blues are the dominant (V) and the turnaround (ii). These chords typically appear in bars 7 and 8.

The tonic chord is also sometimes called the “home” chord because it gives a sense of resolution or rest after the other chords have been played. The subdominant chord also provides a sense of resolution, but it’s not as strong as the tonic chord. The dominant chord creates tension that needs to be resolved, which is why it’s often found in the last two bars of an 8-bar blues progression. The turnaround (ii) chord helps to create a sense of movement and keeps the progression from sounding too static.

The 16-bar blues

The 16-bar blues is the most common blues form. It consists of four 4-bar phrases and is usually played in 12 bars, using only three chords. The three chords used are the root, the fourth and the fifth of the major scale. For example, in the key of C, the chords would be C, F and G. The following is a typical 12-bar blues progression in C:

| C | C | C | C |
| — | — | — | — |
| F | F | C | C |
| G | F | C | C |

The last two bars are sometimes different from the first 10, using a VI-VII-I or IV-VI-VII progression instead of just I-IV-V. This adds more interest and tension to the resolution of the phrase.

The instruments used in blues music

The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American communities in the United States around the end of the 19th century. The term “blues” refers to the blue notes which are used in the music. The instruments used in blues music include the guitar, piano, and harmonica.

The guitar

The guitar is the most popular instrument in blues music, and it’s easy to see why. The guitar can be used to create a wide range of sounds, from the softest, gentlest melodies to the loudest, strongest rhythms. And, of course, the guitar is a very portable instrument, which means it’s easy to take with you wherever you go.

While the guitar is the most popular instrument in blues music, it’s not the only one. Other instruments commonly used in blues music include the piano, harmonica, and drums.

The piano

The piano is a featured instrument in blues music, and is often used as the main instrument in a blues band. Pianists such as Professor Longhair, Otis Spann, and Chuck Berry were some of the most influential musicians in the history of the blues. The piano provides a unique sound that is different from other instruments, and gives the blues its distinctive sound.

The harmonica

The harmonica is a staple in blues music, and was originally used in folk music of Europe and China. In the late 1800s, German immigrants brought the instrument to America, where it quickly became popular among rural blacks in the South. The harmonica is relatively inexpensive and easy to carry, making it ideal for street musicians.

The most common type of harmonica is the diatonic, which has 10 holes that produce 20 notes. The chromatic harmonica, which has 12 holes, is also used in blues. It allows for a greater range of notes, but is more difficult to play.

Harmonicas are played by blowing air into or sucking air out of the instrument. To produce a note, the player covers one or more of the holes with their lips and blows or sucks air into the instrument. The pitch of the note depends on which hole(s) are covered and how much air is being blown or sucked.

The famous blues artists

The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American communities of the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. It is characterized by its 12-bar structure, its call-and-response vocals, and its use of the blue notes. The blue notes are the flattened third, fifth, and seventh notes of the major scale.

B.B. King

B.B. King was one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time. He was born in Mississippi in 1925 and started playing guitar when he was just a young boy. He developed his own style of playing, which combined elements of both country and blues. His distinctive sound made him one of the most popular blues performers of the 1950s and 1960s. In 2005, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number three on their list of the greatest guitarists of all time.

Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters is one of the most famous blues artists. He was born in 1915 in the Mississippi Delta. He moved to Chicago in the 1940s, where he developed his own style of electric blues. Waters’s songs were popular with both black and white audiences. He influenced many other blues and rock musicians, includingJimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin. Waters died in 1983.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker was one of the most influential blues artists of all time. He was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1917 and was exposed to the blues from an early age. He began playing the guitar when he was 12 years old and developed his own style which incorporated elements of country, folk, and jazz. He moved to Detroit in 1943 and found success with his track “Boogie Chillen” which became a hit in 1948. He continued to record and perform until his death in 2001.

Some of his other famous tracks include “Boom Boom”, “I’m in the Mood”, and “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”. He influenced a generation of musicians including Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

The influence of the blues

The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The blues has had a significant influence on other genres of music, including rock and roll, jazz, and country. Here are five facts about the blues that you might not know.

The blues in rock and roll

The blues has been a major influence on rock and roll since its inception in the 1950s. Rock and roll would not exist without the blues. The blues is a style of music that originated in African American communities in the American South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is characterized by its use of blue notes, rhythm and blues, and electric guitar.

Rock and roll developed from a combination of African American musical traditions, including the blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, and country music. The genre emerged in the 1950s with artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and many other bands have all been influenced by the blues.

The blues in jazz

The blues has had a profound impact on jazz, helping to shape the genre and define its sound. Although it’s roots are in the African-American communities of the deep south, the blues has been adopted by musicians around the world and has influenced countless other genres, including rock, pop, and country. Here are five facts about the blues that you might not know.

1. The first published blues song was “The Memphis Blues” by W.C. Handy in 1912.
2. The first recording of a blues song was “Crazy Blues” by Mamie Smith in 1920.
3. The first electric guitar was used on a blues recording in 1938 on Robert Johnson’s “Sweet Home Chicago.”
4. Muddy Waters’ 1950 hit “Rollin’ Stone” is where the Rolling Stones got their name.
5. The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee hosts the annual Blues Music Awards, which are often referred to as the “Oscars of the blues.”