What’s the Typical BPM for Blues Music?

If you’re a fan of blues music, you might be wondering what the typical beats per minute (BPM) is for this genre. While there’s no definitive answer, we can give you a general idea of what to expect.

Introduction

Blues is a musical genre that originated in the United States in the late 19th century. It is characterized by its use of the blue note, and its Melodic basis in African American folk music. While there are many subgenres of blues, the typical BPM (beats per minute) range for most blues music is between 60 and 80 BPM.

The Tempo of Blues Music

The average tempo of blues songs is around 80-100 beats per minute (bpm). This range can differ depending on the subgenre of blues, with some songs being faster and others being slower. In general, though, the tempo of blues music is on the slower side.

Fast Blues

While the blues can be played at any tempo, fast blues is usually played at around 120-140 beats per minute (BPM). This up-tempo style is often used for dancing, and is sometimes referred to as “jump blues” or “juke joint blues”. Some well-known fast blues songs include:

-“Jump, Jive an’ Wail” by Louis Prima
-“Hoochie Coochie Man” by Muddy Waters
-“I Can’t Quit You Baby” by Willie Dixon
-“Messin’ With the Kid” by Junior Wells

Medium Blues

The tempo of blues music can vary depending on the style, but the typical range is between 70 and 110 beats per minute (bpm). Medium blues is generally between 90 and 105 bpm, while fast blues can be up to 120 bpm.

Slow Blues

The slow blues is a subgenre of blues music that originated in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It is a slower, more emotional style of blues that is generally played at a slower tempo than other blues styles.

There are many different subgenres of slow blues, but some common elements include soulful singing, prolonged chord progressions, and a focus on the emotionality of the music. Slow blues often makes use of minor key tonalities and chromaticism, which gives the music a feeling of heaviness or melancholy.

While slow blues can be traced back to the early days of the genre, it became increasingly popular in the postwar era, as artists began to experiment with different tempos and feelings in their music. Slow blues became particularly popular in the 1950s and 1960s, as artists like Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon began to experiment with longer, more emotional songs.

Today, slow blues is still very popular, and many modern artists have adopted the style. If you’re interested in exploration the slow blues, check out some of the classic songs from artists like Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf, and B.B. King.

The Feel of Blues Music

Shuffle Feel

Shuffle feel is a popular rhythm in blues music. It’s often described as a “laid back” groove and gives the music a swinging sensation. The term “shuffle” comes from the way the beat is divided between the two hands: the bass drum plays on beats 1 and 3, while the snare drum plays on beats 2 and 4. The hi-hat is usually played on the off-beats (between the snare hits), but it can also be played on beats 2 and 4.

The shuffle feel can be created with various combinations of drums and cymbals, but the most common setup is shown below. This basic groove can be embellished with additional drums and cymbals, or it can be simplified for a more stripped-down sound.

The shuffle feel is usually played at a moderate tempo, around 120-140 BPM, but it can range from slow to fast depending on the style of blues.

Swing Feel

The term “swing” is used to describe the feeling of rhythm in blues music. This “swing feel” is a rhythmic technique that was developed in the early days of jazz and is still used today in many different styles of music.

The “swing feel” can be created by playing a four-beat measure in triplets (i.e., 1-trip-let, 2-trip-let, 3-trip-let, 4-trip-let). This gives the music a bouncy, syncopated feel that makes it easy to tap your foot or nod your head along with the beat.

Some examples of songs with a swing feel are “Ain’t Misbehavin'” by Fats Waller and “All Blues” by Miles Davis.

Straight Feel

The blues feel is primarily associated with a backbeat that falls on beats 2 and 4 of a 4/4 measure. In other words, the kick drum would fall on 1 and 3, and the snare would fall on 2 and 4. This is sometimes also referred to as “on the one” or “on the two”, depending on where you accent the backbeat. The count for this feel would typically be 1, 2, 3, 4; 1, 2, 3, 4; etc. You can think of it as quarter note = 60 if that helps internalize the pulse.

There are variations of this basic feel that are commonly used in blues music. One popular variation is known as the “shuffle feel”. In this feel, the backbeat falls on beats 2 and 4 as before, but instead of playing a solid quarter note pulse on the hi-hat, sixteenth notes are played yielding a more syncopated sound. The count for this shuffle feel would be something like this: 1 e & a; 2 e & a; 3 e & a; 4 e & a; etc.

Another popular variation is known as the “slow drag” or “slow blues” feel. This feel is similar to the basic blues feel described above except that instead of playing eighth notes on the hi-hat, sixteenth notes are played giving it a slightly more driving sound. The count for this slow drag/slow blues feel would be: 1 e & ah; 2 e & ah; 3 e & ah; 4 e & ah; etc.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the answer to the question “What is the typical BPM for blues music?” is that there is no one answer. The genre of blues music is highly varied, and so is the tempo. Some songs may be slower and more relaxed, while others may be fast and upbeat. Ultimately, it is up to the artist to decide what tempo they want their song to be, and there is no correct or incorrect answer.