Lesson 7 - 2nd November 2016

In the final hour of this lesson, I will be going through your blogs with you. You should make sure everything is up-to-date and also:

i) Give an account of your practice over half term.
ii) Outline some of the features of blues music.
iii) If you have not already, choose your solo for your allotted style.

Blues

Rhythm: time signature 12/8 to give the characteristic shuffle sound of blues (often for slow blues). This is scored as a crotchet followed by a quaver.

Snare on the backbeat.

4/4 is common as well. 

Harmony: 12 bar blues, this is the most basic version of the 12 bar blues (it uses chords I, IV and V)

| E | E | E | E |

| A | A | E | E |

| B | A | E | E |

There are variations on this, one of the most complex being

| E | A | E | E7 |

| A | Bbo | E | C# |

| F#m7 | B7 | E-C#m | F#m7-B7 |

Melody: blues scale - the notes of this are: I - iii - IV - dimV - V - vii 

i.e. A - C - D - Eb - E - G  or  E - G - A - Bb - B - D 

AAB rhyme structure: this means that the first four bars are repeated and then the final four bars are slightly different. The variation of the A theme comes when the melody line is repeated and starts over chord IV rather than chord I.