| Blues music is very widespread in popularity across | | | | Bar:5 - Sub-dominant (Fourth) |
| the globe. It is found in what could be considered | | | | Bar:6 - Sub-dominant (Fourth) |
| 'pure' blues and also styles of music that owe their | | | | Bar:7 - Tonic (First) |
| existence to blues - rock and jazz being the most | | | | Bar:8 - Tonic (First) |
| obvious examples. Originating in the late 1800's in the | | | | Bar:9 - Dominant (Fifth) |
| Southern States of America, it was developed by | | | | Bar:10 - Sub-dominant (Fourth) |
| the African American population originally brought to | | | | Bar:11 - Tonic (First) |
| America as slaves. Blues in its earliest form evolved | | | | Bar:12 - Tonic (First) |
| from a melting pot of styles including traditional | | | | The blues is such an interesting style of music, and |
| African folk music, vocal chanting, work songs and | | | | one of the major reasons for this is the phrasing of |
| gospel music. | | | | the lead instrument. This is usually vocals or Blues |
| The musical structure of blues revolves around the | | | | Guitar, but can also be harmonica, saxophone, piano |
| use of 3 chords which are played as a repeating | | | | etc.. The lead instrument often overlaps the rhythmic |
| progression within a 12 bar cycle. This is what is | | | | grouping of the actual 12 bar chordal structure. To |
| commonly known as 12 bar blues. These chords are | | | | demonstrate this, think of the 12 bar progression as |
| based on the first, fourth and fifth degrees of the | | | | 3 instances of 4 bars. For the first 2 groupings of 4 |
| key that the music is played in. For example, if a | | | | bars (bars 1-4, then bars 5-8) the lead instrument is |
| piece of music was in the key of A major, the | | | | often quite similar - phrasing wise, but then the 3rd |
| chords used will be A major(First degree ), D major | | | | instance (bars 9 -12) there is tension created by |
| (Fourth degree), and E major (Fifth Degree). This is | | | | starting on the dominant(5th) which is finally resolved |
| commonly expressed as a I-IV-V progression (it is | | | | by returning back to the tonic (1st). |
| common to express chord progressions in terms of | | | | An example of this is the lead vocal in "Texas Flood" |
| Roman numerals). Another way to express these | | | | by Stevie Ray Vaughnbars 1-4: 'Well it's flooding |
| chords is: | | | | down in Texas, all of the telephone lines are |
| Tonic(First note of the musical scale), Sub-dominant | | | | down'bars 5-8: 'Well it's flooding down in Texas, all of |
| (fourth tonal degree), and Dominant (Fifth degree of | | | | the telephone lines are down'bars 9 -12: 'And I've |
| the scale). | | | | been trying to call my baby, Lord and I can't get a |
| These 3 chords are then used in a repeating 12 bar | | | | single sound' |
| progression that follows this format: | | | | Notice how the lyrics for bars 1-4 repeat for bars 5-8 |
| Bar:1 - Tonic (First) | | | | before creating tension and finally resolving in the final |
| Bar:2 - tonic (First) | | | | four bars. Many blues guitar solos are similar to this |
| Bar:3 - Tonic (First) | | | | with the melody or motif repeating or sounding very |
| Bar:4 - Tonic (First) | | | | similar across the first 2 sets of 4 bars. |