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Blues
Blues developed after the Civil War in the American South and was heavily influenced by work songs, church music, and the folk music of the white population. Characterized by swing rhythm and a variety of instruments like harmonicas, drums, and double bass, blues is known for its poetic and profound lyrics that tell stories of personal struggles, joyful events, and everyday experiences.
MUSIC THEORY
Blues is usually played in 4/4 time but slower blues pieces, like ballads, are played in 12/8 time. Often times blues feature a syncopated beat.
The most common form of blues is 12 bar-blues, a repeating progression of chords and made up of three 4-bar segments. The chords are usually placed on the first (I), fourth (IV), and fifth (V) notes of a six-note scale. The 12-bar form is a basic structure and follows a pattern of I-I-I-I, IV-IV-I-I, V-IV-I-I. However this is flexible and depends on the artist's style.
Known for its "call and response" structure, vocal phrases "call" and instrumentation "responds."
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