Posted Wed, 08/13/2014 - 10:20 by David Barrett Admin
Here's the 12 Bar Blues Form... one bar for each chord symbol (roman numerals):
I I I I
IV IV I I
V IV I V
The only place where four bars of the same chord happens is in the first four bars (first line). So, if you don't hear any movement to another chord from the band for more than two bars, you know you're somewhere in the first part of the form.
In the second line, the IV Chord lasts for two bars and then the I Chord for two bars. If you hear two bars and then a chord change, then you're somewhere between bars 5 and 9. continue reading...
Posted Thu, 03/27/2014 - 08:19 by David Barrett Admin
What you find in "Key to the Highway" are our standard I, IV and V Chords, but in a different order. Here's the chord progressions:
I V IV IV
I V I V
The first line of four bars has the I Chord (one chord) for one bar, then a bar of the V Chord and then two bars of the IV Chord.
The second line has the I Chord for one bar, then the V Chord for one bar and the last two bars are our standard turnaround (the same as found in the last two bars of our 12 Bar Blues Progression).
Now try playing the root notes with your C Harmonica in 2nd Position, Key of G..
Posted Wed, 03/26/2014 - 08:43 by David Barrett Admin
You probably already know that 12 Bar Blues is the most common form in blues. What's the second most common?... 8 Bar Blues. Listen to Little Walter's version of "Key to the Highway." Knowing that 2 Draw is the root note of the I Chord (one chord), 1+ is the root note of the IV Chord and 1 Draw is root note of the V Chord, see if you can figure out the chord progression. You'll need your C Harmonica for this (the song is in the key of G).
Hint, the first four bars is a standard V-IV-I-Turnaround, then it goes into an 8 Bar Progression.
Posted Tue, 03/25/2014 - 09:04 by David Barrett Admin
Though the 12 Bat Blues Progression is the most common chord progression we play over, other chord progressions do exist. Some have very simple changes that can be "felt" and little to no study is needed. Some progressions introduce new chords and have unintuitive form lengths and require many hours of work in the practice room before ideas begin to flow.
Something always to keep in mind is that the chord progression for the vocals doesn't have to be the chord progression for the solos. In fact, it's a pretty common thing to do, historically speaking. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 02/19/2014 - 08:55 by David Barrett Admin
Due to the fact that we're not required to study scales and chords to play our instrument (at least at the basic level), playing to non-12 Bar Blues can be a great challenge. Many times the change in the form is very simple once you look at it closer. I've placed at https://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica my transcription of "Watermelon Man." In this blues-based jazz instrumental you can see that Bars 9 and 10 of our standard 12 Bar Blues are played three times (the V and IV Chord) to make this a 16 Bar Blues. continue reading...