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In the words of blues great BB King, “The blues is the easiest music to learn, and the hardest to master.” Here’s an abbreviated lesson on the basics of playing the blues.
The 12-bar blues pattern
BB King’s words are very true: basic blues rhythm requires playing three chords in a particular order for 12 bars, then repeating the same progression for the length of the song. That part’s easy to learn, but it’s what you sing and improvise over those chords that test your talent and creativity.
There are variations on the 12-bar blues pattern, but it is the one that’s most used. If you’re playing in the key of E, here’s the basic progression. Each square represents a bar.
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E7
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E7
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E7
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E7
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A7
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A7
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E7
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E7
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B7
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A7
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E7
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B7
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I have made the chords seventh chords because blues is often characterized by using dominant sevenths. A dominant seventh chord is the root note, third, fifth and flattened seventh of the major chord; therefore, an E7 (another way of saying dominant seventh) is E, G#, B and D.
Count in triplets
A blues time signature is 4/4, but the blues have a distinctive swing feel. Counting three beats to each quarter note beat attains this vibe. These three beats are called triplets. So the four beats in a bar are actually four groups of three triplets each.
Blues melodies
Blues melodies are often distinguished by the use of “blue notes”. These are a flattened third, flattened fifth and flattened seventh of the major chord. In the key of E, these notes are G (flattened third), Bb (flattened fifth) and D (flattened seventh). Lead blues guitarists often “bend” the strings around these notes to achieve the classic “bluesy” feel.
Listen to songs by great blues artists like Howlin Wolf, Eric Clapton and BB King. You’ll get an idea of why “blue notes” are so prevalent in defining the blues.
It’s more than a few guitar chords
Don’t forget the role of singing in blues songs. Blues music was born from African-American laborers in the late nineteenth century. The lyrics contained (and still often contain) tales of life’s troubles and woes.
A line of vocals followed by an answering guitar lick often characterizes the blues. Singing is indeed a vital part of the genre.
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