BLUES FORMS
"Form is the term that we use to describe how a piece of music is put together. We can usually think of a piece of music as being made up of several seperate (but related) 'sections'. In pop music these sections are often labelled 'Introduction', 'verse', 'bridge' 'pre-chorus' or 'chorus', and each section has a particular mood or function in the context of the whole song. The Form describes how each of these sections have been put together to create the finished composition. Form can also include the tonality of the music, and also the harmony (chord progressions) used in each section.
Blues forms tend to be fairly simple, and often comprise of one short section, repeated over and over while the vocalist or soloists provide change and contrast. In classical music, this sort of form is usually referred to as a 'Theme and Variation' form.
The most common 'Theme and Variation' form in modern music is the 12-Bar Blues form.
the twelve bar blues
What is the 12 BAr Blues?
EXAMPLES OF 12 BAR BLUES PROGRESSIONS
CANNED HEAT - GOING UP THE COUNTRY
MELISSA ALDANA - BILLIE'S BOUNCE
PINK FLOYD - SEAMUS MY DOG
BB KING - ROCK ME BABY
HOW TO PLAY A 12 BAR BLUES
GUITAR
GUITAR
BASS
PIANO
OTHER TYPES OF BLUES FORMS
'Open' BLUES FORMS
One of the most common blues forms (after the 12 bar blues) is the 'open' blues form. As the name suggests, the 'open' form can be almost anything; but it's typically a story or improvisation performed over a single chord, or over a short two or three chord progression that is looped over and over. In open forms, it's usually the lyrics that determine the length of the song, and sections within the song can be any length, and are often improvised. This form was really popular for blues and jazz funk-fusion bands.Â