blues notes

Question 1

what are the blue notes?

Answer 1

third, seventh and sometimes fifth note of the scale slightly lowered- the actual pitch varies according to the performer.

Question 2

what is the bars structure in the blues?

Answer 2

12bar structure using the primary triads

C-C-C-C
F-F-C-C
G-F-C-C

Question 3

what is a jump blues?

Answer 3

a hard driving blues with saxes and brass behind a powerful vocal

Question 4

what is a boogie woogie?

Answer 4

a percussive style of blues played on the piano and featuring the repeated quaver notes in the left hand.

Question 5

what happened at the end of the rock and roll period?

Answer 5

at the end of the period the emergence of rock and roll, which combined country music with the electric rhythm an blues of Chicago.

Question 6

in what year did the blues music starts?

Answer 6

1920-1950

Question 7

what are the main subject of matter In the blues?

Answer 7

describing loss, either in love or money

Question 8

what are the main lead instrument in the blues?

Answer 8

guitars, piano and harmonica among its lead instruments

Question 9

what is the main feature to identify blues music?

Answer 9

folk-oriented Delta blues period with the acoustic instruments.

Question 10

what instrument replaces the acoustic one ?

Answer 10

electric instruments replaced acoustic ones in Chicago , and wind instruments made links to jazz

Question 11

when was the blues music developed ?

Answer 11

it was developed at the beginning of the 20th century in the deep south of the USA

Question 12

what was the blues music influence by?

Answer 12

blues music was influenced by slaves and the work songs

Question 13

where were the blues songs sung?

Answer 13

they were sung on the plantains

Question 14

what were the songs based on?

Answer 14

based on the ‘call and response’ structure.

Question 15

what is the basic structure on the blues based on the 3 primary chords?

Answer 15

Tonic (I)
Subdominant(IV)
Dominant (V)

Question 16

what are the vocal techniques in the blues music?

Answer 16

vocal techniques of
portamento or
sliding between different pitches

Question 17

what happened in the early days of blues music?`

Answer 17

blues was a social music, and as it became set around established chord patterns so individual players could improve over the basic pattern, allowing many possibilities for developing and extending a basic idea

Question 18

Saint Louis Blues

Answer 18

an example of this is the saint Louis blues written by William C.
Handy and published in 1914

Question 19

what is the chord sequence like?

Answer 19

the chord sequence used in this song are somewhat more varied and seem to have been on existing melodies dating back to the end of the previous century.

Question 20

what is the further development like in the blues?

Answer 20

the blues gradually developed varies characteristics, including , notable, a ‘swung’ rhythmic style, imparting a compound rhythm feel to melodies and accompaniment patterns

Question 21

what are the name of the early blues artist

Answer 21

‘Ma’ Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ida Cox and Robert Johnson and the most popular Blind Lemon Jefferson.

Question 22

what are the early blues accompanied by?

Answer 22

cornet or trumpet, trombone and clarinet with the rhythmic accompaniment provided by guitar, banjo, tuba, or a double bass playing pizzicato. sometime a keyboard would be added.

Question 23

Gertrude ‘ma’ Rainey 1886-1939

Answer 23

she was known as the’ mother of blues’

she tours with her band to great acclaim and much success.

Question 24

what was Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey like?

Answer 24

she was a flamboyant artist who wore beautiful dresses and hats. she was rich , powerful voice that impressed many people.

Question 25

when did Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey become a successful singer?

Answer 25

in 1923 she became a professional singer.

Question 26

what were the name of her songs?

Answer 26

moonshine blues

yonder