The Complete History Of Blues Guitar

The blues is a form of music that can be vocal, instrumental (blues guitar) or both. It uses the ‘blue’ notes which are based on a ‘minor pentatonic’ scale most of the time, otherwise known as the blues scale.

Blues Music was derived from the African-American communities in the U.S. out of work songs, spiritual songs, field hollers, chants, shouts and simple ballads that rhymed. A lot of aspects of the blues are indicitive of African influence.

The call-and-response aspect of the music came directly from African roots and there were a lot of lines that would get repeated twice or more. This later evolved into a line repeating twice and then on the third time around there would be an ‘answer line’. You can still find these characteristics of early blues in modern day music, especially hip-hop.

The term ‘The Blues’ refers to the ‘blue devils’ which means down spirits or sadness.

The blues guitar plays a heavy role in blues music as well as modern music. It has influenced Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Bluegrass and even Rock N’ Roll tremendously.

The original blues of the early 1900′s, otherwise known as “poor man’s blues” was normally associated with hard times, oppression from white folk, cruelty of the police, gambling, economic depression, floods, magic, farming and dry periods. This music was fueled by a lot of heartache and depression. Usually a lost loved one or an overall harsh environment inspired the lyrics and the tone of the blues guitar.

After the world war, you began to see blues songs that were about relationships and sex. Also, humor was added to the mix. Here is a funny example:

“That must be your woman, cause mine don’t look like that…
I said That must be your woman, cause mine don’t look like that…
Have you seen my baby? She’s so big and fat…”

The blues guitar style emerged from the American South’s instruments of the time which were the banjo and the Diddley Bow. This was a home made one stringed instrument that was popular in the early 20th century. Figures such as Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Son House and Blind Willie McTell were a part of the delta blues style which used a lot of finger picking techniques and slide guitar innovations.

Eventually, after WWII ‘electric blues’ became increasingly popular where the blues guitar was played on electric guitars as were the bass guitars. This was most prevalent in the Chicago area.

Blues music today has become a multi-cultural genre with artists playing Blues in every corner of the world. Texas-born Stevie Ray Vaughan set the music world on fire with his modern combination of Blues and Rock until his untimely death in 1990. Other Modern Blues Artists making a mark are: Shemekia Copeland, Susan Tedeschi, Robert Cray, Taj Mahal, Charlie Musselwhite, and the North Mississippi Allstars .

The History Of Blues guitar and poor man’s blues is rich with culture and stories of good times and bad. I could go on for days about the history of the blues guitar but let’s make this part 1 so you don’t fall asleep on me!

About the Author

Zack R is the founder of 50 Blues Studios –
http://www.50Blues.com
If you are a blues musician, find out how blues backing tracks will improve your blues guitar playing skills. 50Blues promises you the best professionally recorded tracks. Don’t settle for cheap midi files for your blues music.

The White Stripes – 300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues

American Folk Blues Festivals 1963-1966: The British Tours [DVD] $15.99 Like the previous three volumes of this superb series, American Folk Blues Festivals 1963-1966: The British Tours presents about 75 minutes of mid-’60s European television performances by blues legends. The only real difference is that all of these were filmed in England (hence the subtitle “The British Tours 1963-1966″), where appreciation of the blues was really taking off and, of course, making a big impression on the U.K. pop scene via artists like the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. While the word “legends” is thrown around a lot in reviewing vintage blues compilations, this is one instance where it’s not overhyping the case. Every single performer here is legendary. Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Sonny Boy Williamson were Chicago blues giants,; the more rural and rawer side of the form is caught by Lightnin’ Hopkins and Big Joe Williams; R&B is represented by Big Joe Turner, and soul by Sugar Pie DeSanto; and the blues’ roots in jazz and gospel are captured by Lonnie Johnson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe respectively. Every single performer here is caught, in well-preserved black-and-white footage, at or near the peak of his or her form, sometimes with some of their very most famous songs, whether it’s Waters doing “Got My Mojo Working,” Williams playing “Baby Please Don’t Go,” or Williamson singing “Bye Bye Bird.” That’s not even mentioning the top talents that can be seen as accompanists at various points, including bassist Willie Dixon, guitarists Hubert Sumlin and Otis Rush, and pianists Sunnyland Slim and Otis Spann. As for the most unusual and colorful performances, perhaps Williamson wins on that account — though not by much — by playing one end of a harmonica without holding it, as if he’s chewing a cigar. Also novel is Junior Wells’ 1966 performance of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say,” delivered (and danced through) in modified James Brown fashion; it might not be the song you most associate with classic blues (or even Wells’ blues), but it’…

Amplified: Fiction from Leading Alt-Country, Indie Rock, Blues and Folk Musicians $1.39 Used – Sixteen original short stories by some of the most important young songwriters working today. “Amplifed” presents sixteen short stories by some of the most compelling songwriters performing today. With original contributions from Mary Gauthier, Chris Smither, Maria McKee, Patty Larkin, Jim White and Rennie Sparks of The Handsome Family, “Amplified” showcases artists working in the short story format, many for the first time.Whether it’s Mary Gauthier’s haunting story of a girl caught betw

Amplified: Fiction from Leading Alt-Country, Indie Rock, Blues and Folk Musicians $6.91 New – Sixteen original short stories by some of the most important young songwriters working today. “Amplifed” presents sixteen short stories by some of the most compelling songwriters performing today. With original contributions from Mary Gauthier, Chris Smither, Maria McKee, Patty Larkin, Jim White and Rennie Sparks of The Handsome Family, “Amplified” showcases artists working in the short story format, many for the first time.Whether it’s Mary Gauthier’s haunting story of a girl caught betwe

Amplified: Fiction from Leading Alt-Country, Indy Rock, Blues and Folk Musicians $16.95 Sixteen original short stories by some of the most important young songwriters working today.Amplifed presents sixteen short stories by some of the most compelling songwriters performing today. With original contributions from Mary Gauthier, Chris Smither, Maria McKee, Patty Larkin, Jim White and Rennie Sparks of The Handsome Family, Amplified showcases artists working in the short story format, many for the first time.Whether it’s Mary Gauthier’s haunting stor

Bad Company $24.98 Bad Company’s 1974 self-titled release stands as one of the most important and accomplished debut hard rock albums from the ’70s. Though hardly visionary, it was one of the most successful steps in the continuing evolution of rock & roll, riding on the coattails of achievement from artists like the Eagles and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. From the simple electric guitar lick on “Can’t Get Enough” to the haunting bassline in “Bad Company” and the fast beats of “Movin’ On,” Bad Company exemplified raw rock & roll at its best. Erupting out of an experimental period created by the likes of Pink Floyd, Bad Company signified a return to more primal, stripped-down rock & roll. Even while labelmates Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy and IV featured highly acclaimed, colorful album artwork, Bad Company’s austere black and white record cover stood out in stark contrast. Six years later, AC/DC used the same idea on their smash Back in Black. Throughout the 35-minute album, Paul Rodgers’ mesmerizing and gritty vocals hardly vary in tonal quality, offering a perfect complement to Mick Ralphs’ blues-based guitar work. Several songs include three-chord verses offset by unembellished, distorted choruses, filled rich with Rodgers’ cries. Bad Company is an essential addition to the rock & roll library; clearly influential to ’70s and ’80s hard rock bands like Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Boston. ~ Gautam Baksi, Rovi

Bad Company $11.99 Bad Company’s 1974 self-titled release stands as one of the most important and accomplished debut hard rock albums from the ’70s. Though hardly visionary, it was one of the most successful steps in the continuing evolution of rock & roll, riding on the coattails of achievement from artists like the Eagles and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. From the simple electric guitar lick on “Can’t Get Enough” to the haunting bassline in “Bad Company” and the fast beats of “Movin’ On,” Bad Company exemplified raw rock & roll at its best. Erupting out of an experimental period created by the likes of Pink Floyd, Bad Company signified a return to more primal, stripped-down rock & roll. Even while labelmates Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy and IV featured highly acclaimed, colorful album artwork, Bad Company’s austere black and white record cover stood out in stark contrast. Six years later, AC/DC used the same idea on their smash Back in Black. Throughout the 35-minute album, Paul Rodgers’ mesmerizing and gritty vocals hardly vary in tonal quality, offering a perfect complement to Mick Ralphs’ blues-based guitar work. Several songs include three-chord verses offset by unembellished, distorted choruses, filled rich with Rodgers’ cries. Bad Company is an essential addition to the rock & roll library; clearly influential to ’70s and ’80s hard rock bands like Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Boston. ~ Gautam Baksi, Rovi

Bee Gees: The Authorized Biography $257.08 New – A biography of the lives and careers of the Brothers Gibb, very successful rhythm and blues artists, with numerous black and white photographs.

Bee Gees: The Authorized Biography $225.19 New – A biography of the lives and careers of the Brothers Gibb, very successful rhythm and blues artists, with numerous black and white photographs.

Bee Gees: The Biography $14.39 Used – A biography of the lives and careers of the Brothers Gibb, very successful rhythm and blues artists, with numerous black and white photographs.

Big Blues Extravaganza!: The Best of Austin City Limits $9.99 As the third volume of Columbia’s Austin City Limits series, this one shines the spotlight on the cornucopia of blues treasures from the show’s rich history. The big tickets here include Lightnin’ Hopkins’ lion-in-winter performance of “Rock Me Baby” (complete with screeching wah-wah pedal), Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Love Struck Baby,” his brother Jimmie’s tribute to him on “Six Strings Down,” Albert Collins’ “Travelin’ South,” and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown’s “Born in Louisiana.” Performances from Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, B.B. King, W.C. Clark, the Neville Brothers, Miss Lavelle White, Dr. John, Rory Block, and Delbert McClinton complete this excellent package. ~ Cub Koda, Rovi