my teacher told me that all blues songs have 3 line verses, which are written in a AAB structure. How does it fit on top of the 12 bar blues? With all due respect to Martin ...
Not all blues has three lines. AND he is right that not all blues is 12 bars.
However, three line stanzas and 12-bar format is VERY common. The most common in blues, in fact.
His example of how this is done is just fine...
In this common example - each line rougly spans four bars.
The fist line states an issue. A
The second line is commonly a repeat of the first with a slightly altered harmonic structure. A'
And the third line is usually a line that resolves the issue, deepens the issue, but is also usually optimistic or humorous. B
Chumpman Blues - Blind Blake:
I'm Going to the river, take a great big jump
I'm going to the river, take a great big jump
I used to be a wise man, buta woman made me a chump.
Big Leg Blues - Mississippi John Hurt
Raise up baby, get your big leg off of mine
Raise up baby, get your big leg off of mine
Its so heavy, make a good man change his mind
32-20 Blues - Robert Johnson
'f I send for my baby, man and she don't come
'f I send for my baby, man and she don't come
All the doctors in Hot Springs so' can't help her none.
Stormy Monday - T-Bone Walker
They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad
They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad
Wednesday's worse, lord and Thursday's oh so sad. I cant tell you myself but why not download some blues, bb king and muddy waters etc and listen with your guitar in your hand and just follow it through as they play so you can see it or even better get some film footage of them playing. First of all, your teacher is wrong. All twelve bar blues have three lines, but not all blues are twelve bar.blues.
The lyrics follow a I IV V chord progression - Tonic, subdominant, dominant.
First line- four bars I I I I
Second- four bars IV IV I I
Third - four bars V IV I I Well, the usual AAB blues song:
Bars 1 and 2 : Sing something (A)
Bars 3 and 4 : Instrumental
Bars 5 and 6 : Sing A again.
Bars 7 and 8 : Instrumental
Bars 9 and 10: Say a resolution or anwser to A (B)
Bars 11 and 12: Instrumental ending and turnaround.
You just have to listen to any blues song (like muddy water's or bb king's) to get it right. forget what you teacher told you:
The chord structure would have to constitute in any order the following chords- I , IV , V {eg. C , F , G} or {eg. A , D , E} etc.
Usually the first two lines are played over the root note then they are repeated over the fifth of the root note {eg. C , F } or {eg. A , D } with minor variation or changed intonation ....
Then comes the turnaround over {eg. G} or {eg. E} as per the above instances. Here lies the magic bit that can come only with axe waxing. The flavor is imparted in the turnaround
and whereas all blues may seem limited to a novice do look into the turnarounds and be amazed at them old bluesmasters
and their craft. |
