Quote:
Originally Posted by dalconthenovice 
so heres what i know in regards to the 12 bar blues
so lets say its in the key of G, its 4 bars in the G chord, 2 bars in the C chord, 2 bars in the G chord, 1 bar in the D chord, 1 bar in the C chord, one bar in the G chord, 1 bar in the D chord, repeat
right? but how do i play bass to this? i feel like just a jerk sittin there playing the roots to each chord on the downbeat... so how do i do my job? and how do i JAM when it comes my time to solo?? how do i solo in a progressioned song?? i can't tell you how much of a trainwreck it was when it was my turn to solo
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Nice to hear you're listening to some blues.
First off refer to the structure by its true bar numbers. Blues has many formats so by listing them as the actual bar numbers and getting used to where changes can and should occur makes it easier to understand.
What you wrote is generally listed as,
G to the 4, C to the 6, G to the 8, D on the 9, C on the 10, G on the 11 and D (the turnaround) on the 12. This is a form of 1-4-1-5. Blues songs can be quickly explained as numbers as in 1-4-5, or 1-4-5 quick up to the 4, etc.
The keys as you write them are not really keys, but references to where the structure goes, hence the use of the numbers.
Because a song stars in G does not mean it is in G. This is a reference to the starting point. I mean G what????
This is your starting point,find/work out what chords are being used or learn to recognise them, so you can work out what chord tones can you use.
In Blues lines that move, they usually move in the chord tones used, either to lead to, come from, or frame the song. So G means nothing in the scheme of things to a good experienced player, it is just a reference point. Where as G minor, G7, G minor7 will give you information about what you can do.
Take that a stage further and some one might use the Blues format to write a song with more interesting chord tones as in a funky or jazz blues.
The importance of understanding the relationship between the major, minor, Dom7 (Dominant7) and 7ths are the first steps to learning.
The chord tones for each are
Major and Dom7th 1-3-5-6 then a 7 can be added if required. You can use all or some of these tones is various combinations or just hit the root.
Minor gives us 1-3-5-7( notice the 7 is the same in a Minor as in a Dom. That is a subtle difference but a good one to understand) Again all or some can be used or just play the root. The numbers refer to the scale and the scale tone. each scale start on the root (1) then has seven notes to follow to make the octave 2-3-4-5-6-7-8.
G major has in its scale G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G so we can see that the notes to use are G-B-D-E but the 7 does not sound right.
G7 has the scale notes of G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G notice the 7 is different. So again using 1-3-5-6- is the same as the major but the 7 now sound better if used in this context.
This brings us to the idea that songs can be major but imply the Dom7.
Now these ideas work in all positions so long as the key is understood and its relationship to the song. These are passing notes, leading notes, notes that frame the structure, notes that support the structure etc. In blues as in Rock 'n' Roll simple chord tones are used to frame songs and in all these examples 1-3-5 is your basic, and when used correctly 3 and 7 will give you some nice simple "colours" to your lines.
and a beloved guitard "I show what I can do on guitar"-showcase).
