Delta Blues help.

[Bluez Dawg]

Hey gang I want to learn some delta blues for myspace site. and I want to know if you have any songs I could learn thats pretty easy to pick up? or if not at elast be able to print it out.


Thanks The Bluez Dawg

[AGCurry]

Delta Blues? The original delta blues did not have bass instruments, unless you count New Orleans jazz, which more commonly used tubas for bass.

Chicago Blues - pioneered by Muddy Waters, Elmore James, et al., in the early 1950s - electrified the delta blues and added bass and drums.

Try "Rollin' and Tumblin'" or "I Can't Be Satisfied" by Muddy Waters.

[Bluez Dawg]

Originally Posted by AGCurry

Delta Blues? The original delta blues did not have bass instruments, unless you count New Orleans jazz, which more commonly used tubas for bass.

Chicago Blues - pioneered by Muddy Waters, Elmore James, et al., in the early 1950s - electrified the delta blues and added bass and drums.

Try "Rollin' and Tumblin'" or "I Can't Be Satisfied" by Muddy Waters.

Ok very cool. so like what should I do I want to get in to playing delta blues. and thanks for the suggestion.

[dlloyd]

Are you listening to delta blues?

Pick up some cds by Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Bukka White, Leadbelly, Big Joe Williams, Mississippi John Hurt, Mississippi Fred McDowell and the like. That style of acoustic blues is what most people associate with "Delta Blues". It's all pretty much acoustic guitars and harmonica, you won't really be able to do it justice with a bass.

It's worthwhile listening to it though, and trying to adapt stuff to your bass.

People like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Robert Nighthawk and Elmore James came out of that style. That's where the bass really started to get used.

Get used to the 12 bar and 8 bar forms, listen to a lot of the music and try to work out what they're doing.

[Bluez Dawg]

Originally Posted by dlloyd

Are you listening to delta blues?

Pick up some cds by Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Bukka White, Leadbelly, Big Joe Williams, Mississippi John Hurt, Mississippi Fred McDowell and the like. That style of acoustic blues is what most people associate with "Delta Blues". It's all pretty much acoustic guitars and harmonica, you won't really be able to do it justice with a bass.

It's worthwhile listening to it though, and trying to adapt stuff to your bass.

People like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Robert Nighthawk and Elmore James came out of that style. That's where the bass really started to get used.

Get used to the 12 bar and 8 bar forms, listen to a lot of the music and try to work out what they're doing.

yuppers I just memerised 12 bar blues progression scale. and now I am learning 5ths for muting exercise nice eh?

[thebassclef]

As a Native Mississippi Son, I can attest to the fact that "Traditional" Delta Blues has no bass line. In recent years, though, acoustic Delta blues has turned the corner to the more popular Chicago or Texas Blues form.

More times than not, you'll see the lead singer with a miked acoustic and an Electric rythym section in the back. The Bass player is playing mainly root/5th and the drummer is usually playing a straight 4 beat (4 on the floor) with a brushed snare.

Blues in general can be a very easy style of music to learn and play. Trying to corner yourself with "Delta Blues" will really limit you as far as expression. It will, however make you a great "In the Pocket" player.

Originally Posted by Bluez Dawg

yuppers I just memerised 12 bar blues progression scale.

Memorizing the 12 bar progression is one thing, but make sure you are aware of why it is what it is. Learning to play outside the box will help you later on with playing such bands as Led Zeppelin, Allman Brothers, Cream, and so on. All of these bands, and more used the 12 bar for 90% of their songs, but played them outside the box. Give a listen to "lemon song" by Led Zeppelin. It is a 12 bar blues proggression in E, but JPJ jumps around the neck and plays syncopated lines to give it a different feel.

Hope I didn't "Ramble On" too much, and hope I was able to help.

[Bluez Dawg]

Originally Posted by thebassclef

As a Native Mississippi Son, I can attest to the fact that "Traditional" Delta Blues has no bass line. In recent years, though, acoustic Delta blues has turned the corner to the more popular Chicago or Texas Blues form.

More times than not, you'll see the lead singer with a miked acoustic and an Electric rythym section in the back. The Bass player is playing mainly root/5th and the drummer is usually playing a straight 4 beat (4 on the floor) with a brushed snare.

Blues in general can be a very easy style of music to learn and play. Trying to corner yourself with "Delta Blues" will really limit you as far as expression. It will, however make you a great "In the Pocket" player.


Memorizing the 12 bar progression is one thing, but make sure you are aware of why it is what it is. Learning to play outside the box will help you later on with playing such bands as Led Zeppelin, Allman Brothers, Cream, and so on. All of these bands, and more used the 12 bar for 90% of their songs, but played them outside the box. Give a listen to "lemon song" by Led Zeppelin. It is a 12 bar blues proggression in E, but JPJ jumps around the neck and plays syncopated lines to give it a different feel.

Hope I didn't "Ramble On" too much, and hope I was able to help.

Ramble some more. I'm very interested in Delta blues and the back ground. Thanks again ..........

[thebassclef]

For some background, Check out Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues. It involoves every one from the slave times to present day. Lot's of great music on the Movies, and you can also get just the music in CD's.

Besides "out of your Mind", where are you located. There are alot of blues Festivals around the country, and A HUGE Delta Blues Festival in My hometown of Greenwood, MS.

We have a saying back home, "Muddy Waters Invented Electricity". Meaning that Blues does not ahve to be played acoustic for it to be Blues. Electric Blues is Regaining Popularity, and it is evident in much of today's Country Music. People like Toby Keith, Big and Rich, Gretchen Wilson, and many more are using the standard 12 bar blues with a little more energy to develope Alternative Country.

I Could go on for Hours about the blues. If you have any specific questions, let me know.

[Bluez Dawg]

Originally Posted by thebassclef

For some background, Check out Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues. It involoves every one from the slave times to present day. Lot's of great music on the Movies, and you can also get just the music in CD's.

Besides "out of your Mind", where are you located. There are alot of blues Festivals around the country, and A HUGE Delta Blues Festival in My hometown of Greenwood, MS.

We have a saying back home, "Muddy Waters Invented Electricity". Meaning that Blues does not ahve to be played acoustic for it to be Blues. Electric Blues is Regaining Popularity, and it is evident in much of today's Country Music. People like Toby Keith, Big and Rich, Gretchen Wilson, and many more are using the standard 12 bar blues with a little more energy to develope Alternative Country.

I Could go on for Hours about the blues. If you have any specific questions, let me know.

LOL. well I'm from michigan and we have some but very rarly.

[thebassclef]

Try to check out some of the Jazz Clubs. Alot of Modern Blues has Jazz Roots.

For Example, Blues Traveler

[Bluez Dawg]

Originally Posted by thebassclef

Try to check out some of the Jazz Clubs. Alot of Modern Blues has Jazz Roots.

For Example, Blues Traveler

too true I listen to them some times on you tube. and my friend says I look like the lead singer lol. any hoo we don't have much blues joints here in town mostly heavey metal / rock genra which kind of sucks lol.

[Kenny Allyn]

OK ... I'm gonna suggest Sonny Boy Williamson stuff ... Howlin Wolf ... early BB and Albert KIng ... and the ever popular Elmore James ... I kinda think that's what we are talking about here ... could be wrong

When you play blues remember it's a feel thing ... but to make it sound right there is actually a lot of technique involved. The mistake to many people make is thinking it's too easy.

First ... learn the number system ie: the 1 is the root note ... in the case of playing in the key of A it's usually the fifth fret low E ... therefore your chord changes on a 3 cord blues are a 1,4,5 ... A,D,E . Now lets say you have singer sit in, that sings a song your used to playing in A to say G, easy just move to the G as a root and go with it ... the 1/4/5 stays the same.

Now moving past the basics you need to remember certain rules apply ... "Always lock in to the ONE" and emphasize that note ... THIS does NOT mean only the 1 in the chord progression but the dominate root note of each beat cycle (locked with the kick drum ) on the 4 and 5 changs etc:

Now lets kill off the next myth ... NOT all blues is the same thing over and over. Many blues songs have "short 4" it means the 4 is played twice, once before going into the 4/5 turn-a-round ... the T Bone Walker classic "Stormy Moday" is a good example of this ... BTW it also slides to a "sharp 5" on the turn-a-round. You may also start a song on the 5 ... basicly starting at the 5 to the 4 and into the progression.

Know also that there are many types of "patterns" a singer may call ... shuffle, slow blues and box ... even a hold on the ONE and "vamp" until they are ready to start or re-start the progression (a lot of harp players do this)

I'm only scratching the surface here ... there is so much more ... learning to play "behind" the beat, and the 2/5 change the 1/6/2/5 turn-a-round ... and the walking techniques using interchangable 3rds ... etc:

It's cool stuff once ya get it.



... Wait a minute, someone mentioned Texas and Chicago blues ... it was here FIRST! ... still is.

[thebassclef]

^
Lot's of Good Information there.
Blues is not something you'll master overnight. The ABsic concept is fairly esy if you have listened to it for a while (Like your whole life), but as Keny stated, there is so much more to it than just Playing it.

[Bluez Dawg]

Originally Posted by thebassclef

^
Lot's of Good Information there.
Blues is not something you'll master overnight. The ABsic concept is fairly esy if you have listened to it for a while (Like your whole life), but as Keny stated, there is so much more to it than just Playing it.

Thanks Thebassclef. and I've been listeing to Sonny boy, Muddy, BB king. they seem to have some what of a twang in the plucking don't they?

[wingnut.supreme]

2 words....

Willie Dixon

yes yes yes I know....not "Delta". Whatever with that....If your a blues bass player you have a resposiblitly to be familiar with that man.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Dixon

[CraigV]

For bass-related blues, Tommy Shannon formerly of SRV's Double Trouble is a wonderful player.

And the Allman Bros 'Live at the Filmore East' album is an absolute must. First-class blues bass there.

[str8_bourbon]

As many others have mentioned above, the Delta Blues is essentially a "one man, one guitar" thing. However, if you listen to guitarists such as Robert Johnson(hands down, the king of delta blues), you'll notice that his guitar playing style, included frequent, and extensive use of walking basslines, just listen to his "Sweet Home Chicago", you'll know what I mean. An interesting and fun thing to do, would be to play your bass like a guitar, think like a guitarist. If Jaco can make his bass guitar sound like a horn instrument, I don't see why you can't make your bass guitar, sound like a guitar.

By the way, I'm surprised nobody metioned Son House, who happens to be one of the most influential delta bluesmen. It's said that this is the guy who sent Robert Johnson to the woodshed. In my opinion, Son House, is the Blues.

Have fun experimenting.