Quick country blues question!

[improvpwnd]

Hey guys,
when playing straight country blues changes using I V on 1 & 3, how you you play a change when the V of the 1st chord is the I of the one you are approaching?

For instance, Am to E

Am (I=A, V=E) E (I=E, V=B) and we get 2 E's next to each other... do we just double E's on beats 3 and 1? Change octaves?

Sorry for the scatter brain post, but I got a bunch of songs to learn and no experience playing this stuff! I know it is simple, but this question is haunting me!

[zachbass02]

I would probably walk up (or down) to the E on beat 4. Something like

Beats:
1 2 3 4 / 1 2 3 4
A E A C / E B E B

or

1 2 3 4 & / 1 2 3 4
A E A C D / E B E B

or you can play the E twice, but the walk is probably going to work better.

[Downlowd]

I agree with Zach, if you are in fact in A minor,

Off course double bouncing the E will work, just depends on the song. Usually the walk is used going into a new verse or chorus where the double "bounce" is used throught the passages, of course this not an absolute. Good luck....

[Jim Carr]

Listen to some classic country and bluegrass.

[JTE]

If the walk-up doesn't fit the song (i.e. the feel or the rhythm needs to be locked into the root-five thing), the just repeat the root. So, instead of playing R 5 for that measure, play R R.

jte

[dmrogers]

Originally Posted by JTE

If the walk-up doesn't fit the song (i.e. the feel or the rhythm needs to be locked into the root-five thing), the just repeat the root. So, instead of playing R 5 for that measure, play R R.
jte

I agree. Try the walk, but if it doesn't fit, hit the root before the change. Done a lot in country and bluegrass.

Good luck.

[permagrin]

For a song where you're doing a simple root-5 on the first and third beats, I don't think it changes the groove as much if you add the root on the fourth beat:

... A E | A EA | E B | E B | A ....


or another tone that leads into the V might work:

... A E | A ED | E B | E B | A ....

(depending on what the other instruments are doing with that I chord, that D could be a G, an F#, .... Might add some color.

[improvpwnd]

Originally Posted by permagrin

For a song where you're doing a simple root-5 on the first and third beats, I don't think it changes the groove as much if you add the root on the fourth beat:

... A E | A EA | E B | E B | A ....


or another tone that leads into the V might work:

... A E | A ED | E B | E B | A ....

(depending on what the other instruments are doing with that I chord, that D could be a G, an F#, .... Might add some color.

Something like this would probably work the best.
Thanks guys!

[kingbee]

Don't discount an entirely chromatic walk up or down to the E.

A B C D | E...

A G F# F| E...

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by improvpwnd

Hey guys,
when playing straight country blues changes using I V on 1 & 3, how you you play a change when the V of the 1st chord is the I of the one you are approaching?

For instance, Am to E

Am (I=A, V=E) E (I=E, V=B) and we get 2 E's next to each other... do we just double E's on beats 3 and 1? Change octaves?

Sorry for the scatter brain post, but I got a bunch of songs to learn and no experience playing this stuff! I know it is simple, but this question is haunting me!

Its all in the timing of the song. i'm afraid Country Blues is not enough i mean is it a 2 step, swing blues and is Bob Wills, 4/4 6/4 8/4 etc.
These all make a difference as does it play on, in front, or behind the beat. That simple fact alone will give you space between two notes pitched the same.
For example if the first E is in front of the beat and the second E after the beat you gain a bit more time between the two, which does not sound so regimented in a 2 step, so the relation between the two has a little more feeling to it.
Add in the fact that the bass drum is just a fraction after you and just a fraction before you at that point also add to the effect that you might be playing more than you actually are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roug4qG7qCY

Check out the link and see and hear how the master does it with implied changes and rhythm that don't quiet seem what they are on first listen. If you find more Johnny Cash and Muddy Waters you will find the very changes you seek and hear how they are dealt with them. On the Muddy side find his album Folk Singer, its on Chess and has Willie Dixon on bass.

[phatbass]

In the specific case you're asking about (I-V bass line) it's no sin to just play the same note twice in a row.