How many of you really like playing Blues?

Bottom Feeder · #1 02-22-2006, 02:54 PM

My intention is not to offend blues players or those who really dig the blues but, while I like a few blues numbers and certainly don't mind a few in our set, I feel a bit reluctant when the guitar player wants to add too many blues numbers. He already wants to play nearly all hard rock tunes with lots of solos and I always feel blues is just a vehicle for the lead guitarist. I know the bass line can be fun and you have the opportunity to mix it up a little, they all just seem the same to me. I prefer a mix of rock, hard rock, some stuff a little poppier, and some stuff more technically interesting.
Again, please take no offense but explain to me the desire to play blues.

Sincerely,
Blue in the Face

Sundogue · #2 02-22-2006, 02:58 PM

Because it's fun, drivin', soulful, energetic, laid-back, etc., etc., etc. and you can jam it out and extend songs on a moments notice...among other things I'm sure will be brought up.

invader3k · #3 02-22-2006, 03:01 PM

Blues songs are fun, but one thing I learned in my one experience playing with a dedicated lead guitarist in our band...make sure you keep them on a short leash as far as the soloing. If it starts getting out of control, tell them, or they'll take it as the opportunity to make it "their" song and solo endlessly for about 20 minutes straight, back turned to the rest of the band, completely self-absorbed... :P

Sundogue · #4 02-22-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader3k

lead guitarist...back turned to the rest of the band, completely self-absorbed... :P

Imagine that?

gdawg27 · #5 02-22-2006, 03:03 PM

What do you mean by technically interesting?

**baba** · #6 02-22-2006, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdawg27

What do you mean by technically interesting?

He could mean something other than a I-IV-V progression with endless pentatonic riffing over it. I realize the blues reaches far beyond this, and I'm a big fan myself, but in my experience this is what a lot of rock guitarist resort to. It gets tiring.

MikeJacobs · #7 02-22-2006, 03:20 PM

My Double Bass Instructor uses Blues structuring to teach and reinforce improv techniques and I found it so helpful
that I find myself practicing Blues more then the Jazz that
I was originally interested in when I started playing the Doghouse.
Go Figure

Bottom Feeder · #8 02-22-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdawg27

What do you mean by technically interesting?

I am thinking something along the lines of progressive such as Rush, Yes, Genesis, etc...

flatwoundfender · #9 02-22-2006, 03:32 PM

Think one guitarist is bad try playing in the house band at blues jams. But blues is fun to play and you should also check out these guys/albums
Albert Collins stuff had some cool bass stuff or his later stuff, I can't remember the bassist guys name though.
Duck Dunn from Booker T. and M.G.'s
Junior Well's Hoodoo Man Blues album had some cool bass on it.
Freddie King's Big Legged woman has cool lines.

But yeah sometime guitarist want to play everything they know in 12bars and repeat that over and over again. That's when you scan the crowd for hot chicks.

Oh and yeah I really like playing the blues

Ed Fuqua · #10 02-22-2006, 03:34 PM

I do.

Bob Bl. · #11 02-22-2006, 03:44 PM

It's really much better to have two soloists in the band, if you can swing it. That way they can play off each other.

A keyboardist on piano, or better yet, a B3 (or reasonable facsimile

), is a great addition to any band doing bluesy stuff. Sax? Cool. Harmoica? Better yet.

I tell myself I won't do another 2-guitar band, but I'll probably end up breaking that pledge someday. The usual references to guitarist volume and ego wars apply - you guys have heard all that!

Bob

Lex P. · #12 02-22-2006, 03:50 PM

I love playing the Blues! But then when I think of it. Of all the songs we play I don't have any I dislike. It's all fun.

And on another note my Guitarist is not a spot light hog and will actually give a look like "OK...end this now" when a song requires me to go into a change that would bring us out of the solo. I also don't hear him repeat much in any of his solo's.
I must be blessed.
Lex

DaveDeVille · #13 02-22-2006, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatwoundfender

Oh and yeah I really like playing the blues

+1 ...

twelve bars over and over can be boring , but not all
blues tunes are straight ahead , twelve bar repetition ...

i might suggest that the reason you're bored is your guitar
player is the stage stealing , " look at me , look at me " type .

sorry ...

dump him , not the music .

Fuzzbass · #14 02-22-2006, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bottom Feeder

I am thinking something along the lines of progressive such as Rush, Yes, Genesis, etc...

Those bands are technically sophisticated, but aren't remotely related to the blues!

Fuzzbass · #15 02-22-2006, 03:59 PM

I enjoy playing the blues with musicians who know how to play the blues. Unfortunately, I often play the blues with musicians who only know how to play rock.

flatwoundfender · #16 02-22-2006, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzzbass

I enjoy playing the blues with musicians who know how to play the blues. Unfortunately, I often play the blues with musicians who only know how to play rock.

Yes I hated those guys, the ones who either just play red house and then there are the stevie rip offs ugg. Give your guitar player some albert king albums, or buddy guy, or albert collins oh yeah and check out jerry jemont on completely well the bb king album.

rjny36 · #17 02-22-2006, 04:36 PM

I enjoy playing blues music, too. When you have a tasteful guitar player, who knows when to not play a million notes per measure (a very hard thing for guitarists!), it can sound great.

I've spent years and years listening to the music, in all its various forms, and you can hear "blues" in almost every musical style in some form or other. --- Muddy Waters sang, "The Blues Had a Baby, and They Named it Rock'N'Roll" for a reason. Jazz started out by trying to "urbanize" the blues, mixed with a few other influences. The difference between early country music and early blues was almost completely the color of the individual playing it. The list goes on and on.

Plus, one of the greatest blues musicians/songwriters was an upright bass player by the name of Willie Dixon.

DaveDeVille · #18 02-22-2006, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjny36

The difference between early country music and early blues was almost completely the color of the individual playing it.

Plus, one of the greatest blues musicians/songwriters was an upright bass player by the name of Willie Dixon.

" The Blues is the roots , the rest is the fruits ..."
W.Dixon

rjny36 · #19 02-22-2006, 04:58 PM

I don't think I could type enough +'s and 1's.

Blueszilla · #20 02-22-2006, 05:33 PM

What Ed said.

Most of my experience has been in blues bands, treated me well enough, paid for a lot of my gear. I love it due to it's pure improvisational nature. IMHO, the best thing about playing out live with other musicians is the communication, the give and take, that happens. Most times it's good, sometimes not so good, and rarer still it's magic. for me, blues a lot of times is all about feel and when it's right, it's the best! This can happen in jazz and other genres too, but it happens the most with the blues. Locking in with the drummer on a muscular, sweaty blues groove... well, it certainly gets noticed, nothing like it. There really is no way to explain it. IMO, you can listen to all the stuff the others have mentioned, but really, if you don't get it deep down inside, you just won't.

I mean, check my name...