Blues - from the English "sad". Initially, the theme of songs in this genre was sad, but in America there is an expression that literally translates as "blue with sadness." This is how the name of the music appeared, in which the melody is built according to the pentatonic scale.
It is necessary
- Melodic musical instrument (guitar, piano, violin or other);
- For a power tool - the appropriate equipment (amplifiers, effects processors, cables, if necessary);
- Sheet music and tablatures of works and exercises.
Instructions
Step 1
Disassemble the pentatonic scale in A minor. In general, get ready to learn all the minor scales, since it is in this scale that it is easier to reflect the depressed mood of the performers in this genre.
The A minor pentatonic scale consists of the notes A, C, D, E, G. There are five of them, and five in Greek is penta. Hence the name of the fret. You can play a scale in any octave with the same notes, the main thing is to observe the correct order of the fingers (fingering).
Step 2
The basis of the blues melody is improvisation. This is her first difference from academic music, where any departure from the author's text is equated with a crime. Play the notes of the scale out of sync, just remember to use the correct fingering. When your fingers learn to keep up with your thoughts, add different touches to the melody: braces, slides, trills, vibrato, and more.
Step 3
If in classical music two eighths are written side by side, then the author (or teacher) expects you to play two eighths. In blues, two eighths standing next to each other (most likely under one rib) mean that the first one sounds twice as long as the second. The effect of three-partness, "pitching" is created, the music seems to be lame.
Step 4
Another feature of the blues is syncopation, that is, the shift of a strong beat to a weak one. To achieve this effect, either lag behind the note or play the beat earlier.
Step 5
When performing pieces, pay attention to the form. The most common variant is the so-called blues square, consisting of three quarter measures. The first four sets out the topic, the second repeats with variations, and the third may contain completely new material, it can be schematically depicted as follows: A-A1-B. If you look at the poetic text of such a square, then the first line describes the problem, the second expands the description, adds some details, and the third summarizes how the problem influenced the life of the lyric hero. The music emphasizes this verbal meaning of the song.
