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How To Write A Blues Song: Writing Lyrics and Music

By: Blake Flannery


Blues Song Patterns And Styles Vary
One of my first songs I wrote was a blues song. The pattern of blues songs makes it a quick and
easy write compared to most other song forms. There are no real rules for the blues, just a bunch of
things that most blues songs have in common. For example, John Lee Hooker didn't really care if he
changed through a chord progression, but he sure could boogie. Then there are blues virtuosos who
play variations of chord progressions and beautiful tasteful solos that make you want to cry. It's all up
to you what you want.
Most blues contain some of the universal characteristics such as:

Relationship Issue Related Lyrics

Shuffle Rhythm

Turn Around to the progression

Repeating or Call and Response Lines

Spiritual Related Lyrics

Feature Piano, Guitar, and/or Harmonica

How to Write a Blues Song Step One: Immerse Yourself


This seems a no brainer, but you have to start listening to blues if you don't already. Whether you
use your MP3 player or your old record player, listen for chord changes, repeating lines, and soulful
melodies. Even better, go see someone play blues live. You will get to see the emotion needed to
play and sing in the blues style, and you will come home with the smell of blues on you just as much
as the smell of alcohol and smoke. Seeing legends like Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and Ray Charles will
give you inspiration that will last at least a day. Buddy Buy exudes an electricity as he performs that
will give you chills down your spine. He has performed a few times in Indianapolis at festivals, and
walks through the crowd every time.
Besides listening to the legends you can immerse yourself in some newer blues guys, who are
potentially more evolved and sophisticated. Chris Cain and Robben Ford exemplify progressing
styles of guitar solos. They will make your spine tingle with their soothing smooth tones. Keb' Mo' is
another guy who is a must for the aspiring blues writer to study. Keb' Mo' is half Robert Johnson,
and yet he is still one hundred percent unique. He's the Billy Joel of blues, and the best chance for
keeping blues mainstream besides Clapton.

Step Two: Choose a Theme


You lost your job, your best girl left you, your baby is cheatin. Whatever the theme figure out what
you want to say. Blues songs don't have to be about suffering, but they commonly are because
blues are rich with feelings. Personal struggles give the songs more live and validity. Write your song

in first person for the most personal touch. For example, "I woke up on the wrong side of the bed
cause you were missin this morning." The one line describes a lot more that's going on than simply
getting up in the morning. Many blues lyrics create inferred ideas that are metaphors. Many times
they are sexual or spiritual. The term "rock n roll" has sexual meaning. B.B. King sings one called
"Rock me Baby." Buddy Guy's show stopper is when he sings "Love Her With a Feeling" which
includes the lyrics: One leg in the east... ...one leg in the west... ...I'm right down the middle... ...tryin
to do my best!. Then the crowd goes hysterical, especially those who aren't familiar with the song.

Step Three: Write the Music


Hopefully you play an instrument, but if not try this. Try tapping the rhythm as you sing your song.
Another option is to download some generic blues background tracks to sing to. These are helpful if
you want to learn how to solo on guitar, harmonica, piano, etc. You can work out your parts. Then
you can record yourself with your computer with an inexpensive computer mic or use some studio
recording equipment for the real deal. It doesn't have to be perfect. Remember it's the blues, so it
can sound a little rough.
12 bar blues is a common simple structure of blues you may want to try first. 12 bar stands for 12
measures, and you can read all about it at the pbs.org website explanation of 12 bar blues.

Step Four: Edit Your Blues Song


You should perform or play your song for people to get their feedback. Use some people who are
musicians as well as others who aren't. This will give you a chance to polish the song further and
make sure it is listenable for the average person. You may get suggestions about lyric fit, timing, or
melody changes that will improve your song. When you are done, write another one. You will only
get better with time and practice. I have included a link to a sample of one of my original blues
songs: "My Misery," and I included a video of me playing the first blues song I ever wrote. Maybe it
will give you some ideas. Don't copy them too much, I did copyright them. Please share it if you are
able to write your own blues song.

Tips For Writing Your Blues Song


1. Don't put too much thought into your song title: Use some of the lyrics you have written already
as your title. Don't go for anything abstract. Blues music is mostly direct and hones with the
exception of sexual innuendos, so make sure your song title is easy to understand.
2. Write matching lyrics and music: The words to your song should be consistent with the music.
Ask yourself, "Are the words in this song consistent with the feeling behind the music? If not
you should write different music, or change the lyrics.
3. Keep writing new songs: If you get stuck while writing a song, move on. There's no sense in
wasting your time on one song when you can learn to write songs even better with more
experiences. Let your creativity flow first, then you can be picky when you revise and record.
When a song is complete move on. This way you learn from writing more distinct songs.

BLUES
by Peter Thomas
Chords in the 12 bar blues sequence
Blues breaks the rules of conventional jazz harmony and improvisation.
The distinctive sound of blues chords is often created by the flattening of various notes (mainly the
3rd, 5th and 7th). The harmony often becomes ambiguous as the flattened 3rd will often be used in a
melody at the same time as the major 3rd in the accompanying harmony. (Not the other way round:
in a minor blues all 3rds are flattened). There is a blues scale which contains these notes, however in
a major key most players combine the flattened notes with the natural notes. (See below blues
scales ). When using the blues scale or phrases derived from it the same (tonic) scale is used over all
three areas, i.e. in the key of C you use a C blues scale and do not usually change to an F blues scale
for the F7 chord at bar 5. The resulting dissonances are effective depending on the players taste and
feel for the blues
When looking at the more basic 12 bar blues chord sequences (i.e. those in blues music rather than
some of the more sophisticated jazz/blues) it does not usually make sense to use the RN analysis in
the same way that we have been used to where key centres are defined by dominant chords. The
flattened 7th is often used on tonic and subdominant chords purely as colour and need not imply a V7I cadence or a secondary dominant.
If this makes no sense, then now would be a good time to read (or reread) the Jazz
Beginnersand/or Rock & Blues Beginners pages

Example:
In the key of C the C7 chord in bar 4 of a typical 12 bar blues (see below Ex: 12a) appears to be a
secondary dominant chord (V7 of IV), but it is more in keeping with the blues to think of the 5th and
6th bars as the subdominant rather than a new key centre. The IV chord of a blues is invariably a IV7,
but the F7 at bar 6 is chord IV7 of C, not chord V7 of Bb. Although theoretically you could think in
terms of the RN analysis we have been using, and play a scale of F Mixolydian (mode starting on F
using notes of the Bb major scale) this is unlikely to sound like good blues.

IV7

I7

IV7

IV7

V7

(IV7)

V7

ex 12a: A very basic 12 bar blues sequence


This sequence was often slightly modified in swing, R & B and boogie-woogie of the thirties:

IV7

I7

IV7

IV7

IIm7

V7

IIm7-V7

ex 12b
Often the secondary dominant is used in bar 8:

IV7

I7

IV7

IV7

VI 7

IIm7

V7

IIm7-V7

Ex 12c
There are also 12 bar blues sequences in a minor key:

Im

IVm7

Im7

I7

IVm7

IVm7

Im7

Im7

bVI
7

V7

IIm7-V7

ex 12d: A typical minor blues


N.B. In all of these sequences chord I is a triad (except on bar 4). In jazz blues sequences the tonic
chord can be a major 7, however this is rare in real blues where chord I is either a triad, a dominant
7th chord or a 6th chord (the added note is used for colour rather than harmonic function as
mentioned above), except on bar 4 where it is nearly always a dominant 7th leading to the IV chord
on bar 5.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLES OF 12 BAR BLUES SEQUENCES:


Basic Blues
C

C7

F7

F7

G7

G7 or
F7

C-G7

Although some or all of the tonic and subdominant chords may have a minor 7 added, this is
a blue note and does not have its usual harmonic function as a dominant chord (except in bar 4 where
it acts a secondary dominant leading to the IV7 chord). The above example only introduces the 7th to
the tonic at bar 4 to emphasise this chord change. It is not a modulation to IV as it would be in
classical harmony.
Blues musicians tend to use phrases and patterns rather than scale runs, though jazz variations of
blues can be based on a 12 bar blues structure and can include jazz and blues style patterns alongside
each other.

Jazz Blues
A simple jazz blues sequence usually changes to chord IV at bar 2 and back to chord I at bar 3 and
uses a IIm7 V7 at bar 9 (often preceded by a secondary dominant).
Early 12 bar jazz blues sequence (Typical of swing or jump blues)

F7

C7

F7

F7

C or A7

Dm7

G7

Dm7G7

This type of sequence is typical of 1930s-1950s swing, jump and R&B styles. More complex sequences
were used in bebop
Typical bebop blues changes
o

F7-F# 7

Gm7-C7

F7

F# 7

C-Dm7

Em7-Eb7

Dm7

G7

C-Am7

Dm7-G7

Form of the 12 bar blues


There are always three 4 bar phrases (ex 9e):
1.
2.
3.

Tonic (sometimes with a subdominant on bar two)


Subdominant and back to tonic (often with repeat of first melody and lyric)
Dominant (sometimes via subdominant) back to tonic (often with different melody and lyric)

ex 12e: phrases in12 bar blues.


As you can see, the second phrase is altered slightly to fit the different chords. This is extremely
typical of blues.

A very useful rule to remember:


This alteration of the 3rd note of the tonic scale from major on the I chord to minor as it becomes the
7th of the IV chord is extremely useful when composing or improvising any type of blues.
In jazz, blues sequences can become quite complex but still retain these 3 areas
There are other blues sequences, usually adaptations or extensions of the typical 12 bar. When
a jazz musician says: let's play a blues, they often mean a 12 bar with a II-V in bar 9, usually with
the secondary dominant or more sophisticated changes (ex 12c).Blues players usually indicate to the
band whether they want a V-IV or II-V type sequence.

Blues scales
Blues musicians use more than one blues scale, (and rarely use the blues scale in its entirety)
however the scale that has come to be called the blues scale is similar to a minor pentatonic scale but
with a #4th (or b5th) added. (ex 12g). I shall refer to this as the minorblues scale but bear in mind it
can be used in major and minor blues sequences.

ex 12g: Minor blues scale

This scale can be used over all the chords of a basic 12 bar blues sequence, so in the key of C a C
blues scale can be used over the F7 and G7 as well as the tonic chord. (Apparent wrong notes are
acceptable in the context of blues, but their correct placement is usually dictated by experience and a
feel for the style rather than academic rules).
The secret of convincing use of the blues scale is to add a major 3rd (ex 12h) or combine it with a
scale which is commonly used in rhythm and blues, swing or jump music. I shall call this
themajor blues scale (ex 12i).

ex 12h: Juxtaposition of minor and major

ex 12i: Major blues scale

ex 12j: Major blues scale combined with minor blues scale


These scales need not be restricted to blues music, they can also work well over other sequences
which do not have more than one key centre (e.g. I Got Rhythm A section) - depending on stylistic
context.

Boogie Bass
Many rock and roll tunes are based on a 12 bar sequence, often with a typical bass line derived from
a boogie-woogie piano left hand (ex 12k). A good way to become familiar with blues changes is to
practise this in all keys.

ex 12k: Note the IIm7-V7 progression instead of V7 in the second chorus.

Improvising blues riffs


With a basic blues sequence it is relatively easy for an ensemble to improvise a riff
or headarrangement. This was quite common among swing bands of the 30's. Many early Count Basie
arrangements were improvised.
The easiest way is to imagine piano voicings where chords are inverted to keep the top voice around
the same pitch (ex 12l). Add 6ths or 7ths where necessary to create 4 note chords.

ex 12l: Typical blues horn riff.


Note the melodic alternation between major and minor 3rd. The major 3rd of the tonic drops to the
minor 3rd (7th of the IV chord) and back again. It does not take long for each member of an
improvising section to remember his/her notes on a riff such as this, at which point it is easy for the
leader to suggest another riff (rhythmic pattern) which everyone can play using the same harmony
notes. This principle applies whether creating head arrangements for horns, voices, strings or
whatever.

Reggae
TM, , Copyright 2003 Piero Scaruffi All rights reserved.

The word "reggae" was coined around 1960 in Jamaica to identify a "ragged" style of
dance music, that still had its roots in New Orleans rhythm'n'blues. However, reggae
soon acquired the lament-like style of chanting and emphasized the syncopated beat.
It also made explicit the relationship with the underworld of the "Rastafarians" (adepts
of a millenary African faith, revived Marcus Garvey who advocated a mass
emigration back to Africa), both in the lyrics and in the appropriation of the African
nyah-bingi drumming style (a style that mimicks the heartbeat with its pattern of
"thump-thump, pause, thump-thump"). Compared with rock music, reggae music
basically inverted the role of bass and guitar: the former was the lead, the latter beat
the typical hiccupping pattern. The paradox of reggae, of course, is that this music
"unique to Jamaica" is actually not Jamaican at all, having its foundations in the USA
and Africa.
An independent label, Island, distributed Jamaican records in the UK throughout the
1960s, but reggae became popular in the UK only when Prince Buster's Al
Capone (1967) started a brief "dance craze". Jamaican music was very much a ghetto

phenomenon, associated with gang-style violence, but Jimmy Cliff's Wonderful World
Beautiful People (1969) wed reggae with the "peace and love" philosophy of the
hippies, an association that would not die away. In the USA, Neil Diamond's Red Red
Wine (1967) was the first reggae hit by a pop musician. Shortly afterwards, Johnny
Nash's Hold Me Tight (1968) propelled reggae onto the charts. Do The Reggay (1968)
by Toots (Hibbert) And The Maytals was the record that gave the music its name.
Fredrick Toots Hibbert's vocal style was actually closer to gospel, as proved by their
other hits (54-46, 1967;Monkey Man, 1969; Pressure Drop, 1970).
A little noticed event would have far-reaching consequences: in 1967, the Jamaican
disc-jockey Rudolph "Ruddy" Redwood had begun recording instrumental versions of
reggae hits. The success of his dance club was entirely due to that idea. Duke Reid,
who was now the owner of the Trojan label, was the first one to capitalize on the idea:
he began releasing singles with two sides: the original song and, on the back, the
instrumental remix. This phenomenon elevated the status of dozens of recording
engineers.
Reggae music was mainly popularized by Bob Marley (1), first as the co-leader of the
Wailers, the band that promoted the image of the urban guerrilla with Rude
Boy (1966) and that cut the first album of reggae music, Best Of The Wailers (1970);
and later as the political and religious (rasta) guru of the movement, a stance that
would transform him into a star, particularly after his conversion to pop-soul melody
with ballads such as Stir It Up (1972), I Shot The Sheriff (1973) and No Woman No
Cry (1974).
Among the reggae vocal groups, the Abyssinians' Satta Massa Gana (1971) is
representative of the mood of the era.
In 1972 reggae became a staple of western radio stations thanks to the film The
Harder They Come.

Musical characteristics

Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues (R&B),jazz, African
and Latin American music, as well as other genres. Reggae is either played in 4/4 time or swing time,
because the symmetrical rhythmic pattern does not lend itself to other time signatures such as 3/4 time.
One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar or
piano (or both) on the offbeats of the measure, often referred to as the skank.
This offbeat can be counted so that it falls between each count as an "and" (example: 1 and 2 and 3 and
4 and etc.) or counted as a half time feel at twice the tempo so it falls on beats 2 and 4. Harmonically, the
music is essentially the same as any modern popular genre with a tendency to make use of simple
modal chord progressions. For example: I - bVII7 and I - ii - iii - ii are both common progressions in
reggae and both examples of the kind of chord structures used in modal jazz. The use of repetitive
rhythmic patterns and static, modal chord structures add to reggae's sometimes hypnotic effect.
The concept of "call and response" can be found throughout reggae music, in the lyrics but also in the
way parts are composed and arranged for each instrument. The emphasis on the "third beat" of the bar
(depending on how it's counted) also results in a different sense of musical phrasing with bass lines and
melody lines often emphasizing what might be considered "pick up notes" in other genres.

Drums and other percussion


A standard drum kit is generally used in reggae, but the snare drum is often tuned very high to give it
a timbales-type sound. Some reggae drummers use an additional timbale or high-tuned snare to get this
sound. Cross-stick technique on the snare drum is commonly used, and tom-tom drums are often
incorporated into the drumbeat itself.
Reggae drumbeats fall into three main categories: One drop, Rockers, and Steppers. With the One drop,
the emphasis is entirely on the third beat of the bar (usually on the snare, or as a rim shot combined with
bass drum). Beat one is empty except for a closed high hat commonly used, which is unusual in popular
music. There is some controversy about whether reggae should be counted so that this beat falls on
three, or whether it should be counted half as fast, so it falls on two and four. An example played by
Barrett can be heard in the Bob Marley and the Wailers song "One Drop". Barrett often used an
unusualtriplet cross-rhythm on the hi-hat, which can be heard on many recordings by Bob Marley and the
Wailers, such as "Running Away" on the Kaya album.
An emphasis on beat three is in all reggae drumbeats, but with the Rockers beat, the emphasis is also on
beat one (usually on bass drum). This beat was pioneered by Sly and Robbie, who later helped create the
"Rub-a-Dub" sound that greatly influenced dancehall. Sly has openly stated he was influenced to create
this style by listening to American drummer Earl Young as well as other disco and R&B drummers in the
early to mid 1970s, as stated in the book "Wailing Blues". The prototypical example of the style is found
in Sly Dunbar's drumming on "Right Time" by the Mighty Diamonds. The Rockers beat is not always
straightforward, and various syncopations are often included. An example of this is the Black Uhuru song
"Sponji Reggae".

In Steppers, the bass drum plays four solid beats to the bar, giving the beat an insistent drive. An
example is "Exodus" by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Another common name for the Steppers beat is the
"four on the floor". Burning Spear's 1975 song "Red, Gold, and Green" (with Leroy Wallace on drums) is
one of the earliest examples. The Steppers beat was adopted (at a much higher tempo) by some 2
Tone ska revival bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
An unusual characteristic of reggae drumming is that the drum fills often do not end with a climactic
cymbal. A wide range of other percussion instrumentation are used in reggae. Bongos are often used to
play free, improvised patterns, with heavy use of African-style cross-rhythms. Cowbells, claves and
shakers tend to have more defined roles and a set pattern.

Bass

The bass guitar often plays the dominant role in reggae, and the drum and bass is often the most
important part of what is called, in Jamaican music, a riddim (rhythm), a (usually simple) piece of music
that's used repeatedly by different artists to write and record songs with. Literally hundreds of reggae
singers have released different songs recorded over the same rhythm. The central role of the bass can be
particularly heard in dub music which gives an even bigger role to the drum and bass line, reducing the
vocals and other instruments to peripheral roles.
The bass sound in reggae is thick and heavy, and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and
the lower frequencies emphasized. The bass line is often a repeated two or four bar riff when simple
chord progressions are used. The simplest example of this might be Robbie Shakespeare's bass line for
the Black Uhuru hit "Shine Eye Gal". In the case of more complex harmonic structures, such as John
Holt's version of "Stranger In Love", these simpler patterns are altered to follow the chord progression
either by directly moving the pattern around or by changing some of the interior notes in the phrase to
better support the chords.

Guitars
The guitar in reggae usually plays on the off beat of the rhythm. So if one is counting in 4/4 time and
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counting 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +, one would play a downstroke on the "and" part of the beat. A musical figure
known as skank or the 'bang" has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a
percussion instrument. Sometimes a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also
plays the following 8th beats on the up-stroke. An example is the intro to "Stir It Up" by The Wailers. Artist
and producer Derrick Harriott says, What happened was the musical thing was real widespread, but only
among a certain sort of people. It was always a down-town thing, but more than just hearing the music.
[13]
The equipment was so powerful and the vibe so strong that we feel it.

Keyboards
From the late 1960s through to the early 1980s, a piano was often used in reggae to double the rhythm
guitar's skank, playing the chords in a staccato style to add body, and playing occasional extra beats,
runs and riffs. The piano part was widely taken over by synthesizers during the 1980s, although
synthesizers have been used in a peripheral role since the 1970s to play incidental melodies

and countermelodies. Larger bands may include either an additional keyboardist, to cover or
replace hornand melody lines, or the main keyboardist filling these roles on two or more keyboards.
The reggae organ-shuffle is unique to reggae. Typically, a Hammond organ-style sound is used to play
chords with a choppy feel. This is known as the bubble. This may be the most difficult reggae keyboard
rhythm. The organ bubble can be broken down into 2 basic patterns. In the first, the 8th beats are played
with a space-left-right-left-space-left-right-left pattern, where the spaces represent downbeats not
playedthat and the left-right-left falls on the ee-and-a, or and-2-and if counted at double time. In the
second basic pattern, the left hand plays a double chop as described in the guitar section while the right
hand plays longer notes on beat 2 (or beat 3 if counted at double time) or a syncopated pattern between
the double chops. Both these patterns can be expanded on and improvised embellishments are
sometimes used.

Horns
Horn sections are frequently used in reggae, often playing introductions and counter-melodies.
Instruments included in a typical reggae horn section include saxophone, trumpet or trombone. In more
recent times, real horns are sometimes replaced in reggae by synthesizers or recorded samples. The
horn section is often arranged around the first horn, playing a simple melody or counter melody. The first
horn is usually accompanied by the second horn playing the same melodic phrase in unison, one octave
higher. The third horn usually plays the melody an octave and a fifth higher than the first horn. The horns
are generally played fairly softly, usually resulting in a soothing sound. However, sometimes punchier,
louder phrases are played for a more up-tempo and aggressive sound.

Vocals
The vocals in reggae are less of a defining characteristic of the genre than the instrumentation and
rhythm, as almost any song can be performed in a reggae style. However, it is very common for reggae to
be sung in Jamaican Patois, Jamaican English, and Iyaric dialects. Vocal harmony parts are often used,
either throughout the melody (as with vocal groups such as the Mighty Diamonds), or as a counterpoint to
the main vocal line (as with the backing vocalists, the I-Threes). More complex vocal arrangements can
be found in the works of groups like The Abyssinians and British reggae band Steel Pulse.
An unusual aspect of reggae singing is that many singers use tremolo (volume oscillation) rather
than vibrato (pitch oscillation). Notable exponents of this technique include Horace Andy and vocal
group Israel Vibration. The toasting vocal style is unique to reggae, originating when DJs improvised
spoken introductions to songs (or "toasts") to the point where it became a distinct rhythmic vocal style,
and is generally considered to be a precursor to rap. It differs from rap mainly in that it is generally
melodic, while rap is generally more a spoken form without melodic content.

Lyrical themes
Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss
lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Many early reggae bands
covered Motown or Atlantic soul and funk songs. Some reggae lyrics attempt to raise the political
consciousness of the audience, such as by criticizing materialism, or by informing the listener about
controversial subjects such as Apartheid. Many reggae songs promote the use of cannabis (also known
asherb, ganja, or sinsemilla), considered a sacrament in the Rastafari movement. There are many artists
who utilize religious themes in their music whether it be discussing a specific religious topic, or simply

giving praise to God (Jah). Other common socio-political topics in reggae songs include black
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nationalism, anti-racism, anti-colonialism, anti-capitalism and criticism of political systems
and "Babylon".

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