Bluesitudes! One Dozen 12-Bar Blues
Etudes With Attitude!
Etudes With Attitude!
The 12-Bar Blues form is probably the most recognizable song form across all styles of popular and world music.
Its organic simplicity and malleability has made it accessible not only to musical artists of all genres, but to the listening public, as well.
While the earlier Shortbook™ “Blues Deep: Fifty” focused primarily on the phraseology of the original, primal Blues, as well as the construction of the so called “Blues Scale” and it's relationship to (and result of) the natural overtone series, “Bluesitudes” attempts to demonstrate, from a harmonic point of view, just a few of the modifications to the standard 12-bar Blues form which, over the years, have come into play.
Its organic simplicity and malleability has made it accessible not only to musical artists of all genres, but to the listening public, as well.
While the earlier Shortbook™ “Blues Deep: Fifty” focused primarily on the phraseology of the original, primal Blues, as well as the construction of the so called “Blues Scale” and it's relationship to (and result of) the natural overtone series, “Bluesitudes” attempts to demonstrate, from a harmonic point of view, just a few of the modifications to the standard 12-bar Blues form which, over the years, have come into play.
The 12 Blues etudes in this volume are each based on a unique harmonic modification of the “basic” 12-bar form.
This basic form consists, harmonically, of the 3 diatonic Major triads of the Major scale - built on scale steps I, IV & V – with an added flat (ie; minor) 7th in each case (the V7 already has one, courtesy of the Major scale). This creates a trio of dominant 7th chords.
In C this would be:
I7 = C7 (C E G Bb), IV7 = F7 (F A C Eb) & V7 = G7 (G B D F).
From the viewpoint of Western harmony, the I7 (dominant 7th as a tonic I chord) probably raised some eyebrows. This non-Western usage of a dominant 7th chord (usually functioning as a transitioning V7, or substitute thereof), is quite possibly due to the minor 7th interval being low in the harmonic overtone series, relative to the fundamental (7th partial or overtone = Bb in relation to C, 3+ octaves lower).
As the original Blues was primarily a vocal music with eventual acoustic instrumental accompaniment, this overtone relationship was heard naturally and expressed melodically. It also sounded great and felt good.
The graphic below depicts (in bold) what, by most accounts, is considered to be the “basic Blues form”. The chord numerals in parenthesis indicate some of the more common harmonic additions to the basic form – based in large part on the Cycle of 5ths - that have been added and incorporated over time, creating what has often been referred to, as “Jazz Blues”.
Basic 12-bar Blues form (bold) with common additions and modifications (parenthesis).
This basic form consists, harmonically, of the 3 diatonic Major triads of the Major scale - built on scale steps I, IV & V – with an added flat (ie; minor) 7th in each case (the V7 already has one, courtesy of the Major scale). This creates a trio of dominant 7th chords.
In C this would be:
I7 = C7 (C E G Bb), IV7 = F7 (F A C Eb) & V7 = G7 (G B D F).
From the viewpoint of Western harmony, the I7 (dominant 7th as a tonic I chord) probably raised some eyebrows. This non-Western usage of a dominant 7th chord (usually functioning as a transitioning V7, or substitute thereof), is quite possibly due to the minor 7th interval being low in the harmonic overtone series, relative to the fundamental (7th partial or overtone = Bb in relation to C, 3+ octaves lower).
As the original Blues was primarily a vocal music with eventual acoustic instrumental accompaniment, this overtone relationship was heard naturally and expressed melodically. It also sounded great and felt good.
The graphic below depicts (in bold) what, by most accounts, is considered to be the “basic Blues form”. The chord numerals in parenthesis indicate some of the more common harmonic additions to the basic form – based in large part on the Cycle of 5ths - that have been added and incorporated over time, creating what has often been referred to, as “Jazz Blues”.
Basic 12-bar Blues form (bold) with common additions and modifications (parenthesis).
As you can see from the above illustration, a lot of harmonic meat can be hung on the sturdy skeleton of the basic 12-bar Blues form. The altered dominant I7alt (which, in this case, actually does function as a dominant) in measure #4, the #IVdim7 passing chord in measure #6, the consecutive ii-V7s in measures #8 thru #10 as well as the I - VI7- ii min7 – V7 turnaround – have all become standard harmonic devices.
The following list identifies the original Blues on which each individual etude is more or less based, and corresponds numerically with those, transposed in each chapter:
From Etude #11 in Bb: bVI7 (Gb7) substitute for the IV7 in measures #5 & #6.
The following list identifies the original Blues on which each individual etude is more or less based, and corresponds numerically with those, transposed in each chapter:
- Trane's Slo Blues, Slowtrane (John Coltrane)
- The Kicker (Joe Henderson)
- Blues for Alice (Charlie Parker)
- Isotope (Joe Henderson)
- Mr. PC (John Coltrane)
- Mr. Day (John Coltrane)
- Solar (Miles Davis)
- Blues for Wood (Woody Shaw)
- The Jody Grind (Horace Silver)
- Footprints (Wayne Shorter)
- For Spee's Sake (Freddie Hubbard)
- Some Other Blues (John Coltrane)
From Etude #11 in Bb: bVI7 (Gb7) substitute for the IV7 in measures #5 & #6.
One of the things that gives this type of Blues progression it's particular character is substituting the IV7 (or iv-7) chord with a bVl7 (Gb7) in measures #5 and #6. It returns to the bVl7 in measure #9, a is customary with a minor Blues progression.
When working with Blues tonality, the concept of Major and minor often overlaps. In this particular etude, the tonality is decidedly more Major than minor. This progression is similar to etude #8, which is conceived in a minor key.
When working with Blues tonality, the concept of Major and minor often overlaps. In this particular etude, the tonality is decidedly more Major than minor. This progression is similar to etude #8, which is conceived in a minor key.
Listen
From Etude #12 in Bb: Dominant 7 Cycle from measures #4 through #8.
Etude #12 (above, in Bb) is based, for the most part, on the chord changes from the “head” of John Coltrane's “Some Other Blues”.
What makes this particular Blues progression unique is that from measures #4 through #8, the Cycle of 5ths (incl. a tritone sub in bar #4) is used to great effect. The F7 in bar #9 could be also considered as part of this Cycle, (via the chromatic / tritone cycle). However, F7 is a target chord, as well as the V7 of the “basic 12-bar Blues form”. Remember?
What makes this particular Blues progression unique is that from measures #4 through #8, the Cycle of 5ths (incl. a tritone sub in bar #4) is used to great effect. The F7 in bar #9 could be also considered as part of this Cycle, (via the chromatic / tritone cycle). However, F7 is a target chord, as well as the V7 of the “basic 12-bar Blues form”. Remember?
Listen
Each of these dozen 12-bar “Bluesitudes” is transposed, by chapter, to all keys.
Playing through them in different keys on a regular basis will not only improve your technique and ability to hear and recognize harmonies, but will increase your knowledge and appreciation of Blues forms in every aspect, as well.
B. Stern
Playing through them in different keys on a regular basis will not only improve your technique and ability to hear and recognize harmonies, but will increase your knowledge and appreciation of Blues forms in every aspect, as well.
B. Stern
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