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Year 8 · Music · Chords and genres · Lesson 2

The blues

The blues: origins in African American communities of the southern USA, the 12-bar blues (I-IV-V), the blues scale and blue notes, AAB lyrics, swing and improvisation, with audio examples.

Whiteboard video lesson: The blues

18-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

Watch free for a month

What your child will learn

  • Describe the origins of the blues
  • Play or write the 12-bar blues
  • Identify the blues scale and blue notes
  • Write AAB lyrics and improvise

The method

  1. Find I, IV, V.
  2. Follow the 12 bars.
  3. Swing it.
  4. Improvise.

Key words: blues, 12-bar blues, blues scale, blue notes, improvise, AAB, swing.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

Where did the blues begin?

  1. Step 1: USA

Answer: the southern USA (African American communities)

Question 2

Roughly when did the blues begin?

  1. Step 1: 1800s/1900s

Answer: late 1800s to early 1900s

Question 3

How many bars are in the 12-bar blues?

  1. Step 1: It's in the name

Answer: 12