(Welling. Kent)
07919 356980
Lesson Guide - A Dollar a Day Blues
Any questions - just ask
John’s notes:
Practice each phrase before going on to the next.
Then join them up.
The Blues originated from the African slaves
transported to America and other countries to work
in the cotton and sugar plantations as well as hard
labour working on laying railroad tracks, and mining
for Tin and Gold. These men and women would sit
around their camp fires at the end of a hard
gruelling days work and sing songs of home and
missing loved one’s. The songs were usually based
on a simple rhythmic 1-4-5 chord structure built
around dominant seven chords.
TAB & ‘one to one’ tuition
available to members
.jpg)
.jpg)
Often mixing minor and major scale notes to suit the ‘feel’ or intended emotion. One person would start singing or
playing a melody line, others would join in tapping their food bowls and wooden stools whilst others would sing or hum
in response to the melody line. Much like the gospel singers of today. All spontaneous, nothing formal, and full of
emotion!
This Blues tune is in the key of A Major. You will notice there are some notes in the melody ‘outside’ the A Major scale,
this is common with Blues and is part of it’s character. After all, Blues is the grandparent of Jazz, hip pop, rock, rhythm
and blues, country, and so many more genres! Try to create a slow steady rhythmic pulse throughout the tune. The
guitar ‘slap’ or ‘thump’ technique is common in Blues music, and is used in many styles such as Latin, flamenco, folk
etc, and recently in many great guitar solo’s. Originaly this could have been acomplished by the slapping of knees,
hands or using any handy item producing a percussive effect.
Members who know a few ‘pentatonic’ blues phrases will have no problem coming up with some creative melodic
arrangements of their own. Just stick to the A Major key and all will be good.
Suitable for electric and acoustic guitar players….Enjoy!
John’s notes:
Practice each phrase before going on to the next. Then
join them up.
The Blues originated from the African slaves
transported to America and other countries to work in
the cotton and sugar plantations as well as hard labour
working on laying railroad tracks, and mining for Tin
and Gold. These men and women would sit around
their camp fires at the end of a hard gruelling days
work and sing songs of home and missing loved one’s.
The songs were usually based on a simple rhythmic 1-
4-5 chord structure built around dominant seven
chords. Often mixing minor and major scale notes to
suit the ‘feel’ or intended emotion. One person would
start singing or playing a melody line, others would join
in tapping their food bowls and wooden stools whilst
others would sing or hum in response to the melody
line. Much like the gospel singers of today. All
spontaneous, nothing formal, and full of emotion!
This Blues tune is in the key of A Major. You will notice
there are some notes in the melody ‘outside’ the A
Major scale, this is common with Blues and is part of
it’s character. After all, Blues is the grandparent of
Jazz, hip pop, rock, rhythm and blues, country, and so
many more genres! Try to create a slow steady
rhythmic pulse throughout the tune. The guitar ‘slap’ or
‘thump’ technique is common in Blues music, and is
used in many styles such as Latin, flamenco, folk etc,
and recently in many great guitar solo’s. Originaly this
could have been acomplished by the slapping of
knees, hands or using any handy item producing a
percussive effect.
Members who know a few ‘pentatonic’ blues phrases
will have no problem coming up with some creative
melodic arrangements of their own. Just stick to the A
Major key and all will be good.
Suitable for electric and acoustic guitar
players….Enjoy!
(Welling. Kent)
07919 356980
Any questions - just ask
Lesson Guide - A Dollar a Day
(A working Mans Blues)
Lesson Guide
‘A Dollar a Day Blues’
TAB & ‘one to one’ tuition available
to members: