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MUSIC STYLES PART 1 : THE BLUES

 



Needed : I pad, earphones, paper, pen.

A : Watch the video
B : With your I pad begin exercice 1
C : Send your paper with your answers by email or teams.
! Don't forget to write your name !

(You don't have to rewrite the questions, just write 1 and the answer)


Exercice 1 :

 

After your watched the video, answer the questions below, and use internet to find songs.


1 When the style is born?

2 What are the main instruments in this style?

3 What are the lyrics about?

4 Name 3 musicians or singer famous in that style?

5 Name 3 songs famous in that style?

6 Name a film that is about the Blues or the same eras?

7 What do you think yourself of this style?

8 This style evolved, find out a modern bluesy song (artist + name of the song)


 

The Blues ...

 

is a musical style among many others.

 

The blues is born in the United States of America and then spread worldwide. The Blues was born around 1900.

 

At the start, this style was invented by the afro americans. For a long time there was a real difference between the white american and the afro americans, whose origins came from the african slaves. The Blues was the afro american’s music.

 

What makes this style? The first thing is the lyrics, they are written in english and describes the melancholy and the difficulties in life. An expression was born that says « I got the blues » meaning that they don’t feel so good.

 

We will see now, which instruments are used in this style.

First of all, there is the guitar, which is probably the main instrument in this style, and then the harmonica, this little instrument that you can keep in your pocket and which sounds when you blow in it. They are the main instruments regarding this style, of course during the years, many more were added such as the drum, the bass or the piano.

 

Another special thing in this style is the « blue note » it’s a note in between two notes, that adds a certain « tension », there is also the chord progression in 12 bars, that supports the melody and that makes it sound like the Blues, these 12 measures are repeated again and again.

 

The Blues style also inspired a lot of modern artists such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, or even more modern such as Beth Hart or Fantastic Negrito. Here is a part of a video clip where Fantastic Negrito asked people to send some videos about them during the #stayathome confinement.

 

Let’s summarize : The Blues is born in the United States of America approximately in 1900. First created by the afro americans, then spread worldwide. This style is about melancholy and the « having the blues » expression is born from this style. The guitar and the harmonica are the two main instruments in this style. The blue note and the chord progression in 12 bars is what makes it sound like the Blues.

 

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