any musicians here

[Lopy]

This is a question for a real musican, I'm getting into writing songs out in staff, cuz I wanna get away from tab, and I just have some questions.

What is the standard time signature for blues, like a 12 bar blues, and what serice of notes do you use to get the proper beat for the rythem guitar part of a standard 12 bar blues, ( like quarter note, eigth note ect.)

I'm useing finale notepad to try and write out a blues song just for practise, and I'm useing 4/4 time, but it I can never seem to get the right rythem for the rythem guitar part, and make it fill up the whole bar, it always at least one beat left over at the end, in most cases, like and eight or a sixteenth of a beat left over.

I was thinking that since so much music is centred around blues, that it would most likey be in 4/4, I was gonna try 3/4 but that's useualy for marches/ waltzes, and I didn't think that would fit blues. Blues realy feels like it's 4/4, but I can't seem to make it fit.

I hope this isn't to confusing, and that someone out their has enough musical training to help me out a bit.

[LittleKrems]

its 4/4 im sure of it. just try playing a bass pattern on a guitar and get the right speed/beat

EDIT: also get a recording of a swing beat over and over and that might help you write it

[personman]

Meh, I dont know honestly. 3/4 sounds about right for me but I dont know blues.
I do play the bass clarinet, clarinet, and guitar though

And I think most marches are in 2/4 and cut time..
I dunno, try using pickup notes?
Meh. (I sux0r)

[Lopy]

I've been looking for 12 bar blues sheet music online, but all of them write it as just all eighth notes, and I don't like how "steady" it sounds, Blues has more feeling than that. But I know now that it definatly is 4/4.

[who_311]

What do you mean by 12 bar blues sheet music? Like already written out solos? rhythm licks? Most rhythm blues licks arent straight 8ths, at least, for that shuffle feel. You want to do a If your gonna make a blues song, do it right and improve it. Bust out the chords, usually just a simple. E-A-E-B, or something to that effect, its early. Then, use a Penatonic scale that matches the key.
e 12--15
B 12--15
G 12-14
D 12-14
A 12-14
E 12--15
So if this hasnt helped you at all, im sorry. Its kinda early, and i wanted to try and help. I like to think that im a 'trained musician' so i might could help you, your question was just alittle confusing.

[Lopy]

Thanks for your help, but thats not realy what I'm asking for, I know how to arange a blues song, it's transcrbing the beat of the chords in the rythem part. I don't want it to be all 8ths (if any of you don't know how this sounds, think of the song working over time by BTO, although I bet none of you know that soung) cuz I like the sound of a more off beat rythem. I'l try and attach a sound file of the way I want it to sound and mabey you could tell me the order of the rythem for it. ie, Quarter note, eighth note, ect.

Wait, they wont let me attach it so I'l try and host it somewhere else, or find a similar one.

[who_311]

Oh i see, sorry. I believe, the standard rhythm of a shuffle beat is, Dotted 8th-16th. I think, i have no sheets in front of me, so i cant say for certain, but i believe that is the notes.

[Ironmag]

Maybe it would help you if you had the chord progression for 12 bar blues.

Here is a standard 12 bar blues progression in 4/4
I-IV-I-I
IV-IV-I-I
V-IV-I-I(V)if continuing

Hope this helps you figure out what you need.

Also, the penatscale is the typical blues scale. For example, if in the key of C, the notes are: C, E-flat, F, G-flat, G.

[ramenjames]

ok 12 bar is in 4/4
and uses 8th notes with a swing feel (i dont think fanale can use a swing and that prolly why it sounds bad)

a 12 bar progression is useally
I-IV-I-IV-I-V (each for a mesure)
or
I-IV-I-IV-I-II-V (the 2 and 5 are for 1/2 mesures)

the blues scale formula is
1-2-b3-3-5-6 (blues scale can be m or M thats why its great)

so i hope that helps
(it will if you know any theory)

[Lopy]

Thank you so much for your help, I'm not familiar with all the differnt types of transcrpition, so what does I-IV-I-I mean, the dotted 8th 16th seems pretty good though, I might just put that in, but I wanna try out all of your ideas. Thanks again.

[gamarada717]

As a drummer, I can help ya here.

Swing is written as (let's see if I can translate this well)

I bet my picture won't work. Worth a shot, even though I'm not sure what you're asking.
Nevermind

[ramenjames]

Originally posted by Lopy
Thank you so much for your help, I'm not familiar with all the differnt types of transcrpition, so what does I-IV-I-I mean, the dotted 8th 16th seems pretty good though, I might just put that in, but I wanna try out all of your ideas. Thanks again.

ok
I is your tonic so if the progresion is in A then A=I
IV would be the forth note from the tonic (bust out the ol' Ionian (major scale) and you will see that IV is D


umm...no offence ....but learn music theory bro
and that isnt an insult at all i cant stress how important it is (its what makes you a musician and not just some dude that plays)

[Lopy]

oh, I'm asking about the beat, I know all the theory, and how to play and arange a blues song, I just need to know how to transcribe the beat for the accompinament(chords), I can't seem to make it sound right, and fill each bar correctly. I thought you were trying to describe the beat that way (seeing as that was what I asked for) thanks though.

[gamarada717]

I'll tell you how I count. I count the one tae and one lol ie. It is written 1 2tae 3 4tae
But it is played 1 2li 3 4li

I need to post the picture!