Blues rock

History and character

Blues rock emerged in the early 1960s between the United States and Britain, when rock musicians took up the electric Chicago blues (Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed) and played it louder, faster and more aggressively. Precursors were the bluesmen Elmore James, Albert King and Freddie King; Lonnie Mack's singles Memphis and Wham! (1963) are often cited as the start of the genre.

In Britain, blues rock was the laboratory from which came the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Animals, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (with Eric Clapton in 1966), Cream, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, the Jeff Beck Group, Free and Led Zeppelin; in the United States the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Canned Heat, Johnny Winter, the Allman Brothers Band, ZZ Top and Jimi Hendrix. In the late 1960s it moved toward hard rock and heavy metal, and in the early 1970s it gave rise to southern rock.

In the 1980s Stevie Ray Vaughan and Robert Cray brought traditional blues back to the foreground; they were followed by Gary Moore, Jeff Healey, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, then Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., The Black Keys, The White Stripes, Rival Sons. The core: 12- and 16-bar forms, the blues scale, saturated electric guitar with bends and long improvised solos, shuffle or straight-eighth grooves, loud amplification.

Scales and keys

Minor pentatonic (over dominant seventh chords)

• Formula: 1 b3 4 5 b7 — semitones 3-2-2-3-2.
• Example in A: A C D E G (typical keys: E, A, G, C, Bb).
• Characteristic note: the b3 over a major/dominant chord (C over A7), which creates the blues friction; it is "bent" toward the 3rd with a quarter-tone bend.
• Chords: in the blues the scale is played over I7, IV7, V7 (A7, D7, E7) without changing it.
• Use: 90% of solos and riffs; position 1 (the box) at the 5th fret for A, the "Albert King" position (box 2), and open strings in E.
• Real-world example: Cream — Crossroads (Clapton, A pentatonic); Stevie Ray Vaughan — Pride and Joy (E).
• Common mistakes: playing the scale without thinking about the chords. Over D7 the key note is C (b7 of D, already in the scale) and F# (the third of D, outside the scale, to be touched as a passing tone); over E7 aim for G# (third) and D (b7).

Blues scale

• Formula: 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 — semitones 3-2-1-1-3-2.
• Example in E: E G A Bb B D.
• Characteristic note: b5 (Bb), the passing blue note between the 4th and 5th.
• Use: riffs (Sunshine of Your Love in D: D D C D A Ab G D) and phrasing.
• Common mistakes: stopping on the b5.

Major pentatonic and the major/minor "mix"

• Formula: 1 2 3 5 6 (2-2-3-2-3). In A: A B C# E F#.
• Characteristic note: the 6th (F#) and the major 3rd (C#): the "sweet" sound of B.B. King, Freddie King, Duane Allman.
• Use: blues rock alternates minor and major pentatonic depending on the chord: major over the I7, minor over the IV7 and V7 (the approach of B.B. King and SRV).
• Real-world example: The Allman Brothers Band — Jessica (A major); B.B. King (the "B.B." box around the 10th fret in A).

Mixolydian (dominant arpeggios)

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. In A: A B C# D E F# G.
• Characteristic note: b7 (G) and 3rd (C#): the notes that define A7.
• Chords: I7 = A7 (A C# E G).
• Use: improvising "over the chords": over A7 A Mixolydian, over D7 D Mixolydian, over E7 E Mixolydian. It is the most jazz-influenced approach (Robben Ford, Larry Carlton).
• Common mistakes: using A Mixolydian over the whole progression: over D7 the C# (3rd of A) clashes against the C (b7 of D).

Dorian (minor blues)

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7. In A: A B C D E F# G.
• Use: minor blues (Am7–Dm7–Em7) and modal pieces (Santana — Black Magic Woman is in D minor with Dorian and Aeolian colors; B.B. King's The Thrill Is Gone in B minor uses Aeolian with the VI G).
• Characteristic note: major 6th (F#) over the minor i.

How to choose

• "Hard" solo: minor pentatonic/blues. Sweet, melodic solo: major pentatonic over the I.
• Solo that follows the chords: a different Mixolydian for each dominant, or minor pentatonic + target notes (the third of each chord).
• Minor blues: minor pentatonic + 9th and 6th (Dorian) over the i, Aeolian if there is a major VI.

Harmony

The 12-bar form

• Basic form in A: | A7 | A7 | A7 | A7 | D7 | D7 | A7 | A7 | E7 | D7 | A7 | E7 | (I7–IV7–I7–V7–IV7–I7–V7 turnaround).
• Quick change: IV7 in bar 2 (| A7 | D7 | A7 | A7 | …).
• Turnaround: bars 11–12 with chromatic descents (A7–A7/G–D/F#–F7–E7 or lines on the G string).
• All the chords are dominant (seventh) chords: a "rule" that breaks classical tonality and creates the blues color.

16 bars and modal forms

• 16-bar blues (8 bars on the I), modal pieces on a single chord (Boom Boom, Howlin' Wolf's Spoonful on one chord).

Minor blues

• | Am7 | Am7 | Am7 | Am7 | Dm7 | Dm7 | Am7 | Am7 | F7 | E7 | Am7 | E7 |; the VI7 (F7) before the V7 is typical.

Riffs and power chords

• In blues rock the chords are often replaced by the boogie riff (A5–A6–A5–A6: the two-string "boogie shuffle") or by power chords.

Voicings

• 7th, 9th (A9 funk), 13th chords (A13 with the 6th), three-note chords on the middle strings, double stops in thirds and sixths (Hendrix and SRV style), slide in open tuning (Open E: E B E G# B E; Open G: D G D G B D).

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Two fundamental feels: the shuffle (triplet grid, "dum-da dum-da": the first and third triplet of each beat) and the straight eighths of rock. Slow blues is in 12/8 (or 4/4 with triplets) at 55–75 BPM. Many blues rock songs turn the shuffle into fast straight eighths (Wikipedia notes that blues rock often uses straight eighths in place of the blues triplet). The groove is laid-back: snare behind the beat, rhythm guitar that "pulls." In jams the tempo may speed up slightly.

Drums

Role

The blues rock drummer holds the groove and accompanies the solo with dynamics: grows with the soloist, drops in the vocal verses. Models: Chris Layton (SRV, Texas shuffle), Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe (Allman Brothers, two drummers), Patrick Carney (Black Keys, minimal).

Kick

• Shuffle: 1 and 3 (steps 1 and 7 on a 12-step grid), sometimes with the third triplet of 2 and 4 anticipating.
• Straight eighths: 1 and 3 with "2&".
• Round sound, little tail.

Snare

• Backbeat on 2 and 4; in the Texas shuffle the snare also plays the third triplet of each beat (ghost), creating the two-handed shuffle.
• Frequent ghost notes in the funkier grooves; rimshots in the choruses.

Hi-hat and ride

• Shuffle on the ride or half-open hi-hat (first and third triplet); slow blues with all the triplets on the ride or hi-hat.
• Crash at the start of the progression (every 12 bars) and on the accents of the stops.

Dynamics and microtiming

• "Heavy" triplet swing (third triplet slightly delayed); snare 10–20 ms behind.
• Wide dynamics: soft verse, solo that builds to the maximum.

Interaction

• Bass and kick in a walking shuffle; the drums follow the stop-time (the whole band plays only the 1 of each bar while the voice sings: Hoochie Coochie Man).

Sections

• Vocal verse: light groove. Instrumental chorus/solo: ride and crash, more energy, possibly double time. Last chorus: stop and ending with the classic "blues ending" (roll and held V7–I7 chord).

Fills

• Triplets on the snare and toms, short fills at the end of each chorus (bar 12).

Sounds

• Vintage kit with warm heads, snare with soft snare wires, dark ride (20"–22").

Typical mistakes

• Programming the shuffle in straight sixteenths with the wrong swing (use a triplet grid or 66% swing on the eighths).
• Drums too loud and flat during the sung verses.

Bass

Sound

Precision or Jazz Bass played with fingers, tube amp; warm, round sound.

Role and notes

• Walking shuffle: root–third–fifth–sixth–seventh–sixth–fifth–third (A–C#–E–F#–G–F#–E–C#) on the triplets.
• Boogie: root and fifth in straight eighths; doubling the riff an octave below (Sunshine of Your Love).
• In minor blues: root–b3–4–5.

Relationship with the kick

Bass and kick play beats 1 and 3 together; the bass fills in the triplets in between.

Examples

• Stevie Ray Vaughan — Pride and Joy (Tommy Shannon); Cream — Sunshine of Your Love (Jack Bruce); The Allman Brothers Band — Whipping Post (Berry Oakley, riff in 11/8).

Harmonic instruments

Guitars

• Stratocaster (SRV, Clapton from '70, Hendrix) or Les Paul (Clapton in '66 with the "Beano" Bluesbreakers, Peter Green, Gary Moore) in a Marshall Bluesbreaker/JTM45, Fender Bassman/Super Reverb/Twin, Dumble (Robben Ford).
• Overdrive: Tube Screamer (SRV), treble booster (Clapton in the '60s), fuzz (Hendrix); heavy strings (SRV used a .013 for the high E) and tuning a half step down.
• Techniques: bends of a whole step and a step and a half, wide vibrato, double stops, slide (Duane Allman, Derek Trucks in open tuning), "rake" (muted strum before the note).
• Layering: power trio (one guitar in the center or slightly off-axis, overdubbed solos rare) or two guitars in harmony (Allman Brothers: Duane Allman and Dickey Betts in third harmonies, panned L/R).

Keyboards

• Hammond B-3 (Gregg Allman, Steve Winwood), blues piano (boogie with the left hand in octaves), Wurlitzer, harmonica.

Voicings

• 7th and 9th chords in close position, "Hendrix voicing" with the thumb on the root and embellishments of the third and sixth (Little Wing).

Melody and vocals

Vocals

• Full, raspy, intense voices (Paul Rodgers, Janis Joplin, Gregg Allman, Joe Cocker, Robert Plant), 4-bar phrasing with call and response: the voice sings 2 bars, the guitar answers for 2.
• AAB lyric form typical of the blues (verse, repetition, response).
• Vocal blue notes (b3, b5, b7), melismas.

Backing vocals

• Rare; gospel backing vocals in the more soulful songs (Joe Cocker, Tedeschi Trucks Band).

Effects

• Plate or room, slapback; little correction: the blues lives on expressive intonation.

Instruments

• Electric guitar (Stratocaster, Les Paul, ES-335), slide.
• Electric bass.
• Acoustic drums.
• Vocals.
• Hammond organ with Leslie, piano, Wurlitzer.
• Harmonica (amplified with a "bullet" microphone), horn section in the more soulful songs.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• B-3 V — Hammond organ: Blues accompaniment: drawbars 888000000 or 838000000, light percussion, slow Leslie that speeds up during solos, soft drive.
• Piano V — Blues piano: Boogie-woogie and slow blues: upright or grand piano, left hand in octaves and triplets, tremolos in the right.
• Wurli V — Electric piano: Soul blues and 1970s blues rock with amp drive.
• Stage-73 V — Rhodes: Jazzy and modern blues (Robben Ford, John Mayer): light tremolo.
• Clavinet V — Clavinet: Funk blues (Stevie Wonder, Gary Clark Jr.): riffs in sixteenth notes with wah.

Song structure

Form (4:00–8:00)

Blues rock is built in choruses: each 12-bar chorus is a unit; the intensity grows from chorus to chorus during the solo.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Warm, dynamic and "live": the guitar is the protagonist, but the voice must come through in the verses; drums with ambience, organ filling out the sound. References: Stevie Ray Vaughan — Texas Flood (1983), Cream — Disraeli Gears (1967), Gary Clark Jr. — Bright Lights (2012), The Black Keys — Brothers (2010).

Kick

• EQ: HP 35 Hz; +2 dB at 70 Hz; −3 dB at 350 Hz; +1/+2 dB at 2–3 kHz.
• Light compression 3:1, attack 20–30 ms, 2–3 dB.

Snare

• EQ: +2 dB at 200 Hz; −2 dB at 600 Hz; +2 dB at 4 kHz.
• Compression 3–4 dB; plate 1.5–2 s or natural room. Ghost notes clearly audible (compression to bring them out).

Overheads and room

• The kit lives in the overheads and rooms (live recording in the studio); light compression.
• Drum bus: 2:1–3:1, 2 dB, tape saturation.

Bass

• EQ: HP 35 Hz; +2 dB at 80–100 Hz; −2 dB at 250 Hz; +2 dB at 700 Hz.
• Opto compression (LA-2A) 3–5 dB; miked amp.

Guitar

• Rhythm and lead often on the same track (power trio): center or L20 with a stereo ambience; if there are two guitars, L70/R70.
• EQ: HP 80 Hz; body at 200 Hz (control it); +2 dB at 800 Hz–1.5 kHz (the Tube Screamer "voice" is there); +1 dB at 3 kHz; LP 9–10 kHz.
• Microphones: SM57 + ribbon or distant condenser; amp in a live room.
• Compression: none or 1–2 dB; the dynamics are part of the expression.
• Space: spring reverb (from the amp) or plate 1.5 s; slapback delay 100–130 ms on the solos.
• Automation: +1/+2 dB at the start of solos, then leave the natural dynamics.

Organ and piano

• Hammond L50/R50 (stereo Leslie), HP 60 Hz, −2 dB at 250 Hz; piano L30/R30.

Vocals

• Chain: EQ (HP 80 Hz, −2 dB at 300 Hz, +2 dB at 3 kHz) → 1176 (4–6 dB) → LA-2A (2–3 dB) → de-esser.
• Space: plate 1.5–2 s, slapback 120 ms.
• Phrase-by-phrase volume automation (blues vocals have a lot of dynamics).

Harmonica

• Mono, HP 200 Hz, compression 4 dB, saturation (amp or Decapitator), spring.

FX

• Spring, plate, slapback; little else.

Buses and groups

• Tape saturation on everything; light 2:1 glue.

Sidechain

• Not necessary.

Master

• Target: −12/−9 LUFS integrated; true peak −1 dBTP. Preserve the dynamics between verse and solo.

Common mistakes

• Guitar with too much gain and scooped; voice covered by the solos (lower the guitar when the voice sings, using automation).
• Poorly quantized shuffle.

Reference tracks for the mix

• Cream — Crossroads (live, 1968); The Allman Brothers Band — Statesboro Blues (live, 1971); Stevie Ray Vaughan — Pride and Joy (1983); Gary Moore — Still Got the Blues (1990); The Black Keys — Lonely Boy (2011); Gary Clark Jr. — Bright Lights (2012).

Reference listening

• Lonnie Mack — Wham! (1963)
• John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers — All Your Love (1966)
• Cream — Sunshine of Your Love (1967)
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience — Red House (1967)
• The Allman Brothers Band — Whipping Post (1969)
• ZZ Top — La Grange (1973)
• Stevie Ray Vaughan — Pride and Joy (1983)
• The Black Keys — Lonely Boy (2011)
• Gary Clark Jr. — Bright Lights (2012)