Blues Phrasing

[Spotted Dog]

Emotion aside for the moment, does anyone have any insights or tips to share about theory as it applies to phrasing?

[VMConvert]

Afraid there isn't much theory involved with blues phrasing. i guess the only theoretical aspect I can think of its quarter note phrasing as opposed to jazz which is most eight note phrasing and give due regard to those minor thirds and sevenths. learn some good turnarounds(descending from minor sevenths to perfect fifths...A LOT). all subject to if you're playing a blues, a shuffle, a fast shuffle, a boogie....just keep it quarter note based...put some swing in it and then it is all emotion from there on....the absence of theory is precisely what makes the blues..and other folk genres...what they are...when you add theory to the blues et voila...you have jazz! and you can see the evolution of the blues as players became more versed in theoretical music jazz progressed...when guys got tired of playing i iv v threw a ii in there cause it worked...then guys started learning about classical music and applying the theory of that to blues and jazz gets more and more harmonically complex and starts to really differ from blues. I have no research on classical music per se but im sure it simply arose from trial and error, things that worked spread and were later codified into what we call now music theory, applied to what we now call folk music.

[SteveD]

Check out Larry Carlton's 'Mr 335 TV' website; -

http://mr335.tv/

[bluesbrother]

Check out Larry Carlton's 'Mr 335 TV' website; -

http://mr335.tv/

The above is all true and the larry carlton mr 335 site is cool too.
Myself i can only read tabs and never understands a thing
about all the theory. But what works best in my humble opinion
is to play alot with backing tracks and also listen carefully to the
original and try to play along with that.Then you notice you get the
phrasing right with playing along ...also because you get the feel with
the music. I really hope this makes sence to you
Good luck,
:blues brother.

[Spotted Dog]

Thanks guys all good input!