The Lowdown on Blues Instruments

The following article will give you the lowdown on the different blues instruments, including the saxophone, guitar, harmonica, piano, and more. These instruments are great for adding a special flavour to blues songs. In addition, you’ll learn more about the history and culture of the blues, which is cantered around the African-American experience. Although the blues are primarily about sadness, they are also universal and often used as dance music. They are also created from racial tensions and poverty with a rich history in the American Mississippi Delta.

Saxophone

While many instruments are great for playing blues, the saxophone is particularly suited for this genre. Besides the tenor sax, the instrument can also be played on other instruments like the guitar, harmonica, drums, and vocals. However, it is not necessary to know a specific style to play blues. Beginners can also find great options for learning on an alto saxophone.

Guitar

Blues guitar is a musical style that has its roots in American blues. Despite its name, the blues style has many different guitar scales. The most common of them all is the pentatonic minor scale. This scale has five positions, starting with the next red dot on the fingerboard. It is also commonly used in early rock and roll and country music. Blues guitar chords are easy to learn and sound great in almost any genre.

Harmonica

While a blues harmonica is a wonderful instrument, proper care is important to preserve its pristine appearance. Although most harmonicas are treated to withstand moisture, some timber models are not. In such cases, care should be taken to avoid excessive saliva. To remove saliva residue from the harmonica, gently brush it with a washcloth or small brush. However, do not put the harmonica in the water to avoid the risk of scalding.

Piano

There are many benefits of playing blues on the piano. Apart from being an excellent musical instrument, blues music also makes a great background for jazz and pop improvisation. Blues piano lessons can help you learn basic chord progression and blues riffs. They can also help you learn how to play the popular songs played by jazz musicians. In this article, I’ll share with you some of the benefits of learning to play blues.

Ukulele

The ukulele has roots in classical music. A lute was a similar instrument played during the Renaissance, and the Portuguese braguinha was a contemporary instrument. Both instruments have four-course tuning. Ukuleles are tuned differently, though, and the classical tuning of the lute is quite similar to that of the ukulele. In fact, ukuleles and lutes share many traits.