How to write a blues song

The factors that are associated with blues music include: the harmony is predominately related to the tonic , subdominant and dominant. minor 7th chords and other chord extensions are heard. dissonant harmonies are a common feature.

A common type of three–chord song is the simple twelve-bar blues used in blues and rock and roll. Typically, the three chords used are the chords on the tonic, subdominant, and dominant (scale degrees I, IV and V): in the key of C, these would be the C, F and G chords.

The three chord trick refers to the practice of accompanying a melody by only three chords. There are large numbers of melodies, both popular and classical, that can be harmonised in this way.

The two most common keys in blues music are E and A.

Blues songs are usually in E, A, G, C or D, with E, A and G the most common. Other keys are used but these are the most common, particularly with guitar players.

Ning notes that the most popular key of all — G major — also happens to be among the easiest ones to play on both a guitar or piano, saying: E is convenient for guitar, but not piano. C is convenient for piano, but not guitar. G is convenient for both guitar and piano.

The easiest way to figure out the key of a song is by using its key signature. The number of sharps/flats in the key signature tell you the key of the song. A key signature with no sharps or flats is the key of C (or A minor).

More often then not, the first and/or last chord of a song indicates the key. If the first and last chords of a song are the same thing, that’s even a better chance that you have your answer. If you don’t know whether to go with the first chord or the last chord, then you can… 2.)

12 Possible Keys in Music

There are 12 possible keys any particular song can be played in. This is because of the 12 notes on the piano keyboard, A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, and G#/Ab. A song can be played so that any one of these twelve notes will be the tonal center or home base.

You can also look to the melody of a song and notice where it ends. Melodies typically resolve to the tonic note of the key. Again, if a song’s melody notes all fit within C major/A minor and the final melody note is C, it’s in C major. If it ends on A, it’s in A minor.

Most of the time, when all else is held constant, music in a major key is judged as happy while minor key music is heard as sad.

The notes of the B major scale are B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B. The note, B repeats one octave higher. Its key signature has five sharps.

Scales and chords

A major scale is a scale in which the third scale degree (the mediant) is a major third above the tonic note. In a minor scale, the third degree is a minor third above the tonic. Similarly, in a major triad or major seventh chord, the third is a major third above the chord’s root.

Major and minor keys are defined by their tonic note (their starting or base note) and their scale being major or minor. A major key uses a major scale, and a minor key uses a minor scale. It comes down to the pattern of whole and half steps within each scale.

In music theory, a dominant seventh chord, or major minor seventh chord, is a seventh chord, usually built on the fifth degree of the major scale, and composed of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh.

Minor Scales

The scale that is created by playing all the notes in a minor key signature is a natural minor scale. To create a natural minor scale, start on the tonic note and go up the scale using the interval pattern: whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step.