https://guitarnoise.forum/bass-players-discussion/blues-patterns-how-many/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:48:51 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/bass-players-discussion/blues-patterns-how-many/#post-65117 Sat, 14 Aug 2004 20:08:25 +0000
Metallifan, there are LOTS of types of blues, depending on how you break down the evolution of the style. The common denominators are: I-IV-V chord progression, the use of the blues scale, and the use of 'swing eighths' or 'broken triplets' as a rhythm to give it a 12/8 feel.

With that as a starting point, you can divide the blues a bunch of different ways.

By type of key: Major blues / Minor blues

By region of origin:

Delta Blues (Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Sonny Boy Williamson, etc.), originating in the Mississippi delta region

Chicago Blues (Buddy Guy, Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon, etc.), originating on the South side of Chicago

Texas Blues (Albert Collins, Freddie King, T-Bone Walker, etc.)

By fusion with other styles:

Country Blues (Carl Perkins, Doc Watson, some Merle Haggard and Hank Williams tunes, etc)

Rock Blues (Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Mike Bloomfield, Roy Buchannan, etc.)

Jazz Blues (Kenny Burrell, George Benson, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, etc.)

Swing Blues (Brian Setzer, Erskine Hawkins, etc.)

You can keep on going along these main lines, and subdivide things as you wish. Each style has some slight differences to others - use of I-IV-I instead of just the I chord in the first four bars, use of extended chords, the types of motions used in the turnarounds, and son on - but styles borrow from each other a great deal. It's easier to talk about similarities than differences; virtually all styles are closely related.

"Boogie" is a style (originally a style of piano playing) that came about in the early 1900s, and probably takes its name from the tune "Pinetop's Boogie-Woogie" by Pinetop Smith. It's characterized by a repeating bass pattern in eighth notes at a quick tempo, rather than a particular scale or progression, so you'll find boogie tunes in rock, swing, blues, and jazz. So... your pattern could be boogie, or it might not be - it depends on how you play it.]]> Bass Players Discussion NoteBoat https://guitarnoise.forum/bass-players-discussion/blues-patterns-how-many/#post-65117 https://guitarnoise.forum/bass-players-discussion/blues-patterns-how-many/#post-65115 Sat, 14 Aug 2004 19:30:59 +0000
To answer your last question, since the riff was a walking riff over a major key riff, also considering that the walking riff contains a flatted 7th, I would say that it is a blues riff. I can't guarantee it though because i don't know alot about boogie riffs.]]> Bass Players Discussion Steve-0 https://guitarnoise.forum/bass-players-discussion/blues-patterns-how-many/#post-65115 https://guitarnoise.forum/bass-players-discussion/blues-patterns-how-many/#post-3079 Wed, 11 Aug 2004 14:06:32 +0000
how many different blues types are there?

Also, if you take the major scale on bass and then play a walking bass pattern using R, 3, 5, 6, 7b, R and then play it back on its self. Is this a blues riff or would it be classes asa boogie riff?

Cheers]]> Bass Players Discussion Metallifan https://guitarnoise.forum/bass-players-discussion/blues-patterns-how-many/#post-3079