*whispers* the blues kinda suck...?!

[Farlsborough]

Just a fun thread to introduce a cat amongst pigeons, I'm not trying to make a serious point here. However, whilst I've constantly heard how the blues are responsible for all pop and rock music ever, the original and the best, how the Beatles and Elvis and the Rolling Stones and Hendrix and everyone in between were intoxicated with the wonderful blues... I rarely see people admitting that they find the blues really, really boring.

I've learned to Travis pick over the last couple of years, and am also trying to get my hands around ragtime. I've got Joel Mabus's "Parlor Guitar" book - it's pretty challenging - and have just discovered The New Art of Ragtime Guitar by Richard Saslow, which is a brilliant and accessible introduction (only tried the first piece so far but it's comfortably achievable for an intermediate guitarist, especially with some Travis picking experience). But out of the songs in that book, it's the one blues piece ("Bloozinay") that I just find tedious to listen to!

When it comes to electric, blues masters like BB King leave me cold, however much emotion they put into it. Joe Bonamassa who is hailed as a virtuoso - nope. It's still just a 1-4-5 progression! However fast, however high up the neck you play, they just all sound the same. Even Robben Ford, who I appreciate does a few more interesting things in terms of "outside notes", is still tinkering at the edges of the same predictable progression. All these people are amazingly skilled musicians and yet it seems really dull to me.
If a famous guitarist is giving a tutorial/interview and they pick up their guitar and say, "of course, it all goes back to the blues..." and start chugging away on the lower strings, it's an instant turn off.

I'm fascinated by what it is that people find so inspirational, and wonder if I'm really alone in this?!

[rmp]

yea, It's kind of odd isn't it.

I had to think about this for a minute, and I came to the thought that most of the people that I know that are really into blues are not players.

They are "listeners", not musicians so they really don't understand the repetitive nature of blues music in general terms

But for us, hammering around on a I IV V or a 12 bar blues progression over and over all night long, isn't going to do much for us.

Maybe I'm generalizing, and don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing one, or two, or even maybe three over the course of a 3 set gig,

but to be in a "BLUES" band? it better have some horn players.

[JC.]

I don't think its I, IV, V that's the problem. Some players can make a single chord vamp sound tremendous. I think its more the minor pentatonic thing which gets very same-y.

But my general feeling is that, no matter how accomplished the player, instrumental music without vocals generally gets boring to listen to after about 30 seconds.

[Mandobart]

I used to really love the blues. I tuned in to all blues radio shows, bought dozens of albums and CD's of blues artists, Alligator Records compilations, and more. Went to several blues festivals and shows. Played some blues myself.

I loved the electric stuff, the acoustic delta blues, Piedmont, etc. The real deal old race records up to white British blues boys. It was never the only genre for me, but certainly the most powerful for many years.

But it must be starting around 10 years ago I began to tire of it. Yes it's a simple I, IV, V progression in 8 to 12 bars, but then so is a lot of folk, bluegrass, rock, country and Americana. Sure it all starts to sound the same after a while, but so do Irish trad, bluegrass, gypsy jazz, classical, salsa and others that I haven't grown tired of. And as the OP said, there are elements of blues in practically all the other western musical genres, so if you listen to almost any music you're going to hear some blues.

I think Ray makes a great point that many of the biggest blues fans aren't musicians themselves. Conversely, most of the bluegrass fans I know also love to play bluegrass (and tend to be multi-instrumentalists). And I'll just say that a lot of blues doesn't require the technical proficiency that faster-paced music (like bluegrass) requires, and that may add to the "boredom" some feel playing blues as opposed to other genres..

I don't think the blues suck at all - maybe I just got over saturated with the genre and needed a long break?

[hubcapsc]

There's "blues licks"... and "bluegrass licks" too... I know guitar
players who are way better than I'll ever be, it is fun to sit there
and listen to them noodle around, they sound just like Eric Clapton.

It seems like whether you're proficient and skilled or not, you need
to know some licks to play in a style... but you perhaps need to be
able to go beyond licks to address the issue that maybe this thread
is hovering around... ?

-Mike

[Dave Hicks]

Every bowl of chili is the same - I've given up eating it.

D.H.

[The Bard Rocks]

I have always enjoyed playing and listening to the blues. By this I mean acoustic blues, not the electric "Rhythm and Blues" that many call "The Blues". And I have long wondered how something so simple can have so many songs, each different.

But maybe they are not so musically different as emotionally different. For instance I know of at least 5 songs that use the melody for "Sitting on Top of the World". There are no doubt others as well. How can something so melodically similar feel so different?

[nickv6]

I'll add if I may.
I don't think it's the simple chord structure. I think its the scale playing. That list of music above where the poster says all starts to sound the same after awhile, for me they all get samey when it's just scales being played, whichever scale the genre uses. Once players get hooked on a particular scale, that's when it gets dull for me. Melody is what's kingpin in my opinion.
When I'm in guitar shops and all I hear is pentatonic widdling I get depressed. OK it was novel when E Clapton brought it to our attention with skill, but now...too much, too old. Give me some melody please.
I think that's how Tommy E stands out. He produces melody even when he's flying off on some incomprehensible widdling, there's melody in it.
Just my thoughts of course, I don't expect anyone to agree.

[zuzu]

It may be very difficult to "get" the blues for musicians of a musically analytical character, and not one thing wrong with that! Just as the majority of movies require a willing suspension of disbelief to thoroughly lend your attention to and enjoy, the blues (can, not always) require an acceptance of the I-IV-V as the setting for the conversation taking place.

Think of the I-IV-V as the pub, club, backyard, church, etc., and the musicians as not playing but saying...with you personally involved or plainly overhearing the conversation they are having. The setting matters not very quickly, and the conversation becomes the focus. That is why the blues are (to me) always more impactful live than recorded.

"Saying" not playing. This is my approach to all music anymore, it is all a conversation...

[Andyrondack]

There's lots of variety in the blues if you look.
Tampa Red is different to Mississippi John Hurt is different to Elmore James is different to Doc Watson and I love all that stuff.
Wouldn't listen to or play it all the time though.

[musicman1951]

I grew up loving Eric Clapton and Cream, so I'm less enamored by acoustic blues. I've listened to SRV and Johnny Winter for hours, so I don't think it's about the harmonic progression, but more about the improv. Clapton was brilliant with his phrasing.

I will absolutely agree that a player who only uses the pentatonic scale are quickly boring. The lowered third (or flat 3, if you prefer) can be an interesting "blue" note when used judiciously, but if it's the only one you play you're using a minor scale over a major chord. When you get to the IV chord the interesting note is the dominant 7th, which is that flat 3rd from the I chord - so you've removed the only change in the scale by playing that note all the time. Same for the V chord when you make it minor.

That's hard to explain with words. In the key of C:
I - C7 (c,d,e,f,g,a,b flat, c)
IV - F7 (f,g,a,b flat,c,d,e flat,f)
V - G7 (g,a,b,c,d,e,f,g)

Most of the notes are the same for all three chords. The two "different/interesting" notes are the E flat in the IV chord and the B natural in the V chord.

What makes it interesting for me is the quality of the melodies improvised.

But there are an incredible number of musical genres, and I don't know anyone who likes them all equally. Some are rather simple and some are considerably complex, but there is no requirement to love them all - and not that many hours in a day.

I like just about anything played well, but there are lots of musical categories not found in my listening collection. Here's a confession: for as many hours as I've spent listening to electric blues and blues laden rock, Robert Johnson's music doesn't move me. I forgive myself and listen to something else.

I do think there is a pretty clear distinction between "It doesn't move me" and "It's not that good." I think that's a distinction we should always respect with some care.

[Bob Womack]

It's a good thing that millions of people around the globe don't share your opinion. Still and all, having contrary opinions isn't a fault, it makes you interesting, no? I am quite the contrarian myself, but I do like me some blues.



Go out there and make it a great day.

Bob

[Malcolm Kindnes]

Originally Posted by JC.

But my general feeling is that, no matter how accomplished the player, instrumental music without vocals generally gets boring to listen to after about 30 seconds.

This is only partly true. If you want an audience, especially a paying one, certainly you must sing. However, speaking as a musician, most of the music I listen to at home is instrumental jazz.

[egordon99]

Originally Posted by JC.

But my general feeling is that, no matter how accomplished the player, instrumental music without vocals generally gets boring to listen to after about 30 seconds.

Listen to Pat Metheny's "Secret Story" and be prepared to have your mind changed.

Seriously...

[Osage]

I find modern electric blues to be just about the worst music there is. So boring and predictable. I don't care how good someone is at soloing or whatever, it's just boring music that I've heard to death.

As far as old stuff, I rarely listen to blues but do put on Mississippi John Hurt and a few others maybe once a year and always enjoy it. There's a couple Bukka White albums that I put a lot of miles on years ago as well.