To become a blues musician, one must first learn to play or sing in blues styles. The musician could already be a skilled instrumentalist or singer. Someone without that background, on the other hand, can learn to play an instrument or sing in the blues style. To learn how to play the blues, a budding musician can take lessons from an instructor, look up instructions on the internet, use books and videos, and study the works of top blues musicians.
Although blues can be played on any instrument, blues musicians frequently use the guitar and piano. Anyone interested in becoming a blues musician can learn a few basic chords on either instrument. He can enjoy playing songs and continue to improve his skills once he learns a few chords. Someone who can already play an instrument will be able to progress more quickly.
The pentatonic or blues scale is commonly used in blues music, and it contributes to the genre’s distinct sound. In contrast to classical music, which uses seven notes, this scale primarily uses five notes. In all major and minor keys, a pentatonic scale can be played.
The 12-bar chord progression is another important feature of blues music. It specifies the chords used in the song as well as the bars in which they are employed. Roman numerals are frequently used to represent chord progressions, such as I – IV – V. The I represents the key’s root chord, the IV the key’s fourth chord, and the V the key’s fifth chord. I – I – I – IV – IV – IV – IV – I – I – V – IV – I – V – IV – I – V – IV – I – V – IV – I – V – IV – I – V – IV – I – V – IV – I
To play the blues authentically, aspiring blues musicians should immerse themselves in the music of artists from various blues genres, such as the Delta, Memphis, New Orleans, and Chicago styles. Robert Johnson, who was born in 1911 and died in 1938, was one of the most influential blues songwriters, singers, and guitarists. Despite the fact that he was only alive for a short time, his music influenced well-known musicians and groups such as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones. Anyone interested in becoming a blues musician should listen to his recordings. Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, BB King, Junior Wells, and Buddy Guy are a few other musicians whose work is worth studying.