The History of Menswear – 1970 to 1979

 The History of Menswear – 1970 to 1979

By Jade Jennison

The nineteen seventies saw a general decline of hippie culture yet most of the clothing styles at that point were influenced by the hippie movement. This year included a variety of technological advances, disaster and the up rise of political rights for women and homosexuals. Popular celebrities such as Freddie Mercury and Andy Warhol ‘came out’ which spurred controversy within society. Margaret Thatcher became the first woman British Prime Minster. The first VCR was invented along with the Walkman which allowed the media and entertainment to advance further throughout the world. This decade was also unlucky when it came to terrorist attacks as a Palestinian group hijacked five planes in 1970 and the Munich massacre took place in 1972.

Fashion has changed exceptionally across many decades. The 1970s spurred a hippie appreciation for the previous decade. General fashion was also inspired greatly by Hollywood movie stars who sported the kind of ‘disco look’. Steering towards the end of the seventies a different fashion replaced the previous and this consisted of punk fashion which was completely unprecedented.

Men became much more experimental during the seventies than ever before due to the unleashing of creativity and independence throughout the sixties. During the early times of this era the most popular ensembles of attire included flares, patterns and ties. With the influence of major music artists such as David Bowie who regularly sported a ‘glittered’ look, men felt more confident to tap into their feminine side.

With longer hair, moustaches and side-burns, this fantastic era saw a turn within fashion than it had not seen previously as it was completely innovative. Despite this peculiar turn the disco era did not last very long as the late-1970s brought the punk rock era.

It has been said that the main influences of punk fashion were Vivienne Westwood and her partner Malcolm McLaren. This curious turn was a rebellion to economic depression and everyone who wore this particular style was reacting against the world. Male rockers such as Sid Vicious (frontman of the Sex Pistols) played a huge part in working with Westwood to promote such an obscure fashion taste. This style has been said to trace back to the time of the band, The Velvet Underground, who initially began this creative rebel style.

When wearing punk-like attire men would usually have ripped jeans, torn t-shirts and controversial haircuts paired with an old leather jacket. The fashion was described as a ‘sense of poverty’ as they projected their political feelings through what they wore and felt as if the economy was completely failing. Their rebellious ways began a brand new movement which can be seen in modern fashion today as we still have the jeans and the leather jackets.

Jade Jennison is a dedicated writer in the subject matters of fashion and aims to bring you the latest tips, tricks and styles. All websites which are recommended by Jade have been thoroughly researched and come highly acclaimed from direct experience. Combine fashion in the 1970s with modern fashion today by visiting Life Clothing.

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The Origins of Blues and How Blues Music Is Still Relevant Today

 

By Xan Sillem

Blues is the name given to a form and a genre of music that originated from the African-American communities of the “Deep South” of the United States at the end of the 19th century. It consisted of spiritual numbers, hollas and chants as well as working songs and was characterized by simple rhyming narratives.

The pioneers of this new style at the time were members of the first black generation in the US after slavery was abolished in 1808. Although now technically free, it was to be a long time before the social and economic boundaries that existed as a hangover from the slave period were finally to be adjusted.

As a result the black workers were more often than not poor and without access to education. This was a crucial point in the birth of the blues. Blues musicians would use melodies that would sound good on the ear. They were unlikely to have had any training in western music and so would not have known about key signatures or indeed any western music theory. In the notation of blues music it is often not known whether to attribute it to be minor or major. It is more practicable to simply say a blues in A or a blues in C. From its inception this lead to new forms of melody being born, that incorporated elements that have now spread into an enormous number of cross genres. They worked well on the ear and didn’t have to conform to the fundamental imposed by western musical structures and devices. Instead blues was making its own fundamentals.

For example, blues music often uses a minor to major third, something almost unheard of in western music up until this point. That in turn has spread into rock n roll and surf music in the 60s. Imagine that Chuck Berry may never have written ‘Johnny B Goode’ if it hadn’t have been for that major to minor shift.

Not only that, but the dissonant sound of 7th chords have been made so familiar to us by the blues that now they have become staple elements in songs on their own, whereas previously they were used solely as devices by composers to make suggestions to the melody. Jazz music uses a complex mixture of 7ths, majors and minors and altered scales and owes everything to blues music not only in terms of melodies and harmonies but also in the African rhythms that characterize a great deal of jazz drumming. Lest we forget the ‘Jazz 1/8th note’ and the problems of how to write it in notation! I read once that Blues is to Jazz music what the Sonnet is to poetry.

The use of pentatonics in blues is so widespread that they have also become so pleasant on the ear that songwriters and guitarist use them in abundance. As is the 12 bar form, which continued into Rock n’ Roll and Jazz music as well as evolving into more complex melodies and chord structures.

A further element in the evolution of blues music was the lack of accessible music equipment. This would have meant that the early blues musicians would have had to be content to use whatever instruments that they could lay their hands on. Honky tonk pianos and old guitars have lent a great deal to the early blues sound as well as spawning another blues offspring- Ragtime.

Making music became an escape from the lot imposed upon them by US society at the time and for the black community one such place where they found freedom and space to sing was in the church. Gospel music is still practiced wholeheartedly to this day and some of the finest soul singers of our times learned to sing in church choirs. We may not have had Alicia Keys or Gladys Knight or Aretha Franklin were it not for this.

The influence of blues has permeated into all forms of modern music. Gershwin is but one of many composers who have written blues pieces for musicals and the British Blues revival of the 1960s, spawned another blues offshoot that coincided with the emergence and golden age of the electric guitar. For guitarists blues music is an essential part of their musical education as much blues music was originally and still is characterized on this instrument and is one that will still be drawn upon for much more time to come. Listen carefully and you won’t fail to notice the touch of blues throughout the music that is on the air for us to listen to today.

For More About the Blues and Blues Guitar Lessons Visit: http://www.guitar4free.com

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Google AdWords Secrets – How Do You Write Adverts That Get Clicks?

 

Google AdWords Secrets – How Do You Write Adverts That Get Clicks?

By J. Pal

The Google AdWords pay per click advertising system can seem quite daunting when you first get started with it. And it can be tough to write adverts that get a high click-through rate (CTR). A high CTR is the number of times people click on your adverts out of every 100.

So if 2 people out of every 100 visiting Google click on your ad, your CTR IS 2%. A high CTR is what you need to get the best returns from your campaigns.

So how do write adverts that get clicked on often?

Let me show you how I do it. I’ve used the following format and it works very well:

For the Headline: the keyword on it’s own or with a question mark at the end. Examples are: Home Teeth Whitening, Order Blues Music?, Download MP3 Songs, Download eBooks.

Product name keywords also work well here such as the brand and model of say a digital camera.

For Description line 1: The best benefit of your product or service. Here are some examples: Whiten Your Teeth at Home & Save $100s, Free bottles on selected packages, 20% discount on some models, price match guarantee, free shipping on orders.

For Description line 2: A call to action. So what the visitor needs to do next. Here are some examples: Order Your iPhone 4 Online Now, Order Now While Stocks Last, Download Your eBook Instantly, Join Online Now- Risk Free, Sign Up Online Now.

Other things to consider

The word “free” is a very powerful word so emphasise this where you can. Relevancy is a also a great way to get more clicks. So the more relevant the headline to the bidded keyword the better.

If you can use the exact model name or name of a product or service in the headline it really helps.

Also make sure that your landing page delivers what is promised in your ad and the product is easy to find and order. Because if visitors don’t stick around too long on your pages, you will get a high bounce rate which means Google will put your cost per click (CPC) up.

If you are still stick for ad ideas, do a search in Google for your keyword and see what the top ads look like for ideas. Just get an idea for your ad but NEVER copy them. You can easily improve on them.

Summing up

The best way to get the most clicks on your ads is to split test 2 ads, but never more than 2 as it will make it difficult to track changes and make improvements. Ensure you set the option to “Rotate: Show ads more evenly” under settings/advanced settings in your AdWords account so both ads get the same exposure.

Find the winning ad out of the 2 and improve on it further.

And now I would like to invite you to download your FREE eBook “Traffic Generation for Newbies” when you visit:http://www.RealWaysToMakeMoneyOnline.org/freeeBook.html

Read this eBook and you will learn how to make money online and avoid the mistakes that stop 95% of people from doing so.

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Men’s Hip Hop Clothing – A Perfect Blend of Casual and Classic Apparel

By Vikram A Khanna

Hip hop clothing is the right choice, if you want to look casual and trendy at the same time. This clothing style was introduced in early 70’s, when the pop culture became a hit among the youth. This clothing trend was inspired from the pop stars that performed on stage with their rap music. Along with the hip hop music, the hip hop fashion also became world-famous. As this clothing was a huge hit in the urban area, it is also known as urban wear.

Hip hop clothing is nothing but a casual wear, which is suitable for all occasions except for formal events. Hip hop fashion is available for both men and women. To meet the increased cost of living, youngsters started to buy these clothes because they are available at affordable rates, which is an added factor to its demand. It is very cheap and comfortable, so it became very popular clothing style in the metropolitan cities, especially among men. Famous fashion brands have introduced a huge collection of urban wear. Every fashion retailer will have at least a rack of these clothes in their stores.

Men love this clothing because it gives them a sophisticated look. The usual urban wear for men includes baggy pants, loose T-shirts, jackets and hooded sweatshirts. Anyone who wants to walk around casually will get a pair of baggy pants with a jacket. Matching the outfit with the right choice of accessories is very important when you are in hip hop clothing. Baseball caps, sneakers and huge belts are the accessories to get a complete casual look. Sometimes, you can also see people wearing accessories like long chains and rings. Pairing up a normal black jacket with a designed T- shirt is the easy way to show off your hip look. Though this style of clothing has been evolving for over ten years, there are a few trends which have never changed.

The latest trend for men is Denim. They are the most comfortable clothing which is suitable for many occasions. They are all time favourite clothing for youngsters. Denim and tight jeans are mostly preferred by teenagers. Denim shorts or denim trousers with a fitting shirt is the most popular urban look. Sneakers, black leather jackets and sportswear trousers are the latest addition to this clothing line.

This clothing is suitable for all seasons. During winter one can get thermal clothing to keep them warm and stylish. Leather jackets are the most recent trend in Men’s urban wear. Thermal clothes have been introduced very recently, but it is widely popular among men of all age groups. Similarly, T- shirts with colourful prints or logo names or brand names are a major part of this clothing style. Bright designs, unique patterns and vibrant colours are the characteristics of the urban clothing. People usually, use their creativity and mismatch the shirts and overcoat. Even people with plus sizes can find the right hip hop clothing at reasonable prices. Urban fashion is very famous around the world. But it is not same around the world. In every region, the hip hop fashion was altered according to the ethnicity of that particular region. Vintage fashion also has some effect on the hip hop clothing fashion.

Mens hip hop clothing
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Top Three Blues Instrumental Music Songs

Top Three Blues Instrumental Music Songs
By Aaron McLain

What are the best blues instrumental music tracks? It’s a great question. Blues and lyrics go hand in hand, but what if you want just the blues without all the words? With that question in mind I set out to find the best instrumentals buried amongst the blues musical landscape.

What are the best blues instrumental music tracks? It’s a great question. Blues and lyrics go hand in hand, but what if you want just the blues without all the words? With that question in mind I set out to find the best instrumentals buried amongst the blues musical landscape. Here is my list of the best blues instrumentals and a little background on the musicians that gave them life.

The #1 spot on my blues instrumental music chart goes to “Juke” by Little Walker. Little Walker, whose real name is Marion Walter Jacobs, is a well known and respected blues singer, harmonica player, and guitarist. He is one of the greats and has been compared to other great artists like Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix. He changed people’s views on what they expected from a harmonica player by showing them what was possible. In March of 2008 he was placed in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the sideman category and was the only artist to get in for his work with a harmonica.

The #2 spot on my blues instrumental music chart goes to “Hide Away” by Freddie King. Freddie King, also known as “The Texas Cannonball”, was a great blues guitarist and singer. His guitar style was based off of Texas and Chicago influences that he developed over his twenty year recording career. He has inspired many great musicians such as Bill Freeman, Denny Campbell, and Jimmie Vaughan. He also was one of the first artists to have a multi-racial band on stage with him. Sadly, at the young age of 42, King passed away due to heart failure on December 28, 1979.

The #3 spot on my blues instrumental music chart goes to “Albatross” by Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green. Fleetwood Mac is a British/American rock band started back in 1967. Through the years the band members came and went, but they still were able to gain some success. The only band member to stay throughout was drummer Mick Fleetwood. Their most successful period is when they were led by guitarist Peter Green in the late 1960s.

These are just a few of my favorite instrumental music tracks and they are just skimming the surface of all the great blues instrumentals out there. I hope you enjoyed reading about them and challenge you to get out there and find some of your own and share them with the world. Until next time.

Aaron is a freelance writer that enjoys both listening and writing on the subject of instrumental music. He delves even further into the world of instrumentals on his blog Instrumental Music HQ His blog contains his views, opinions and reviews on a variety of topics including instrumental beats [http://instrumentalmusichq.com/instrumental-beats/instrumental-beats/] and instrumental songs [http://instrumentalmusichq.com/instrumental-songs/instrumental-songs/].

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For Blues Guitarist – Blues Guitar Chords & Progression

For Blues Guitarist – Blues Guitar Chords & Progression
By Zack Roberts

Learning how to play and improvise great blues riffs and licks is not as easy as it might seem to a novice but the one good thing is that focused learning and practicing with a great blues backing track will help a lot in understanding blues chords and progression.   Using blues backing tracks is an important aspect of playing blues lead guitar. Blues is considered to be one of the origins of jazz music and you will find some influence of blues even in contemporary jazz.

Learning how to play and improvise great blues riffs and licks is not as easy as it might seem to a novice but the one good thing is that focused learning and practicing with a great blues backing track will help a lot in understanding blues chords and progression.

Using blues backing tracks is an important aspect of playing blues lead guitar. Blues is considered to be one of the origins of jazz music and you will find some influence of blues even in contemporary jazz. Most of the blues music and the ones used in common blues backing tracks are pentatonic scales and the mixolydian scales. These scales can be used in rock too and hence the ones used for blues are enhanced with the blues notes. If you understand the basic of the blue notes then you will be able to improvise over blues backing tracks with ease. Basically, blue notes use a drop in the pitch of the 3rd, 5th and 7th of the major scale. If you hear a professional talk about a blues scale then what they really mean is the pentatonic minor scale with a blue note like b5.

There are many people who jam to blues backing tracks in the C key and the chords used could be C, C7, G7, and F7. If th tracks are meant for a solo then the Am pentatonic scale will be rather useful and perfect to a certain degree. Some of the other options of blues guitar backing tracks include C-minor pentatonic comprising of the c-blues scale and c-major and Bb major scales in Dorian mode.

Blues Chords and Progression

Here are some characteristics of the blues chords and progression, which will definitely help you to play blues backing tracks effectively:

·Most of the blues chord progressions are in a 12 bar form. Apart from this, you will also find 14, 16, 24 or even higher number of bar forms for blues.

·The tonic chord in blues progression is basically the dominant 7th chord.

·The blues music has been predominantly defined not only as music that focuses on chord changes as well as scales but also on feeling.

·There are 3 basic chords in blues and they are all dominant 7th chords.

Some of the blues backing tracks techniques include:

·Using hammer-on or even a slide right from b3 to natural 3

·Mixing the Mixolydian scale with the dominant blues scale

Mixing scales is probably the best way of enhancing blues backing tracks techniques

Blues Tabs

In the first part, you need to use the C Mixolydian scale with a natural 3. In the second half of the 2nd bar, you need to use the C-minor pentatonic scale using a flat 3. If you really want to pursue blues backing tracks techniques then the best place to learn is by listening to recording of blues guitarists or legends like BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. You can also listen to some of the compositions of famous jazz guitarists like Kenny Burrell and George Benson.

Are You A Blues Musician?

Get over 50 professional blues backing tracks at www.50Blues.com , The #1 Secret Weapon for blues guitarists, harmonica and harp musicians.

Zack Roberts is the founder of 50 Blues Music Studios. He is a professional full time musician and guitar instructor, specializing in classic blues and rock music. He also runs a recording studio in Jersey City, NJ

Together with his band, he has recorded over 50 of the best Blues Backing Tracks for professional musicians. In under 3 minutes, you’ll uncover the #1 proven method of improving your blues playing.

If you are struggling with mastering the blues, these blues backing tracks will fuel your creativity and passion to inspire killer blues riffs and licks.

Just imagine having the best acoustic and electric blues bands to jam with you, anytime, anywhere!

Find Out More – 50 Blues Guitar Lessons & Jam Tracks

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The Development of Blues Music

The Development of Blues Music
By Liam Gibson

Jazz, rock music and country and western are just some of the styles that owe a lot of their progression from the original blues. The contribution of Blues music to the development of many other genres of music is very significant. Blues was originally grown out of the hardships endured by many generations of African Americans, and first arose from the rural Mississippi region, around about the time of the dawn of the 20th century. The style developed from work shouts (known as arhoolies), and became the vocal narrative style that we associate with blues music today.

Jazz, rock music and country and western are just some of the styles that owe a lot of their progression from the original blues. The contribution of Blues music to the development of many other genres of music is very significant. Blues was originally grown out of the hardships endured by many generations of African Americans, and first arose from the rural Mississippi region, around about the time of the dawn of the 20th century. The style developed from work shouts (known as arhoolies), and became the vocal narrative style that we associate with blues music today.

Jazz, rock music and country and western are just some of the styles that owe a lot of their progression from the original blues. The contribution of Blues music to the development of many other genres of music is very significant. Blues was originally grown out of the hardships endured by many generations of African Americans, and first arose from the rural Mississippi region, around about the time of the dawn of the 20th century. The style developed from work shouts (known as arhoolies), and became the vocal narrative style that we associate with blues music today.

Industry was progressing, and by the 1920’s Blues music was also developing – affecting the everyday lives of people involved. There was by this time a very particular style, based around a three-line stanza. The stanza contained just one line of verse, repeated, and then finished with a final line of rhyming verse.

The style also included a repeating blues chord progression, which was the basis of the harmony. The usual rule of thumb was a 12-bar pattern utilizing the 3 major chords of a scale. The text was set to a 12-bar chorus, and typically was between four and eight stanzas in length.

In typical cases, the melody is formed by flattened third, fifth and seventh notes of the major scale. The outcome is the ‘bent’ notes that lend Blues music that distinctive sound – the bittersweet emotional impact that lacks in other genres. For the majority of blues music the focus is on the vocals – contradicting the fact that performers will often improvise instrumental solos over the Blues chord progressions.

Country Blues

Many itinerant musicians (the majority of which were men), travelled from one community to the next, singing songs that focused on love, freedom, sex and the general sorrows of life. Often referred to as ‘Delta Blues’ (in tribute to the Mississippi Delta were they first originated), country blues arose from the Southern rural experience, particularly influenced by the impact of emancipation.

Classic Blues

African Americans began to migrate, mainly looking for work. Areas such as Memphis and New Orleans began to become more populated, and these people brought their own brand of music with them. As they settled in these areas, it led to Blues music becoming much more urban-orientated. The music evolved as their way of life evolved. Male or female vocalists began to appear more regularly, and there was now the addition of a single piano.

The audience also grew, and Blues became more mainstream. Throughout the country as a whole, Blues music could now be heard in dancehalls and barrooms. The music industry as a whole started to take note, and more and more compositions and marketing arrangements emerged, as people began to take notice. The popularity of this kind of music grew exponentially. What would become known as Classic Blues became so popular that many songs were released with the word ‘blues’ in the title to capitalize on this, even though they bared little or no relation to the style of music.

Electric Blues

Its center, previously clustered around Memphis and New Orleans, began to migrate, and soon cities such as Chicago became the central point of much of the music. The appetite for the style of music known as the Blues was quite voracious.

The end of the Second World War brought a new revival into the genre, and artists began to develop the music, primarily through adding a bit of extra emphasis on the bass drums and cranking up the guitar sounds. Artists like Elvis and Bill Haley began to incorporate the Blues methods into their own unique brand of rock n roll. By the 1950’s this style was no longer centered around the African American community, and was universally practiced across all races.

The influence that Blues music has had on the music industry as a whole is undisputed, and yet Blues music is still evolving, still developing, and still evoking the stirrings of the soul to anyone who cares to listen! The incorporation of the Blues style into different genres still exists today, and Blues music in its own right continues to go from strength to strength – many top selling artists maintain the original styles.

Liam Gibson of Learn Guitar-User-Reviews, specializes in helping aspiring guitarists get the info that they need to make the right choices. Liam, a stage guitarist himself, leads his team of guitar experts to constantly review new courses and products in the market and make sure you get the best value products that work for you. Check out actual user reviews and feedback of the most popular guitar courses at LearnGuitar-User-Reviews.

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The Origins of Blues and How Blues Music Is Still Relevant Today

The Origins of Blues and How Blues Music Is Still Relevant Today
By Xan Sillem

Blues  is hard to overstate the significance of the blues in modern and contemporary music. Almost all forms of popular music today are characterized by blues influences, whether it be from Adele or the Black Keys, or from the Beatles to Nirvana. Blues melodies have become a staple form of music and so familiar on the ear that they are able to cross genres as seamlessly as we drift from one season into the next. What is it exactly, though that has made the blues so popular?

Blues is the name given to a form and a genre of music that originated from the African-American communities of the “Deep South” of the United States at the end of the 19th century. It consisted of spiritual numbers, hollas and chants as well as working songs and was characterized by simple rhyming narratives.

The pioneers of this new style at the time were members of the first black generation in the US after slavery was abolished in 1808. Although now technically free, it was to be a long time before the social and economic boundaries that existed as a hangover from the slave period were finally to be adjusted.

As a result the black workers were more often than not poor and without access to education. This was a crucial point in the birth of the blues. Blues musicians would use melodies that would sound good on the ear. They were unlikely to have had any training in western music and so would not have known about key signatures or indeed any western music theory. In the notation of blues music it is often not known whether to attribute it to be minor or major. It is more practicable to simply say a blues in A or a blues in C. From its inception this lead to new forms of melody being born, that incorporated elements that have now spread into an enormous number of cross genres. They worked well on the ear and didn’t have to conform to the fundamental imposed by western musical structures and devices. Instead blues was making its own fundamentals.

For example, blues music often uses a minor to major third, something almost unheard of in western music up until this point. That in turn has spread into rock n roll and surf music in the 60s. Imagine that Chuck Berry may never have written ‘Johnny B Goode’ if it hadn’t have been for that major to minor shift.

Not only that, but the dissonant sound of 7th chords have been made so familiar to us by the blues that now they have become staple elements in songs on their own, whereas previously they were used solely as devices by composers to make suggestions to the melody. Jazz music uses a complex mixture of 7ths, majors and minors and altered scales and owes everything to blues music not only in terms of melodies and harmonies but also in the African rhythms that characterize a great deal of jazz drumming. Lest we forget the ‘Jazz 1/8th note’ and the problems of how to write it in notation! I read once that Blues is to Jazz music what the Sonnet is to poetry.

The use of pentatonics in blues is so widespread that they have also become so pleasant on the ear that songwriters and guitarist use them in abundance. As is the 12 bar form, which continued into Rock n’ Roll and Jazz music as well as evolving into more complex melodies and chord structures.

A further element in the evolution of blues music was the lack of accessible music equipment. This would have meant that the early blues musicians would have had to be content to use whatever instruments that they could lay their hands on. Honky tonk pianos and old guitars have lent a great deal to the early blues sound as well as spawning another blues offspring- Ragtime.

Making music became an escape from the lot imposed upon them by US society at the time and for the black community one such place where they found freedom and space to sing was in the church. Gospel music is still practiced wholeheartedly to this day and some of the finest soul singers of our times learned to sing in church choirs. We may not have had Alicia Keys or Gladys Knight or Aretha Franklin were it not for this.

The influence of blues has permeated into all forms of modern music. Gershwin is but one of many composers who have written blues pieces for musicals and the British Blues revival of the 1960s, spawned another blues offshoot that coincided with the emergence and golden age of the electric guitar. For guitarists blues music is an essential part of their musical education as much blues music was originally and still is characterized on this instrument and is one that will still be drawn upon for much more time to come. Listen carefully and you won’t fail to notice the touch of blues throughout the music that is on the air for us to listen to today.

For More About the Blues and Blues Guitar Lessons Visit: http://www.guitar4free.com

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Blues Music – American Granddaddy of Music Styles

Blues Music – American Granddaddy of Music Styles
By Gene Morgan

What does American music sound like? You know what the music of Germany, Spain, Ireland, Japan, and many of the other countries of the world sounds like. Each country with it’s own distinctive culture has an identifiable musical sound that comes from that culture. But what about the United States?

America was settled by people mainly from Europe. The early music of America was basically European music. There was quite a variety of musical forms to be heard and some people might say that is still true in America today. But, there are common elements in today’s music that did not exist in the early settler’s music.

It was the influence of the African slaves that brought changes to American musical forms. African culture was suppressed through slavery. Their religion, language, and general overall culture was taken away from them. But, since the African culture was one of oral traditions it was impossible to eliminate their entire cultural way of life. Many aspects of their musical heritage were retained.

Blues Music – American Granddaddy of Music Styles

What does American music sound like? A little history of African American influences on American music. Did it all start with the blues?

Before the days of radio, movies, or TV, folks had to entertain themselves. Dances and music in general were the main focus of entertainment in the early settler’s lives. Slaves were quick to learn that by becoming musicians themselves, they could somewhat improve their lives because good musicians were valued in those early days. They learned European music and musical instruments of the time. But, to this European music they brought the influence of their own musical culture as well.

There were aspects of the African musical background that were quite different from the Europeans. It would take a book to fully explain those difference, but they can be simplified into two different aspects. One has to do with a more complex rhythm pattern and the other has to do with the variations in notes of the Western musical scale that the Africans added to the music. They brought these variations to both their playing of instruments and their singing. And, in the end white folks grew to like it.

While these influences can be heard in early American music at the beginning of the 19th century especially in church music, it did not develop into a different musical form until after the Civil War. With freedom the African Americans were able to travel and experience a mixture of musical know-how from other white and black musicians. Slowly a new musical style was born. It was called the blues.

There is a lot of misinformation and confusion about how and when the blues began. Even Blues scholars do not agree. But, basically the music of the 19th century, which was mostly played by African Americans on the banjo which was an adaptation of an African instrument, changed at the end of that century when cheap guitars became available. The importance of the guitar was that unlike the banjo it could sustain notes. The blues player’s goal was to have his instrument mimic the human voice. The guitar, through bending strings and sliding between the notes, could be made to sound like there vocal techniques where notes were sung between the standard Western music notation. This is what the blues was all about.

There is a very important term that must be understood. It is called the “Folk Process” by music historians. It means simply that music changes. Either one musician or a group will, because their own abilities or creativity, change and interpret songs their own way. That is why there were different musical sounds developed in different parts of the country. Different folks will just play and sing a song if different ways. That is where styles come from. The singing and guitar playing styles popularized by the blues musicians were adapted to other music. This “Folk Process” is how blues singing and guitar methods became part of the American musical culture.

If you pay attention to modern music you will see that these guitar techniques and vocal phrasings are used is most styles of American music. That can be explained by the fact that most American music of the 20th century evolved from black blues and is mostly just a case of white boys playing the blues. That statement really bugs some folks, but the fact is that no mater what style of music you can name, country, jazz, pop, bluegrass, rock, or whatever, those musical elements that were introduced by slaves and refined by blues players are present. It is what gives the various styles of American music a similar coherent feel. It is all different but somehow the same. It is all rooted in the blues, the granddaddy of American music.

Gene Morgan has been writing about music for nearly 30 years. His articles have appeared in a number of music and heritage puplications. He and his wife Nancy have a Cafepress apparel shop where they feature many music related designs for clothing and specialty items. The shop is called Captured Image Design and can be found at: http://www.cafepress.com/cidgraphics. They also have an unusual music site that gives information about some of their music related activities. The site is called River Bottom Boogie and can be found at: http://members.aol.com/genenancy2/boogie.htm

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