Beginning Blues Guitar – Blues of the Mississippi Delta
Beginning Blues Guitar Blues of the Mississippi Delta
Beginning blues guitar artists are advised to follow a specific style or artist to make the learning process a lot easier. This will also enable one to define their own music and have something to base their explorations on.
Where is the Mississippi Delta?
The Mississippi Delta is the name given to a distinctive northwest section of the state, which divides the Yazoo and Mississippi rivers. This name is actually a misnomer since this area is an alluvial plain that resulted from various floods that hit the area for the past several decades, and even centuries. The region is flat and has one of the most fertile lands there is in the world. It contains several counties including the following: Humphreys, Panola, Washington, Bolivar, Sharkey, Yazoo, Sunflower, Warren, to name a few.
The primary produce for the region is cotton and several plantation owners have established their property in the area in the hopes of generating cash through this crop. Due to poverty, many were forced to work under harsh conditions in order to survive tough economic situations.
Mississippi Delta Blues Style
Aside from its rich history and geographic location, the Mississippi Delta is also highly associated with the original roots of blues music. In fact, it has been dubbed as the Delta Blues wherein it is considered as the most influential style there is for the genre. Aside from blues music, several other music genres have been known to originate from this area including jazz and rock & roll.
The music that was produced from this area were inspired by the labor struggles and hardship faced by those who lived here.
Tradition
A general recommendation by music experts for those who wanted to learn how to play the blues guitar or create their own blues song would be to learn the style of the Mississippi Delta. This particular music tradition has been handed down from one generation to another. Over the years, new artists added new touch into the style and created their own lyrics, allowing the genre to grow and develop. The guitar and harmonica were two of the most popular instruments used by musicians during the earlier period of the Blues music, starting from 1910 until the 1950s.
The highly rhythmic structure of the Mississippi Delta blues music is its most distinctive musical characteristic. In some cases, the rhythms are complimented by the use of strong vocals. However, it is part of the music style's trademark to keep the lyrics simple and often highly personal.
Artists Known for Using Mississippi Delta Blues Style
Once you have chosen to use the Mississippi Delta blues style to learn the genre, make sure to listen to some of the artists known to have adapted this musical style. These artists include the following:
- Charley Patton - Known as the first Delta Blues star and has traveled the region enough to create music that would speak about the it's rife and struggles.
- Willie Brown, Skip James, Tommy McClennan, and Tommy Johnson - All of these artists were deemed as the most influential for the Delta Blues style.
- John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, & Howlin' Wolf - These are now huge blues stars in Detroit and Chicago but all started by producing Delta Blues music.
Students of beginning blues guitar can pattern their own style from these artists to make the learning process much easier.
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