[Harp-L] describing 12 bar songs

["Harmonica Blu" <bluxpress@xxxxxxxxx>]

The basic theory vocabulary is pretty much the same for anyone playing american popular music. Good musicians will know the basic latin rhythms and major blues styles/grooves.
If you find a good blues jam and then get conversations going with the musicians you can begin to ask the right questions. What rhythm was that? A rhumba? Cool. Who uses that in blues? Well, some Chicago blues tunes and some New Orleans stuff too. You should listen to ..... by......
etc. etc. 
Or was that a shuffle or swing rhythm? Then note what the bass and drums were doing to create that groove.   etc.
    One of those little paperback books that teaches basic music theory would be helpful too. I bet there's one or more out there now with a CD with music samples. That would be helpful. My college theory teacher used to talk about all kinds of things without even opening the piano. One day I got so frustrated I asked him to demonstrate a concept. He went to open the instrument and the keyboard lid was locked and he didn't have the key! It's just better to connect the concepts with sounds, chords, rhythms, tempos, etc.
Where are you located? A basic music course at your community college could really open up your ears. In many cities there are other alternatives such as Barry Harris' jazz workshop in Manhattan, NY.
Blu
Harmonica Blu
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