From the course: Piano Lessons: Teach Yourself to Play

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About the blues

About the blues

- The blues is a type of music that has been a part of the American musical heritage for a long time. It's called the 12 bar blues, because the blues chord progression is 12 measures long. It begins with the one chord, (piano notes play) and there's four measures of one. Then, two measures of four, (piano notes play) two measures of one, (piano notes play) a measure of five seven, (piano notes play) a measure of four, (piano notes play) and then it ends with two measures of the one chord. I'm a Winner uses the 12 bar blues chord progression, with a slight variation. In measures seven and eight, and 11 and 12, the left hand alternates between the one and four chords, just to give it a little more musical variety. Another characteristic of the blues is that the eighth notes are swung. To play these swing-style eighth notes, you'll play your two eighth note groups slightly uneven. You'll hold the first eighth note a little bit longer, and make the second eighth note a little bit shorter.…

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