The general rhythmic harmonic pattern of 16 bars blues denoted by 16BB is the next
Let X1 X2 X3 be an harmonic triad of chords , in other words consecutive in the wheel by 4ths. They may be major or minor chords then the general 12 bars blues rhythmic-harmonic pattern is the next
| X2 | X2 | X2 | X2 |
| X2 | X2 | X3 | X3 |
| X3 | X1 | X3 | X1 |
| X1 | X1 | X2 | X2 |
Still another pattern of 16bars Blues that is often met in New Orleans jazz songs by the group Tuba Skinny
is the next
1M 1M 1M 1M
4M 4M 1M 1M
1M 1M 1M 1M
5M7 5M7 1M 1M
The melodic themes follow the pattern of the 4 lines of the block . That is the pattern A B A C.
If the Xi X1 X23 are major denoted by M or minors then we have 8 types of such general 12 bars blues rhythmic-harmonic patterns
MMM
MMm
mMM
MmM
mmm
mmM
MmM
mMm
A usual rhythm is 120 bpm and 4 beats per bar. This gives that one such 16BB has duration about 30 seconds thus about 6-8 repetitions of this 12BB pattern will give a song a little less or more than 3 minutes duration.
Now the general concept of composing sings based on the 16BB patterns is based on the next
a) We start with a 16BB as unit block and we modulate it or transpose it about 6 times
b) We alter the 16BB pattern substituting any of the instances of each of the Xi chords i=1,2,3 with relative minor or major chords.
The difference in easiness and familiarity when composing songs based on thsi method compared to no method, is as the difference of walking by feet compared to moving by a car (the car=12BB pattern)
In the guitar such an improvisation is mostly easy if the guitar is tuned in one of the open overtones tuning. E.g. Open D tuning.
In order to create the melody we may proceed as follows.
1)We compose 2 or 3 simplicial sub-melodies one for each part of the song , with one note per chord and bar (strictly speaking the 1st simplicial submelody with one note per chord and the second simplicial submelody which is also an arpeggio, with one note per bar inside teh chord) , over the cycle of chords preferably at a chromatic sequence ascending and descending . In this way we may have more than one note of the simplicial sub-melody per chord but only one per chord and bar. This involves that we compose the orientation of the melody inside the chord, up, or down or waving.
2) We create moves or waves or cycles for each note of the simplicial sub-melody by sequencing during the chord with two types of notes a fast (usually outside the chord) and a slow of double duration on the notes of the chord again ascending or descending with smaller waves. I this way more than 50% of the time of the duration of the melody will be notes of the chord. This means that we apply a "poetic meter" in the melody, here the trochaic which is also the swing and vals. If we use keyboards (and this may also be e.g. digital harp in the tablet as in ThumbJam) , the way to create the melody is the next. For each lines in the 16 Bar Blocks which is usually a pair of chords , we layout the chords in the keyboard to see their mutual topology and overlapping. Then we compose 5-6 versions of the melody, by one up or down wave within each chord, which are usually one vector-wave for half or full the chord (123 , or 1234565 or 543 for 3-notes chords or 7654321 for chords with 7nth etc in trochaic poetic meter) . We use balancing structure e.g. if the first is up the next is down and vice verse. But two ups or two downs are for emphasis too. We may split the vector-wave to arpeggio and tail or only arpeggio. We choose the version that we like best and expresses best the emotions we want. We use not one only octave necessarily but 2 or even 3. Starting from high, in high octaves and descending down 1 or 2 octaves is a bird-like melodic approach. If we use harmonica the themes waves for each chord or pair of chords are quite more free. If we use guitar , violin , flute, it is more or less as with the keyboard but again a little more free to follow the constraints and conveniences of the instrument.
3) We may apply the pattern of 4 waves-cycles. Initial idea-variational continuation-contrasting mutation-closure. E.g. Down cycle-down cycle modulated-up cycle-wave shrinking and ending to middle note. Or vice versa Up cycle-Up cycle modulated-Down cycle-wave shrinking and ending to middle note. Usually this structure copies the the rhythmic structure of the 8, 12 ,16 or 32 bars Blues It is important to realize that such a wave or cycle need not be 100% over a chord but it can be over a pair of chords as chord-transition theme (x% over one chord y% over the next x%+y%=100%) and sometimes as themes over three chords. Thus each melodic theme of the 4 phases of it may correspond to 4 bars and the 4 melodic themes may rhythmically correspond to the 4 times the 4 bars (1 cycles of 16BB). Therefore this involves that we compose the bridging transition to the next chord.
Thus
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4) We arrange a continuous sound instrument to play the simplicial sub-melody only and a discrete sound (guitar mandolin etc) to play the full waves melody.
We may summarize in short
1) We compose the simplicial sub-melody per bar and chord, which defines the orientation of the waves within a chord.
2) We compose the poetic measure of the melodic themes (long short notes combinations) . When creating melodic themes over the same poetic meter, to remain in the same poetic meter we may repeat a note or we may jump by a melodic or harmonic interval (3rds or 5ths and their inverses).
3) We compose the bridging transition to the next chord
4) We arrange for continuous sound (simplicial sub-melody and bass) and discrete sound instruments.
Also at the meso (=medium) and micro layer, the main 4 factors are
1) Up, Down or flat vector-waving and is meaning (including which octave)
2) Density of notes per time unit (many notes theme, very few notes theme)
3) Percentage of harmonic or melodic intervals (acceleration) to the chromatic intervals (deceleration).
4) The poetic micro-meter and poetic macro-meter in the melodic theme.
For example for Aegean islands (Greece) improvisational folk melodies (mandinades) condylies) with violin or Lyra, the next factors prevail.
1) "Poetic meters" over the same note sometimes notes up to 8 notes. The density of the notes is high. E.g. with 4 notes per measure-bar and a beat of 80-100 bars per minute gives a tempo of 320-400 beats-notes per minute.
3) Straight vectors ascending or descending usually of 4 or 5 notes so as to reach a new chord neighborhood.
2) Mainly waves by intervals of 2nds (chromatic) inside intervals of 3rds (melodic, either standing or ascending descending, and usually inside a chord so as to reach the neighborhood of a new chord. The simplistic sub-melody of such a waving melody is essentially an arpeggio of the underlying chord.
If we are capturing the diatonic mode with a pair of chords in chromatic relation (in harmonicas it would be an hexatonic harmonica) then the 12BB pattern will give if we have a theme for a single type of chord.
Ionian-Ionian
Lydian-Ionian
Mixolydian Lydian
Myxolydian-Ionian
If we want a diatonic model per pair of chords then X2 X3 is a Lydian mode and X1 X2 is an Ionian mode, thus
Ionian
Lydian
Myxolydian
Ionian
And for hexatonic harmonicas with a chromatic pair of chords it would be the chords
(3m 4M)= Lydian
(3m 4M)=Lydian
(4M, 5M)=Myxolydian
(7d 1M)=Ionian
We may as well utilize 32 bars blues. There are two patterns that I have used for this.
The 1st is the next pattern (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N95yzhLyCcg&ab_channel=DrKCostas ) of one only part 32BB.
1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 5M7 2m 2m 2m 2m 2m 2m 5M7 2m 2m 2m 5M7 5M7 5M7 5M7 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M
The 2nd pattern is simpler and more symmetric but of two parts of 16BB.
A part
1M 1M 1M 1M
1M 1M 5M7 5M7
5M7 5M7 5M7 5M7
5M7 5M7 1M 1M
and B part
1M 1M 1M 1M
1M 1M 4M 4M
4M 4M 4M 4M
4M 4M 1M 1M or
1M 1M 1M 1M
1M 1M 4M 4M
4M 4M 4M 4M
5M7 5M7 1M 1M
Thus here we have two parts 16BB which make 32BB.
A type of variation of this involving the 2m instead of 4M is the next
A part
1M 1M 1M 1M
1M 1M 5M7 5M7
5M7 5M7 5M7 5M7
5M7 5M7 1M 1M
and B part
1M 1M 1M 1M
1M 1M 2m 2m
2m 2m 2m 2m
2m 2m 1M 1M
or
1M 1M 1M 1M
1M 1M 2m 2m
2m 2m 2m 2m
5M7 5M7 1M 1M
Still another pattern of 16bars Blues that si often met in New Orleans songs by the group Tuba Skiny
is the next
1M 1M 1M 1M
4M 4M 1M 1M
1M 1M 1M 1M
5M7 5M7 1M 1M
and in harmonic minor (eolian mode)
6m 6m 6m 6m
2m 2m 6m 6m
6m 6m 6m 6m
3M7 3M7 6m 6m
also in Phrygian mode
3m 3m 3m 3m
6m 6m 3m 3m
3m 3m 3m 3m
7M7 7M7 3m 3m
The melodic themes follow the pattern of the 4 lines of the block . That is the pattern A B A C.
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