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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I own BIAB 2007 and a very good 61 key keyboard. I want to learn to play slow blues. I know this is a loaded and very broad question but, could someone please guide me as to how I may use BIAB to help me start to learn the slow blues on my keyboard. Can I make backing tracks with BIAB? If so, please explain how or refer me to a source for that info. My keyboard will accept and use MIDI files. I am open to any and all suggestions and look forward to any responses I may get regarding this problem/opportunity. I know I should be more specific but I don't know enough about what I am talking about to get more specific. Sorry!
Many Thanks,
Phestus
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Hi, Phestus:
Maybe you have already found them, but you should already have some files of the "101 Riffs" series. At least I think they've been in the BIAB bundle since long before 2007. The one you want to look at is "101 Riffs - Blues Piano," and it should be right in the C:/BB directory.
These riffs aren't specifically for "Slow" blues, but blues is blues, although I bet I get what you mean in terms of chord substitutions, etc, so will let someone else tackle that question. This collection, which you should already have, is a great way to start, and a great way to practice chops.
Daisy.
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Not sure if 101 riffs is the way to go - though its useful later. First learn the structure of the blues
Type in the following 12 bar in BIAB
C7,C7,C7,C7,
F7,F7,C7,C7
G7,G7 ,C7, C7
Set tempo choose style etc...
This is the simplest blues form possible so its a trifle dull, but never the less you need to digest it.
Then you can tweak it like this:
In order of preference...
In the 10th bar use F7 instead of G7
In the last bar use G7
In the second bar use F7
you can use some or all of these variations and there are more, but this is the basics of the twelve bar form - the most common.
Take Dominant 7th chord patterns and work them over this pattern. Try voicing them in different ways (change note order around but use the same notes). Get a basic pattern such as a triad figure going in the left and put down some chord patterns in the right. Do this until you gain felxibility in your ideas.
Learn the blues scale (Root, b3rd, fourth, #fourth, fifth, flat 7, octave.and create your own, mainly right hand, riffs using blues scale fragments
When you get some way with this start learning the different blues styles. Tim RIchards has a very good book to help with this, but dont just read the notes from the page, ingest the ideas. Then tackle licks 101 you will be ready for it.
Take everything through all keys especially the open strings on the guitar EADGB, and C .
Zero
Once you get the idea of it it becomes fun as well as hard work
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Hi Phestus,
Look in your bb folder for the "bluesc" and "bluesf" folders. Here you should find blues changes already made into songs that you can practice along with. Don't overlook the fact that you can change keys to work in all the keys this way.
Another great item from pgmusic is the "Blues Pianist" series. Here you get the equivalent of a private music teacher that starts with the simplest of blues forms and boogies and takes you all the way through to the more complex jazz blues forms if you like. Great value.
Have Fun,
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Daisy, ZeroZero, and Mac,
Thanks for your quick response, and for the good info you provided. That is exactly what I was looking for. At times it is difficult for my 73 year old brain to wrap around all the possibilities BAIB provides. I will definitely give your suggestions a try. Hopefully, someday I'll be able to contribute to this forum.
Best Regards,
Phestus
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Yeah I have a 73 year old brain too and I am only 59! 
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Hi Daisy,
I checked my BAIB directory and, while I have a number of folders and files there, I did not find 101 riffs-blues piano. The only riffs files I found were for bluegrass guitar. I wonder if there is someplace I could find the blues piano riffs? Sounds like they may be a great help to me. I look forward to your response, along with responses from anyone else who might have a suggestion. Many Thanks....
Best Regards,
Phestus
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Can you give us an idea of what you mean by slow blues? I think - minor blues when I here Slow blues, Like this Slow Blues If you have some specific tunes in mind, drop us a line and we may be able to hook you up. Not all Slow Blues follow that very formal I, IV, V - actually most don't.  I gave this a little more thought and have concluded that Slow Blues certainly does not have to be minor. Like any blues, the major /minor mix is really the trick. Or even a chord voicing which using only the root, b7, 5 and avoids stating the 3rd/b3rd can work in slow blues. Perhaps Slow Blues are simply just that - blues played Slow  Blues Played Slow
Last edited by jazzmandan; 11/04/10 02:47 PM.
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Quote:
Hi Daisy,
I checked my BAIB directory and, while I have a number of folders and files there, I did not find 101 riffs-blues piano. The only riffs files I found were for bluegrass guitar. I wonder if there is someplace I could find the blues piano riffs? Sounds like they may be a great help to me. I look forward to your response, along with responses from anyone else who might have a suggestion. Many Thanks....
Best Regards,
Phestus
Phestus
They are all in here:
Do you have this directory?
I pulled up Esstial Blues Piano #55 - now that is some sweet slow blues piano. MIxing minor, major and diminished chords - sweet 
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I guess you can guess I like this stuff.....
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Hello Jazzmandan,
The two examples you provided in your next to last post provide perfect examples of what I mean by slow blues. The fast stuff, while it is great to listen to, in my opinion, does not allow me to get the true feeling of the blues. I like all kinds of music, but the slow stuff just seems to appeal to me more, and slow blues is about my favorite. When it gets much above 75BPM it is getting a little too fast for me. I hope BPM is right. I kinda like it played the way I move anymore, slow and deliberate.
In your last post you indicated there was a folder or directory that held the 101 riffs. You asked if I had this, but did not say what this was. Looking forward to your followup. Thanks for your patience. This slow blues thing is important to me.
Cheers,
Phestus
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Quote:
In your last post you indicated there was a folder or directory that held the 101 riffs. You asked if I had this, but did not say what this was. Looking forward to your followup. Thanks for your patience. This slow blues thing is important to me.
Cheers,
Phestus
Can you not see the picture of the directory structure I placed in the previous message? What web browser are you using? Shows up fine in IE8. Can anyone else not see it?
BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.
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Phestus: As Dan says, you should have them in your BB directory. If not, look here on the PG website: http://www.pgmusic.com/101bluespiano.htm$19 is a bargain. Also, Google around for midi tunes like "Georgia," which probably have what you want. But as Dan says, blues is blues. Good luck. Daisy
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Silly me, I'm a canuk, I thought the Blues played in St. Louis and the Black Hawks in Chicago......
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Hi Daisy,
Thanks for that info. I'll check it out. I just need to get started. I feel like I've been looking for this slow blues thing for awhile, and now that I have found it, I should get after it.
Cheers,
Phestus
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Hi Jazzmandan,
Not sure what happened to my other reply to this posting of yours. I went to a different browser and was able to see exactly what you posted. Apparently BIAB 2007 came out before they started putting all those things into the program. I have a couple of them, but I am also missing a number of the things you showed in your directory. I think I'll just have to get by with what I have right now. I have been given a number of good suggestions to try. On a fixed income, I can't quite justify upgrading at this time. Anyway, thanks for all your help and suggestions. I know this forum is going to be a great resource for me.
Best Regards,
Phestus
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