24th Annual Student Research Conference
Blues Singing and the Guitar
Alexus C. Wong
Dr. Clifton Kreps, Faculty Mentor
The blues, despite its unorthodox and gritty origins, has over the course of the last century become a well-established musical genre complete with aesthetic hierarchy. Blues connoisseurs eagerly compare their specific tastes of blues forms and will boldly make claims as to who plays the blues well and who does not. There are artists who are generally revered as masters in the blues, while there are others who sound less authentic. By examining the interaction between the voice and guitar, this study provides insight into the ability of blues masters to produce a profound emotional impact. I propose a formal study of the meanings behind blues songs, guitar solos, and the human voice to see meaningful correlations between the artist and their guitar. Studying the way guitar mimics the voice can provide insight as to how the instrument can convey emotion more profoundly in one musicians hands than in anothers.
Keywords: blues, guitar, singing, meaning
Topic(s):Music
Linguistics
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 22-5
Location: MG 2090
Time: 10:30