BLUES INSTRUMENTS

INTRO

A typical blues band includes at least one guitarist, bass player and drummer and a vocalist. Vocals are sometimes provided by one of the instrumentalist.

Often another guitar player is added to the rhythm section. The lead guitarist may play with a pick or finger-style. He/she also may use a metal or glass slide to fret the guitar to get a different feeling to his/her sound. The amplifiers are an important factor in the guitarist sound. Many guitarists feel that a tube amplifier is key to the blues sound.

A keyboardist is a valued member of a bigger band along with a horn player (usually saxophone). Violin is also used in some bands as a solo instrument.

Often the vocalist plays harmonica and percussion instruments to fill out the blues sound.

GUITARS

Fender Stratocaster

Fender Telecaster

Gibson ES 335 (B.B. King's Lucille is a modified ES-345). The difference is an additional 5 position 'Varitone' switch that's on the guitar.

Gibson Les Paul

National Steel Resonator Guitar

DRUMS

A typical drum set for a blues drummer.

Some drummers just use a bass drum, snare and hi-hat, others use much more than those shown above.

Other percussion instruments include the tambourine, cow bell, and wash board (for zydeco blues). These are often used by the vocalist or horn player.

BASSES

Fender Precision Bass

Double String Bass (some bands still use these)

KEYBOARDS

Hammond B3 Organ

Baby Grand Piano (Pinetop Perkins at the keys)

Accordion (used in Zydeco Blues)

Electronic Keyboard (used because of portability)

WIND INSTRUMENTS

Blues Harp harmonica

Saxophone

AMPLIFICATION

Fender Bass Man Amp

Fender Twin Reverb Amp

Leslie speaker cabinet with variable speed rotating speakers for a soulful Hammond organ sound.

Shure SM 58 (Vocal Mic)

Shure SM 57 (Instrument Mic)

Shure 520 DX (Harmonica M ic)

JBL PA Speaker

JBL Sound Mixing Board