Blues is an example of human creativity and ingenuity.
Blues as a music form came out of the black American experience. Slaves heard music and saw instruments but were not able to get formal training or buy, so they made do. I remember reading how some musician when he was a kid could not afford guitar strings so he would make them from whatever wire he could come across. He mentioned using the wire from old window screens, for example.
The first experiments under these handicaps were probably considered horrible to listen to but as the untrained and under-funded kept at it someone probably said one day, “That sounded pretty good. How did you do that?” A new form of music was being developed.
Many of the standard elements of blues are the kinds of mistakes that people make when learning to play guitar. Sliding between frets. Moving your finger on a string that has been played. Putting you finger on the wrong string when trying to form a chord. Putting your fingers down firmly but late. When done by a novice they set your teeth on edge. Ask any parent listening to their child practice. When developed and applied by talent they become an exciting form of expression and listening enjoyment.
What accidents are waiting to become cultural icons?
Will rap music ever grow up?
homo unius libri
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