The Common Stock of Schemes in Early Blues and Country Music

Early blues and country musicians from the racially separated “race” and “hillbilly” record series share a common stock of schemes—preexisting harmonic grounds and melodic structures that are common resources for the creation of songs. There are five types: 1) a harmonic progression supporting one discant; 2) a harmonic progression primarily associated with a small number of specific discants, but which also supports original discants; 3) a harmonic progression primarily supporting original discants; 4) a melodic structure with general requirements for the harmony; and 5) a melodic structure for which there is little shared conception of the harmony.