Chapter 1: First Law in Blues: Intro to the 12 Bar Form
In this chapter you will learn the 12 bar blues form which is the foundation of the style. You'll learn to play this simple progression with basic dominant 7th chords, a diad riff and move it to several keys.
In this tutorial we'll learn the 12 bar form in the context of the blues. Step by step, we will go from playing through the 12 bar form with basic open chords to adding the bluesy dominant 7 chords, a turnaround lick, and much more. After each lesson, we will try out the new "tricks" with an authentic blues backing track.
In this tutorial we are going to break down a classic blues riff. You are probably already familiar with the sound of it, but now you will learn how to play it, how to use it to play through the 12 bar form and how to add a cool "lick" to it.
In this tutorial we are gonna work on a 12-bar blues progression in the key of E. After breaking down the basic chord structure and chord voicings, we will look at another authentic sounding variation of the blues riff that you learned earlier. After each lesson we will try out the new examples with "the band"...
In this chapter you will expand your knowledge and skills by playing the 12 bar blues form using power chords. You'll also add crucial basic strumming, muting and techniques.
In this tutorial we will through the basics of voicing, left hand muting, strumming and palm muting power chords. Getting comfortable with this will ultimately enable you to play the 12 bar form in any key as well as adapt your rhythm playing to different blues grooves!
In this tutorial we will be using the power chords that you learned earlier to play some blues. We are gonna talk about how to find the power chords for the 12 bar form in any key and try it out the "the band". We are also gonna cover a really useful blues "riff" played with power chords that you often hear in slow blues tunes.
In this tutorial I will show you how to play basic barre chords and how to use them in a blues context. The basic barre chord shapes can be very hard to play at first, but if you fight through the pain, I will show you how to use them in a blues context. These are really useful guitar skills that you are going to use for years and years to come, in blues and in all other styles of music, so don't give up on it just because it seems difficult at first!
In this chapter you will learn to play the 12 bar blues form in minor key signatures. You'll learn to add new turnarounds particular to minor keys, moving the progression to different key signatures and voicing blues chords in new ways!
In this lesson we are gonna explore the sound of the minor blues. After breaking down the basic chord structure of the 12-bar minor blues form, I will show you how to play it with barre chords. After that we are gonna look at a common "turnaround" variation that you often hear in minor blues, and finally I will show you how to change the key of the minor blues, so that you can adapt the overall chord structure to any given song...
In this tutorial we are gonna take the blues riff that you learned earlier and adapt it to any given key, all over the neck. Once we have covered the basics of that, we're gonna use it to play through the 12 bar form with "the band" in different keys. We are also gonna look a cool variation of the riff...
In this tutorial I'm going to show you some alternative "voicings" of the chords used in the blues. When you arrange the notes of your chords differently, take out or add certain notes, you can get many different sounds and possibilities out of them. In this tutorial we are gonna explore some of these sounds and look at how they are used in the context of the blues.
In this tutorial we're going to look at some of the most common variations of the 12-bar form, so that you can recognize them when you hear them and use them if you write songs. After each lesson we will play through the 12 bar variation with "the band".
In this chapter you will expand you knowledge and skill in blues style by learning new strumming patterns, the distinction between straight and swing feel. You'll also get an introduction to various regional blues styles!
In this tutorial we're going to focus on your right hand by breaking down a couple of really useful strumming patterns for the blues. Chord voicings and left hand technique is very important, but right hand chops and different rhythmic approaches are just as important!
In this tutorial we're going to look at three different rhythmic feels that are used in the blues. For each of these "grooves" I will explain what the drummer and the bass player are most likely to be playing, and I will show you a guitar part that fits it.
This will give you a good understanding of the different types of blues grooves and what to play over them!
In this tutorial I will give you a brief explanation and a musical sample of some of the most well-known regional blues styles. I'm gonna introduce you to the sound of the acoustic Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, New Orleans Blues and more, so that you can start being aware of where the blues originated. Knowing some of the origins of the blues will help you determine what styles you like, and what your goal is with learning the basics of the blues.
In this chapter you will learn the basics of blues style lead playing! You'll start with the pentatonic blues scale, learn how to keep it simple and make music right away. You'll also get an introduction to the licks, tricks and secrets of the Three Kings of Blues.
Whenever you want to learn to play a style of music, the most important thing to do is to listen to it and imitate what you hear. But in order for you to be able to imitate what you hear, you need a basic understanding of the notes and techniques that are used. The good thing about the blues is that it ultimately comes down to just a handful of notes, played in different octaves and places on the neck, and in this tutorial I will break that down for you.
In this tutorial we'll explore different "micro positions" or "blues boxes" all over the neck and make some music with the notes that we find. Aside from claiming new territory on the neck, you'll be introduced to the concept of improvising and some useful things to keep in mind when you do this! Whether you wanna play blues, rock, funk, jazz, or even polka this is a great place to start.
In these lessons I will introduce you to some really useful techniques like bending, vibrato and hammer-ons and pull-offs, so that you can start working on your feel. Great feel doesn't come from these techniques alone, but learning them will help you get in touch with that side of blues playing.
The old blues guys made music history with just a handful of notes, so there are obviously a lot of other elements to a great blues solo than just great note choice. There is the "feel" that we covered earlier, the tone of your gear, which you will learn about later, but most importantly there is the rhythm and timing of your licks and notes. This is the concept that, above all the others, will make you sound like a blues guy. So in this tutorial we're going to experiment with the sound of different "subdivisions" and timing concepts.
In this chapter you will learn about the basic gear and tones used in blues. You'll learn all about the guitars, amps and effects used to get a killer blues tone!
In this tutorial we'll walk you through the sounds and electronic configurations available on the most popular guitars in the market: semi-hollow body, Les Paul, SG, Telecaster, and more. You will have a great idea of what guitar will give you the sound you want, to become the blues player you want to be.
There are many different kinds of amplifiers to choose from. These are 3 primary amp styles on which most models are based, and here we'll look at 2 tube amps and a solid state amp. Use this demonstration by a pro to get a good idea of what kind of amp best suits your style.
This tutorial will give you the know-how to identify and put together great gear to get the tone you want. With these lessons, we hope to take away some of the work it takes to find the right effects and make the most of your hard-earned dollars. We'll look at overdrive, distortion, tremolo, delay, wah, fuzz, and vibe pedal.
In this tutorial we'll answer questions about the tonal differences between using your fingers instead of a pick. We'll also look at the bottleneck slide, then how to use a capo. All these are important components of getting great blues tone and style.
These non-playing lessons will do a side-by-side comparison of guitar tones, amp tones, and the difference in tones created by the most common effects used by blues guitarists. We'll look at several tone configurations to give a good overview of the variety of choices available to get killer blues tone.
