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The Blues is a thrilling form of music where "feel" is more important than technical ability. That is not to say that technique and theory aren't important. They can help you achieve the sound you want to get. Here is my collection of favorite blues guitar materials. Be aware that these assume a bit of experience playing guitar already (but not too much). If you're completely new to playing guitar you'll find a nice series of online lessons here.
Blues Guitar Websites
- Slowhand Blues Guitar
- A formidable resource based on the music of Eric "Slowhand" Clapton. This website explains many basics of blues guitar playing using actual songs as examples. Clapton is a formidable player, and a good guitarist to learn from.
- Basic Blues: 12-bar Blues Theory - Guitar Noise
- This lesson by Olav Torvund is for beginners and intermediate players. It takes a look at the basic 12-bar blues form. This is the chord progression that is at the very heart of the blues. Required reading!
- WholeNote: The Blues Learning Track
- WholeNote tutorials are often hit and miss, but there are a few good tutoruials in here. I like that all the tutorials have midi sound examples.
- Pentatonic and Blues Scales
- You'll need to know the five forms of the pentatonic scale (and the blues scale that is based on the pentatonic scale). This page has scale diagrams, fingerings, tab notation, and audio examples. Go forth and practice!
- Learn to Play Like B.B. King
- In this lesson you'll become acquainted with B.B. King's signature style and learn the legendary "B.B position"; a surprisingly easy pattern on which a lot of his solos are based. You'll also learn a couple of signature phrases/licks in signature keys.
- Fender Players Club: Blues Guitar Lessons
- Blues guitar and bass lessons from beginner to advanced, plus licks and lessons from greats like Muddy Waters, Robert Cray and Albert Collins. Learn the "Hide Away"-riff, and Robert Cray's "Smoking Gun"-solo. Lots of good stuff.
Useful books
Blues You Can Use (Blues You Can Use)
This is one of my favorite guitar books ever. It has a hands-on approach with lots of fun solos that actually sound like the blues! At the same time it doesn't skimp on things like scales, chords, and music theory. One of the most comprehensive electric blues guitar methods. It does assume that you are able to strum a few chords already.
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/26/2008)
Fretboard Roadmaps - Blues Guitar: The Essential Guitar Patterns That All the Pros Know and Use (Fretboard Roadmaps)
We all want to improvise scorching leads, but you need to be able to find your way around the neck to do that. This book helps with that.
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/26/2008)
Acoustic Blues Guitar/157
The acoustic guitar was at the foundation of the blues and should not be overlooked. Fingerstyle blues guitar is an entirely different discipline and this method by Kenny Sultan provides an excellent introduction.
Amazon Price: $14.78 (as of 07/26/2008)
Blues Guitar Play-Along: Volume 7
Good transcriptions and backing tracks of modern blues classics.
Amazon Price: $16.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
More Blues You Can Use
The next step in the "Blues You Can Use"-series. I haven't gotten to this volume yet, but the solos sound very good. There is more attention to theory and advanced techniques here. There is also a focus on rhythm guitar, a very important aspect of guitar-playing that is often overlooked. This book does have a steep learning curve. Definitely not for beginners!
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/26/2008)
Favorite Blues Guitar Tabs
- Eric Clapton - Have You Ever Loved a Woman
- This is a fantastic slow blues song. The transcription on this page contrasts the versions of this song on "24 Nights" and "Layla and Other Assorted Lovesongs". Not a full transcrition, but all the choice bits are there.
- Muddy Waters - Hoochie Coochie Man
- A classic song that should be in every guitarist's repertoire. Not too difficult to play along with the record. This is a very motivating song to practice. Not too difficult, and once you're able to play this you can jam along with every blues band on the planet.
- Little Hat Jones - Bye Bye Baby Blues
- An attractive fingerstyle blues piece. This lesson hosted on acousticguitar.com presents a relatively easy to play folk-blues song (though not sosuitable if you have no fingerstyle experience at all)) with accurate tab and mp3 examples. A good learning opportunity!
Blues guitar lessons on Youtube
Blues Guitar Lessons - EasyMus...
Blues Guitar Lesson: Minor Lic...
Little Red Rooster - Blues Gui...
12 Bar Blues Guitar Lessons : ...
Bottleneck Slide Blues Guitar ...
12 Bar Blues Guitar Lesson
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