Play The Blues - 'Real Deal' Acoustic Blues Guitar Like The Old Master Bluesmen

I always found it a bit strange that there is only one picture of Blind Blake, the King of Ragtime Blues Guitar. He cut over 100 sides for Paramount during his career and was very popular. Surely other photographs must have been taken? Even mysterious Robert Johnson had two pictures taken and , at that time, he was less successful and famous than Blake.

I suppose I'm a bit peeved about it all. It would be great if some old film were uncovered that showed Johnson or Blake playing in a club or elsewhere. Then we could actually see how their fingers produced those wonderful sounds.

Ry cooder says he thinks Blake played with a light touch, while other sources maintain that he had a hole in his right thumb, indicating that he played hard. On at least one song he says' boot that thing' - this also indicated that he had a heavy touch. I've experimented playing Blake every way possible, using a light and heavy touch on different gauge strings, adjusting the guitar bridge height accordngly. It's very difficult to match the playfulness of some of his songs in G such as That'll Never Happen No More or Too Tight Blues.

Of course, we're lucky enough to have film clip of some classic bluesmen, such Big Bill Broonzy, Mance Lipscomb and Lightnin' Hopkins, which give us great insight into the various playing styles. Many modern masters, notably Stephan Grossman, Ry Cooder and Eric Clapton have done much to maintain an interest in blues guitar. Even so, that original bluesy feel is still hard to come by.
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Take Big Bill Broonzy's music, for example - it's fairly easy to work out where our left and right fingers should be, but the all-important swinging rhythm is another thing entirely! It's almost magical. Quote from Big Bill about timing - " you can either ride on the front of the horse, or the back of it and that's what I do when I play my guitar". His right hand thumb beat lags slightly behind the beat and produces the swing. Easily said, but try and do it! At the same time, he's using just one finger on the treble strings to lay down some syncopation.

The answer is always from someone who can play it. Now, the search is on. There are many guitar lessons offered on the internet, all in various styles and prices. Some are even free. ( A word of warning here - mostly in life, you get what you pay for.) All too often, the courses offered don't match up to expectations. Sometimes the playing doesn't even match the tablature! Many courses offer licks or tricks to give your playing that 'bluesy feel', but is it the blues?

Step 1

Find someone who can really play this stuff. Search locally, or on the internet. When you've found your man, ask him for lessons. If he doesn't give lessons then listen to him and follow him around, if you have to. Like anything else in life, if you want it, you have to go for it. Most real blues men are not interested in charging a fortune for their lessons.

Step 2

Don't listen to too many modern guitarists. The styles often become diluted and changed,particularly the timing and accents on the beat. DO listen to as many classic blues guitar recordings as you can, particularly if there is film of the guy playing. For example, you can get a lot from just watching Big Bill perform Hey Hey.

Step 3

Practice,practice,practice - particularly the basics. Control that right hand thumb! One hour in the morning and an hour in the evening is minimum. You don't really think Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil do you? No, just like,Clapton, he hid himself away for a year until he could play with the intensity we can clearly hear on his old records.

Step 4

For me this is crucial. When you are playing guitar, BE that song or that bluesman. Their lives were hard and completely unlike ours. Saying that, we all get the blues and that's how we can relate. The blues is a woman, having no job, bad kids, the weather, death and hundreds of other things. Express it through your fingers.

Get the techniques first, don't take shortcuts with the basics and finally, put your soul into it. Play the video of Lightnin' Hopkins below to see what it's all about - and below that there's a link to a video site dedicated only to classic bluesmen