Articles by Levi Clay
Beyond Blues: 8 Essential Turnarounds
July 9, 2016
To navigate the last four measures of a 12-bar blues in style, you need a sophisticated ear and a solid knowledge of chord tones.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Mike Bloomfield’s Manic Magic
May 14, 2016
The Chicago-born guitarist wasn’t afraid to go searching for those missing notes. Here, Levi Clay breaks down how one of the most influential guitarists of the ’60s combined blues, rock, and jazz.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Soulful Rhythms
April 16, 2016
Modern soul master Derek Trucks draws inspiration from old-time gospel and jazz to create impressively melodic rhythm parts.
Read More
Beyond Blues: CAGED Developments
March 5, 2016
Supercharge your solos with the potent fretboard approach used by legendary players like Robben Ford.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Billy Gibbons
February 6, 2016
Learn a few secrets about how the king of Texas boogie-rock combines attitude with soul.
Read More
Beyond Blues: How to Use Guide Tones
December 26, 2015
Not all notes are created equal. With a few well-placed targets, your solos can stand out.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Matt Schofield’s Sophisticated Solos
November 28, 2015
Uncovering the soloing secrets used by one of modern blues’ masters.
Read More
Beyond Blues: 10 Ways to Resolve Your Tension
October 31, 2015
What’s tension without resolution? Once you can hear the target note, then the rest falls into place.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Texas Rhythm 101
September 26, 2015
A quick look at the essential elements of this slammin’ Lone Star sound.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Scott Henderson
August 22, 2015
Escape the tyranny of vanilla blues scales with some tricks from one of jazz-fusion’s most influential players.
Read More
Beyond Blues: The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach
July 25, 2015
Break out your dirtiest fuzz box for a look at how a guitarist from Ohio brought the hill-country stomp to the masses.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Warren Haynes’ Southern-Fried Blues-Rock
June 27, 2015
Few guitarists are able to combine soul with a healthy amount of down-home rock like the Gov’t Mule frontman.
Read More
Deep Blues: Riding with B.B. King
May 23, 2015
Take a closer look at some of the signature techniques of the late blues master.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Eric Johnson vs. Joe Bonamassa
April 25, 2015
Decode the warp-speed blues-rock licks of two modern masters.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Bridging the Gap Between Chords and Arpeggios
March 21, 2015
Learn how to solo effortlessly using the CAGED system.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Slip-Slidin’ Bends
February 14, 2015
Emulate the soulful sounds of Derek Trucks and other slide masters—without using a slide.
Read More
Digging Deeper: Transcribing Rhythms
January 3, 2015
Reading and understanding basic rhythms is easier than you think.
Read More
Twang 101: 6 Essential Pedal-Steel Bends
November 8, 2014
These finger-twisting licks are guaranteed to raise your twang factor.
Read More
Twang 101: 8 Essential Double-Stop Licks
August 30, 2014
Here’s a handful of snappy licks that will help get you through your next gig.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Turnaround Tactics
August 2, 2014
Tackle those tricky turnarounds head-on with a simple arpeggio-based strategy.
Read More
