
Eight ways to add excitement to your blues rhythms.
Intermediate
Intermediate
- Learn classic shuffle and walking bass lines.
- Explore chord voicings that can be combined with bass lines.
- Develop the ability to combine different patterns to create variation in accompaniment.
Combining bass lines with chords can be an effective way to perform solo or accompany a singer or other instrumentalist. This technique is often employed to thicken up parts in a setting where there's space to fill. While common among jazz guitar players, it is equally suitable in other styles of music, and lends itself very nicely to blues playing.
Ex. 1 consists of a common blues bass line. This line can be heard on many classic recordings and is a simple way to outline a basic 12-bar blues. We are going to use this line as our foundation as we begin to add chords in the next example. Some examples in the repertoire of this type of bass line can be heard on Albert King's recording of "Blues Power" and "Personal Manager." Another example of this type of line can be heard in Tommy Shannon's bass playing on the recording of the Elmore James' classic "The Sky Is Crying" on the Stevie Ray Vaughan album, The Sky Is Crying.
Ex. 1
The Sky is Crying - Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky is Crying - 1991 (HD)
In Ex. 2, we start to combine this classic line with double-stops that outline the essential notes, or guide tones, of the chord. (Most often those are the 3 and b7 in dominant chords.) As you play these chords, work on getting the articulation of the chord tones to punch through while you continue to hold down the fort with the bass line.
Ex. 2
We play a classic shuffle bassline based almost entirely out of A minor pentatonic (A–C–D–E–G) in Ex. 3. This is a simple way to outline the chords on either a major or a minor blues since this line does not contain the 3 that determines the quality of the chord. Listen to "So Excited" by Stevie Ray Vaughn on his album The Sky Is Crying to hear this type of line in action.
Ex. 3
Stevie Ray Vaughan - So Excited (from Live at the El Mocambo)
Music video by Stevie Ray Vaughan performing So Excited. © 1991 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainmenthttps://vevo.ly/hNrWkFIn Ex. 4, we apply this line to a major blues by using thirds and fifths to outline the harmony. For example, in measure 1, we play the 3 of an A major triad (C#) triad on beat 2 to punch the harmony through and outline the chord. Notice how we develop the line and add subtle variation by incorporating a "call and response" figure to this idea by slightly altering the line in measure 4. This type of variation can be effective when developing your own musical ideas. Remember when you create your arrangements that slight and subtle can go a long way!
It might help you to think of these double-stops as horn hits or stabs. Check out B.B. King's Live at the Regal for a textbook example of this. The horns on this recording play essential chord tones as a way to outline the harmonies and give evolving texture and forward motion to the rhythm section.
Ex. 4
B.B. KING - Live At The Regal (Full Album 1964)
Ex. 5 takes this idea a step further by adding more double-stops. On beat 3 of measure 1, we outline the b7 and 9 of the chord, giving us an A9 harmony. We answer this harmony in measure 4 when the I chord returns with the b7 and 3 (G–C#) on the last part of beat 3. We play with these ideas throughout the rest of the song form.
Ex. 5
In Ex. 6, we take a look at a simple walking line. It contains a few different examples of how one might connect the harmonies and serves as a springboard for developing other lines later on should you so desire. Notice the turnaround has been changed to I–IV–I–V in order to add some variety and to propel the music forward.
Ex. 6
In Ex. 7, we start to mine for gold! We begin to add some chord inversions to match the walking bass line with harmony. For example, in measure 3, we play a third-inversion A7, and in measure 5, we play a third-inversion D13. Also, we begin to alter the V7 chord by using the E7(#9) chord to add further color, and pay tribute to one of my favorite blues players, Jimi Hendrix! As you initially play this example, make sure you work at getting the chords to ring throughout while you keep the bass line walking. Notice the fingering used in the notation to help you get this harmony to ring out.
Ex. 7
In the recording for Ex. 8, I improvise two choruses on a blues using the above ideas and extrapolate on the ideas a bit further. I combined lines from the previous examples and played with rhythmic variation to mix things up. Also, I outlined the harmony with Roman numerals only to give you a better idea of how you can extract pieces and transpose them to other keys. A good way to dive deeper into this type of playing is to analyze and transcribe classic bass lines and horn section hits on your favorite blues recordings.
Ex. 8
As you continue to work on your playing, I suggest listening to and watching Charlie Hunter videos. His ability to play fluid bass lines, comp chords, and solo simultaneously in a multitude of styles is a true embodiment of mastery. It might also be worth checking out some jazz guitar duet recordings that are regarded as exceptional examples of this style of playing. Although these albums are in the jazz tradition, many ideas about conception, feel, and approach can be gleaned and directly applied to blues guitar playing. The album Solar by John Abercrombie and John Scofield features some blazing playing as they cover both bass lines and chordal comping while trading solos. Another excellent example of this type of interaction and playing can be heard on the Jim Hall and Pat Metheny album.
This article was updated on September 20, 2021
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In this episode of 100 Guitarists, we’re talking all things surf rock, from reverb to tremolo picking and much more. And while “Misrlou” is undisputedly his most influential work, maybe Dale’s best records didn’t come until a few decades later.
“All the kids in all L.A. / Come to hear Dick Dale play,” or so goes the title track from Dick Dale’s Wrecking Crew-heavy 1963 album, King of the Surf Guitar. Immodest though it might seem to proclaim such a status, he was indeed at the top of the heap.
For many, Dale’s legend precedes him. His sound, first heard in a So Cal beach ballroom, created the surf guitar vocabulary and transformed the guitar universe, starting with the 1962 release of his take on the traditional song “Misrlou.” Ever the showman, he worked closely with Leo Fender developing the right gear for the gig as he played his ripping instrumentals to larger and larger audiences. He also inspired a Hendrix lyric and had a late-career renaissance thanks to Quentin Tarantino.
In this episode of 100 Guitarists, we’re talking all things surf rock, from reverb to tremolo picking and much more. And while “Misrlou” is undisputedly his most influential work, maybe Dale’s best records didn’t come until a few decades later.
This episode is sponsored byTraveler Guitar.
An easy guide to re-anchoring a loose tuning machine, restoring a “lost” input jack, refinishing dinged frets, and staunching a dinged surface. Result: no repair fees!
This late-’90s Masterbilt was made to mimic the feeling and look of vintage luxury.
This collaborative effort between Japanese and American guitar builders aimed for old-school quality without breaking the bank.
I recently called a rideshare to pick me up from the airport and was surprised when the driver pulled up in a Jaguar. I’d never been in one and was stunned at how quiet it was, and how the backseat was as comfortable as a living room couch, but retained a refined look. This 1998 Masterbilt prototype reminds me of that airport ride.
Some guitars just feel expensive. Not in an “I shouldn't be touching this, lest I scratch it” way so much as simply exuding luxury. Maybe it’s the flawless ebony fretboard, making gliding up and down the neck feel like ice skating. Or perhaps it’s the slim, ’60s-style neck shape which felt instantly comfortable in my small hands. It may have something to do with the sumptuously low 2/32" action at the 12th fret, requiring hardly any effort to play.
Makes sense, considering this guitar’s origin story. Mac Yasuda was born in Nishinomiya, Japan. At 15, he discovered the music of Hank Snow and fell in love with country music and the guitar itself. He stole a classical guitar from his cousin (“He never played it,” said Yasuda) and started a band with his friends. Yasuda traveled to the States in the ’70s and after picking up his first vintage guitar from a pawn shop, he was hooked. He began scoping out gear for his friends, which eventually grew into a shop called Mac’s Guitar Gallery in Kobe, Japan. By the ’90s, he estimated he had owned between 4,000 and 5,000 instruments, and his collection was valued at $3 million. He has authored several books about vintage guitars and is widely considered one of the world's preeminent authorities on the subject.
Yasuda is also an accomplished musician. While in Nashville in the ’80s—perhaps for one of the half-dozen times he’s performed on theGrand Ole Opry—he met Greg Rich, an instrument designer who was then head of Gibson’s banjo division. Yasuda enlisted Greg Rich and another guitar maker named Mark Taylor to produce a line of high-quality, vintage-style instruments under the name Masterbilt. “Vintage guitars are fine, but they're limited,” said Yasuda at the time. His Masterbilt guitars would give us mere mortals the chance to get a taste of the luxurious feel of a fine vintage instrument. Masterbilt debuted at NAMM in 1997, and it’s still unknown how many guitars were actually produced. The trademark of the Masterbilt name was cancelled in 2005 and has since been used by other brands, like Epiphone.
“Some folks think anything from the ’80s or before is vintage, but perhaps the fact that time has continued to march on should be factored in.”
Fanny's House of Music believes this guitar to be an early prototype, one of six ever made. Three were sunburst and three were natural. Playing it feels like playing any fine vintage 335; funny when you consider that at 27 years old, some would consider this Masterbilt vintage itself. The notion of what is considered truly “vintage” is hotly debated on Reddit every few months. Some folks think anything from the ’80s or before is vintage, but perhaps the fact that time has continued to march on should be factored in. Some guitars from the ’80s are now 45 years old! We consider guitars from the ’90s to be vintage at this point, so this 1998 Masterbilt prototype fits right in.
This Masterbilt is now 27 years old. In your books, does that make it a “vintage” guitar?
Photo by Madison Thorn
It’s a good example of how history and passion can intersect to create something special. This guitar tells a story of dedication to quality and an appreciation for the feel of a well-made instrument. Whether or not a 27-year-old guitar qualifies as “vintage” may be up for debate, but the magic in this guitar definitely isn’t. If you’re ever in Nashville, stop by Fanny’s and take it for a spin. You might find yourself feeling a bit like I felt after my unexpected ride in a Jaguar: getting a glimpse into the world of understated elegance, where refinement isn't about flash but about experiencing something crafted to near perfection.
SOURCES: namm.com, Los Angeles Times, Blue Book of Guitar Values, Vintage Guitar, Guitar-List.
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