Lessons: Blues
RSS
ARTICLES
Rethinking the Blues Scale
September 19, 2020
There’s way more than blues-rock fodder buried in the crevices of the most overused scale in music.
Read More
Blues Arpeggio Tricks
September 12, 2020
A simple half-step slide is all it takes to spice up those vanilla arpeggios.
Read More
The Building Blocks of the Blues
August 1, 2020
A back-to-basics approach to crafting a 12-bar solo.
Read More
Slippery Half-Step Blues Bends
May 16, 2020
What makes some of your favorite blues players sound so tasteful and different? Here’s one concept to expand your vocabulary into their territory.
Read More
Beef Up Your Bends
May 2, 2020
Fiery blues-rocker Chris Buck shares his top five ways to make your bends more meaningful.
Read More
How to Play Bentonia Blues
September 14, 2019
Toss aside the rules and tune down your guitar.
Read More
Poindexter at the Crossroads: The 5 Tonalities of the Blues
August 17, 2019
There’s way more to blues harmony than just major and minor.
Read More
Beyond Blues: What Would Jimmy Raney Do?
August 10, 2019
A deep look into how a master combined hard bop with soulful swing.
Read More
Did Robben Ford Invent a Scale?
May 18, 2019
Of course not. But he sure makes it sound good.
Read More
Joe Gore’s The Subversive Guitarist: The Bruise Scale
March 23, 2019
If you whip out these licks at the ol’ Tuesday night blues jam, they’ll probably move it to Wednesday and not tell you.
Read More
Beyond Blues: Nail Those Changes!
May 19, 2018
Fishing around for some new ideas to enhance your blues licks? Check out this step-by-step approach that covers everything from guide tones to scales.
Read More
Dr. Molly’s Guitar Lab: The Badass Riffs of Sister Rosetta Tharpe
May 12, 2018
One of rock guitar’s pioneers could tear through double-stops, chromatic riffs, and fiery triplets with grace and attitude.
Read More
Workin’ Man Blues: Moving into the Country
April 14, 2018
The path from ripping electric blues to snappy twang is shorter than you might think. An in-demand Nashville player dishes out a few hands-on tips for getting your country chops together.
Read More
What Bohlinger Plays: The Best Turnaround Ever
March 20, 2018
How to play a deceptively simple—and impressive—turnaround that uses hybrid picking.
Read More
The Tao of Jeff Beck
March 17, 2018
Here's a crash course in how one of the most eclectic and influential guitarists of all time developed a unique vocabulary through speedy rockabilly licks, fuzzed-out melodies, and an otherworldly use of the vibrato bar.
Read More
Rhythm Rules: 8 Ways to Navigate a 12-Bar Blues
February 17, 2018
These inventive riffs might make your next blues jam a bit more exciting.
Read More
10 Sneaky Slide Licks
December 23, 2017
Coax extra mileage from a familiar lick by slipping in some sly slide moves.
Read More
Gary Clark Jr.’s Modern Mojo
December 16, 2017
Get inside the techniques of a modern blues master and add some fire to your solos.
Read More
