BLUES GUITAR

A: Blues Chord Progressions (8 bar, 12 bar)B: Blues Strum Patterns (Shuffle, 2 Strum) C: Blues Techniques for Style: (Pull-offs, Slide-ups, Hammer-ons, Bending, Vibrato)

Blues Introduction Video Clips

• A History Of Blues Pt1. – YouTube

• A History Of Blues Pt2 – YouTube

• A History Of Blues Pt3 – YouTube

• A History Of Blues Pt4 - YouTube

•

• History of the Blues - Video - 3 min.

A:Blues Progressions:• 12 Bar Blues = Blues chord progression that is organized into 12 bar’s of

music. The basic concept of the 12-bar blues is the I-IV-V progression, where I, IV and V represent the chords or notes that you will be using. When you play a blues progression, you will only need to use 3 chords:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7– For the key of A we count: A b c D E f g– For the key of C we count: C d e F G a b  

The following is a chart of the 3 chords used in any key: A: A-D-E

B: B-E-F# C: C-F-GD: D-G-AE: E-A-BF: F-Bb-CG: G-C-D

The actual progression of the 3 chords varies:

• Image from pg 72 Land m guitar

The most common is:I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I/V.

Another progression pattern used in 12 bar blues is:I-IV-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I/V

8 Bar Blues = Blues progression that is organized into 8 bar’s of music. Progression Examples:• Example A:• | 1\\\ | 1\\\ | 4\\\ | 4\\\ | 1\\\ | 5\\\ | 1\4\ | 1\5\ |

• Example B:• | 1\\\ | 1\\\ | 1\\\ | 1\\\ | 4\\\ | 4\\\ | 5\\\ | 1\\\ |

• Example C:• | 1\\\ | 5\\\ | 4\\\ | 4\\\ | 1\\\ | 5\\\ | 1\\\ | 5\\\ |

Steal My Kisses – Ben Harper8 bar blues sequence

Chord Sequence: One strum pattern per bar slide up

|--G#--|--C#-^|--D#--|--G#--|

Strum Pattern:

D U D U U U D

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a

YouTube - Ben Harper - Steal My Kisses

B: Strumming Patterns for Blues:• Strumming patterns are what make the very basic chord

sequences interesting!• 1. The Shuffle = All notes written as 8th notes but played

unevenly (the 1st note is twice as long as the second)

• 2. 2 Strum Blues = • 1st note twice as long as 2nd

3. Syncopated 2 strum =

• 4. Syncopated 5 strum =

UPBEAT STRUM =

C: Techniques for Creating Your Style• A.Pull-Offs = You pick the first note then pull off the

higher fretted finger so that the remaining fretted note sounds without picking it.

• B.Hammer-Ons = You pick the 1st note, then by hitting a higher fret with a 2nd finger, create a sound without picking it.

• C.Slide-Ups = You slide up to a particular fret after picking the string instead of having your fret finger already in place on the fret.

• D.Bends = You play a note and then bend the string

with your fretting finger either a half or whole step

to another pitch.

• E. Vibrato = You play a note and then slightly bend the string numerous times quickly to create sustain.

Combining Techniques exercise•

Song #1- C Jam Blues (In duotangs)

Song #2 -12 Bar Funky Groove• 12 Bar Funky Blues• Key of A• Picking Riff• |-----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|• |-----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|• |-----------------|--------5---7--|----------------|--------7--9---|-----------------|• |---------5---7--|-----7---------|-----------------|-----9---------|--------5--7----|• |----7------------|--5------------|-----7--5—7--|--7------------|-----7----------|• |--5--------------|---------------|--5-------------|----------------|--5-------------|• 4x 2x 2x 2x 2x

• Rhythm• |--5-------------|-------10------|------5-------|------12--------|-----5-----------|-• |--5-------------|-------10------|-----5--------|-------12-------|-----5-----------|-• |--5-------------|-------10------|-----5--------|-------12-------|-----5-----------|-• |--5-------------|-------10------|-----5--------|-------12-------|-----5-----------|-• |----------------|----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-• |----------------|----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-

• Scale• A Blues Scale

Song #3 - Give Me One Reason• F#, B, C# or transpose to G, C, D

• F# B C# F# B C# F# C# B F# YouTube - Tracy Chapman - Give me one reason

• [intro]• F# B C# F#• Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back around.• F# B C# F#• Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back around• C#• I said I don't wanna leave you lonely,• B F#• You've gotta make me change my mind.• F# B C# F#• Baby I got your number and I know that you got mine.• F# B C# F#• You know that I called you, I called too many times.• C#• You can call me baby• B F#• You can call anytime, but you got to call me.• F# B C# F#• Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back around.• F# B C# F#• Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back around.