Blues Course Content

Lesson 1: Playing the Blues in E

• Why Play the Blues?
• Typical Blues Song Forms
• Rhythm Guitar in Blues March in E
• E Minor Pentatonic and Blues Scales Open Position

Lesson 2: Blues in E—Varying the Feel, Minor Pentatonic Scales, and 8-Bar Blues

• Varying the Feel
• E Minor Pentatonic Scales, 6 Positions
• Typical Blues Progressions, Part 2: 8-Bar Blues—Key to the Highway
• Bad Boy—March in A

Lesson 3: Slow Blues with Sliding 9th Chords, Pentatonic Scales Part 2, and String Bends

• Slow Blues in G—Sliding 9ths
• Shuffle in G: Low-End and Rhythmic Hits
• A Minor and C Major Pentatonic Scales—5 Positions
• String Bends

Lesson 4: T-Bone Style Blues with Sliding 9th Chords, and Chicago Shuffles

• Downtown and Uptown Shuffles with Sliding 9th Chords
• T-Bone Style Slow Blues with Sliding 9th Chords
• A Major and A Minor Pentatonic Scales—5 Positions
• "Country Girl"—Buddy Guy/Jr. Wells Style, with Sliding 9th Variations

Lesson 5: Flat Tire/Jump Chords and Feel, with T-Bone Walker's Soloing Style and Influences

• "Papa Ain't Salty," T-Bone Intro Chorus
• Locking In with the Backbeat and Metronome
• Locking In with the Bass
• Rhythm Guitar—"Flat Tire"/Jump Chords and Feel
• T-Bone's Influences on BB King, Clarence Holliman, and Others

Lesson 6: Minor Blues, Rhythm Guitar Variations, and Call Response Techniques

• Minor Blues Progressions and "Thrilling'" Rhythm Part
• Call/Response Techniques and B.B. King's Vocal Style Phrasing
• A Blues Scales—5 Positions
• A Blues Scales—Shifting between Positions
• B.B. King Intro Chorus—"The Woman I Love"

Lesson 7: Playing in the Pocket, and Magic Sam Style Blues

• Magic Sam's Intro Chorus to "Sweet Home Chicago"
• Playing in the Pocket—Rushing/Dragging/Locking In Exercise
• Blues in G: Rhythmic Hits, Part 2
• Counting/Clapping Exercise

Lesson 8: Slide, Part 1: John Lee Hooker Boogie and Son House Style

• John Lee Hooker Style: Open A Tuning—Boogie
• Basic Slide Techniques: Open G Tuning
• Son House Style: "Death Letter Blues," Open G Tuning
• C Pentatonic and C Major Scales—5 Positions

Lesson 9: Slide, Part 2: Elmore James and Magic Sam Style Boogie

• Magic Sam Style Boogie: "Looking' Good"
• Slide in Open D Tuning
• Elmore James Style Slide: Open D Tuning
• Turnarounds—Robert Lockwood Jr., "Worried Life Blues"
• Expanding Vocabulary/Learning from the Masters: Re-Using Lockwood's Turnarounds

Lesson 10: Blues Rock and Gospel Blues (Freddy King)

• "San-Ho-Zay": Rhythm Part and Solo, as Played by Freddy King
• Gospel Blues Progressions
• Same Old Blues: Gospel Blues

Lesson 11: Jazz Blues

• Bb Jazz Blues: "Blues in Maude's Flat," as Played by Grant Green
• Walking Bass/Comping Bb Blues
• "Freddy the Freeloader"
• Learning the Neck

Lesson 12: Wrapping it Up—Final Performance Projects

• "Chitlins Con Carne": Kenny Burrell's Solo and a Rhythm Part
• Ear Training Exercises
• "Don't Lose Your Cool," as Played by Albert Collins
• Rhythm Guitar: Chords in 4 Regions along the Neck