Blues Guitar Unleashed

This blues guitar lesson will show you how you can build a complete blues solo, starting from just one good blues lick.

It was very much inspired by Albert King, so we’ll use the “Albert King Lick” to start us off and we’ll work from there…

The TAB is at HERE if you want to download it, but make sure to watch the video through a few times first.

If you dig this lick and this style of soloing, don’t forget to check out my “How To Solo Like Albert King” course. He’s one of my all time favorites!

In this video we’ll talk about the open E blues scale on guitar and some important licks and patterns that come from the open strings…

Most folks know the blues scale, but doing it in the key of E and using those open strings can be tricky to say the least.

Give these a try for yourself and let me know how it goes.

If you’ve not heard of mixing the major and minor blues sounds, you’re in for a treat today…

Not only will we cover why and how you want to mix the major and minor blues scales, you’ll get one of the most classic blues licks on the planet that demonstrates the concept perfectly.

This concept is a large part of the last 1/3rd of Blues Guitar Unleashed because it’s a skill that can be challenging, but is such a huge part of the sound of your favorite blues guitar players.

In today’s video we’ll cover a lick that Eric Clapton uses in the Cream recording of, “Spoonful”…

And while he didn’t use it as a slow blues lick, or even really as a blues lick at all, it’s a great example of how to get some serious mileage out of a simple, 4 note pattern (also box 1.)

This lick also shows up in my, “Cream Era Clapton Soloing Workshop.” And if you want a fun song lesson, check out my “Sunshine Of Your Love” Workshop.

Today’s lesson is all about slow blues rhythm guitar and having a handful of ideas that will take you through most anything that comes up.

So grab your guitar and let’s get into it:

This is only a fraction of what’s in Blues Guitar Unleashed, so if you’re ready to master blues rhythm and lead guitar, check it out.

So, you say 4 notes was too many? How about 3 notes!

Seriously, I’m not joking, it’s a 3 note blues solo… and to make it even easier, there are no bends.

If you are more of a beginning blues guitar player, today’s your day:

The TAB is in the video, but I also have a PDF OF IT HERE.

One of the most critical skills on a guitar is executing “slurs,” which take the forms of “hammer-ons” or “pull-offs,” depending on which way you’re going (ascending or descending.)

So today let’s master the hammer-on and make sure it’s involved with your blues licks, and even your rhythm playing.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE TAB

I’ve been in a mood, lately, with the “4 Note Solo” ideas, and today is no different…

Today’s version is more of a, “blues with a buddy,” approach…

Let’s say you and a friend, or you and your looper, are just playing a nice slow blues in E, and you’re on an acoustic guitar (or you’re not comfortable bending.) What would you do when it was your turn to solo?

I would suggest something like this:

Click Here For The TAB To The Solo

There is a lot of conflicting information out there in the world when it comes to playing faster blues licks (or any genre, really)…

So this lesson will cover those techniques you need to play with more speed and precision, to nail those faster, longer blues licks.

In addition, we’ll look at how you can reverse super fast licks and make them easier to get your fingers around.

If this sort of thing interests you, I would suggest you take a look at my Blues Speed Building Blocks course for more like this.

Around here we have something they like to call a “picking circle” where a whole bunch of folks get together with guitars and go around the room calling tunes.

It’s a great way to jam and have a lot of fun and learn a lot of new tunes quickly!

Today’s video is how to “hang” in such an environment, and maybe start one in your neck of the woods.

When it comes to playing faster licks, you will undoubtedly use a combination of slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs) with your picked notes…

But pull-offs, in particular, seem to trip folks up. So today we’ll talk about how to make yours better, and more useful to you.

You may know my original “4 Note Solo” video is kind of what started it all for me way back in 2008…

And while there is a lot of material I’ve done around that original solo, it’s actually not the easiest thing to play for a beginner, so today I’ve got a smaller, easier option for you.

If you’ve not ever tried to play a blues solo before, this is a great opportunity for that. The TAB for the solo is here, if you want to download it.

The Jam Track is Here.

And if this is right up your alley (meaning it’s about where you are at, technically) I would encourage you to dig in to my Beginning Blues Guitar Soloing course for more solos, licks, and patterns you can use. It’s the perfect place to tip-toe into the soloing waters.

I won’t lie to you, I got a little carried away today and it’s a long one…

You can have your guitar in your hands if you want, but honestly there’s more here about what to expect and how to approach a jam, and not nearly as much about “play like this.”

So I’d suggest you grab a beverage (depends on the time of day as to which kind) and turn off the phone for the next 40 minutes or so.

If you are new to jam sessions and jamming, in general, this will help you immensely. And if you have been through this process, you’ll find yourself nodding along repeatedly :

Dig this: