Arranging W.C. Handy, the “Father of the Blues,” for Fingerstyle Guitar
Guitarist and W.C. Handy scholar Jon Shain shares strategies for adapting ragtime pieces for fingerstyle guitar using the 1917 Handy song "Beale Street Blues" as an example.
Blues
Guitar Lesson: Add Some Swing to Your Fingerstyle Blues with Walking Bass Lines
In this guitar lesson you will learn to play a 12-bar walking-bass blues in the key of E major, adding some swing to your blues playing.
Guitar Basics: A Bluesy Lick You Need to Know
This blues lick is fairly easy to play on guitar, and when played well can create a very evocative sound that will add movement and interest to your accompaniment.
The Blues in Jazz: Using the Classic 12-Bar Form to Learn Bebop Improv
Explore comping and soloing strategies over a standard 12-bar jazz blues progression, as well as chord substitutions and variations.
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Time Reveals Changes in Son House’s Approach on 1964 Recording ‘Forever on My Mind’
The 8 performances on Forever on my Mind, recorded live at Wabash College in 1964, are so different, they force us to rethink everything we know we about him.
Out of the Shadows: Undersung Women of Blues Guitar
Here we highlight female blues guitarists who helped shaped the blues; masterly musicians who don’t always receive the recognition they deserve.
12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar – Lesson 1: Syncopation
Explore syncopation—playing around with a melody’s rhythmic placement over the bass notes to make the music sound cooler.
Blues Lesson: Learn Jontavious Willis’ Take on “Poor Boy, Long Ways from Home”
Here's an open-G arrangement of the traditional blues tune "Poor Boy, Long Ways from Home"
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Open Tuning Lesson: How to Play the Blues in DADGAD
In this lesson, I’ll show you some fingerpicking exercises based on some of my blues in DADGAD ideas.
Learn to Play in Open G
A lesson on how to play fingerstyle blues in this popular open tuning, using examples from classic songs by Elizabeth Cotten, Robert Johnson, and more.