learnin the blues

[drew_half_empty]

well, i decided i should learn some blues, so if someone could reccomend me some mid level difficulty songs & hook me up with the tabs that'd be cool

i'm lookin for more of the traditional sound than say SRV or any of the blues rock stuff

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: learnin the blues

Mastering The Blues Guitar - Wayne Riker. It's okay.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: learnin the blues

someone actually named a song that?

wow, way to be modest

 

[BigDaddy]

Re: learnin the blues

Just listen to Robert Johnson and learn as much from him as you can. That's a start. Forget about tabs and such, use your ears. It's not only the notes but how and when they are played, you can't get that from a tab.

Learn the format of a blues progression, it's not just a I-IV-V. There are little nuances and reasons that make it what it is. These things are lost to most musicians who are not good blues players. There is an old saying that if you can't play blues, you can't play.

It's about feeling and placement of the notes not to mention a lot of subtle things. Listen to old gospel music too to get an idea of where it came from, that will give you a good reference.

 

[Bludave]

Re: learnin the blues

Yeah......... Big Daddy's got it. Tabs will help you determine where to play on the neck, but not when and how to play. Youhave to listen to a lot of great blues players to get a feel for it. Here is a list of some people to listen to.

BB King
Muddy Waters
Buddy Guy
Elmore James

There are so many others, but anything that came out of Chess records would be good and todays Blues record label is Alligator. Go to there website and look at some of the artist that are represented.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: learnin the blues

someone actually named a song that?

wow, way to be modest

Lol! It's a book. :laugh2:

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: learnin the blues

Howlin Wolf...if you can't learn it from him you don't need to know it

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: learnin the blues

Albert Collins - some of the best phrasing I will ever hear in my life, hands down.
Freddy King.
John Lee Hooker

My two main tips are use 2 or 3 note phrases and switch between your actual pick and pickingwith your fingers. Pick hard and soft to get those deep feelings.

 

[firebirdVII]

Re: learnin the blues

If you're up for some acoustic slide, listen to Tampa Red, Guitar Wizard is a pretty good compilation. If you learn his songs, you will be able to fell the slide better, (better acceleration and dynamics with the slide).

 

[thunderlung]

Re: learnin the blues

I found a couple of books that focused on boogies to be useful, but you might be higher lever than I was at the time(and probably now). One was definetly called the "Art of the Shuffle." Hoochie Coochie MAn is a good start and I also found Stevie Ray Vaughan"s "Life by the Drop" to be an excellent start(much easier than you think....not flashy but a great tune).

 

[Osensei]

Re: learnin the blues

When you say traditional, that means that you can go back as far as Bessie Smith. Find some old blues that's like an old dude playin the harmonica on da front porch by the train tracks man! Or some of the old glass bottleneck slide guitar. You can't get any more rotgut than that man!

Do some Jimmy Smith too man! Granted all of his stuff ain't the blues but somehow he's still relevant!

 

[YJM_Rocks]

Re: learnin the blues

Howlin Wolf...if you can't learn it from him you don't need to know it

That guy has the worst voice in the world...even for blues, I am sorry to say.

Good music though!

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: learnin the blues

That guy has the worst voice in the world...even for blues, I am sorry to say.

Good music though!

That's like the ultimate blues voice.

Traditional delta/Chicago blues? You got your Muddy Watters, the Kings (BB, Albert, Freddy), Blind Willie Johnson (YJM, if you don't like Howlin' Wolf, you'll HATE this!), Leadbelly, Howlin' Wolf, David Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Johnson and Son House. That's all I got.

 

[Corbic]

Re: learnin the blues

That's like the ultimate blues voice.

Traditional delta/Chicago blues? You got your Muddy Watters, the Kings (BB, Albert, Freddy), Blind Willie Johnson (YJM, if you don't like Howlin' Wolf, you'll HATE this!), Leadbelly, Howlin' Wolf, David Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Johnson and Son House. That's all I got.

Thats a good list there, none I can add. I highly recommend listening to Robert Johnson, very powerful stuff. Son House was his biggest influence so him as well. BB King is necessary blues listening, as well as the other two Kings. And everyone else on the list, but those are my personal favorites of that list.

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: learnin the blues

When I think of blues, I think of more modern blues players than people like Muddy Waters. I'm thinking more like Clapton and Gilmour. I love the bluesy sound they both have.

http://www.harmony-central.com/ has a big feature on Gilmour at the moment under the 'free interactive lessons' bit. The 2nd lesson based on his style is the best. It's awesome.

 

[Bludave]

Re: learnin the blues

That guy has the worst voice in the world...even for blues, I am sorry to say.

Good music though!

Someone else who doesn't get it. The Wolf............. He Da MAn:banana:

 

[Bludave]

Re: learnin the blues

That guy has the worst voice in the world...even for blues, I am sorry to say.

Good music though!

Someone else who doesn't get it. The Wolf............. He Da MAn:banana: His guitar player at the time was one of the most underrated players in the business (Hubert Sumlin)

 

[Osensei]

Re: learnin the blues

This best way to listen to blues is fallin over drunk! Then you'll get it! :chairfall

Cheers!