Want to learn how to play a really cool blues guitar lick?  You’re in luck if you said yes.  I just recorded a FREE video on how to play a smoking blues guitar lick that your friends will drool over when you play it for them.

I decided to give you this totally free and with tab!  This is not some lick that you’ll find anywhere either.  It’s one of those that will make the hair on your neck stand up if you play it like you mean it.

So anyway at this point I guess you’re either watching the video and not reading this or you’re hanging on my every word like it’s the end of a  John Grisham novel.

If you’re still reading, then I just want to ask you to post a comment below the video if you like it.

Enough talk already!  Here’s the video.

Remember if you like this video, please comment below and tell me what you think. You can also get the tab here if you need it.

If you’re serious about really mastering blues guitar, then I have created 4 DVDs that will show you exactly how to do this. This is not a program for beginners, and it is not for those who don’t want to practice.

Check out the Blues Guitar DVD program.

If you’re looking for a “play the blues in 24 hours program” please leave this website, because I don’t promote lies.   Just kidding! But seriously, if you see anyone saying you can play serious blues guitar overnight, don’t put too much stock in it.   I’ve said enough.

Contact me if you have any question on learning the blues. See ya!

For more information on blues guitar and slide guitar please visit LearningGuitarNow.com

Tweet This Post 

Have you worked through any blues guitar lessons on a DVD?

I know I have. I spent a long time trying to learn blues guitar from every source imaginable. There were not as many options as there are now, but there have always been videos. Back then they were VHS tapes though.

After studying a lot of different blues guitar lesson videos, I thought there was some material that a lot of videos didn’t cover. I had been teaching this stuff to my private students for years and they seemed to be picking up things pretty quickly using my techniques.

This is when I decided I needed to put some of my blues guitar lessons on video. Right now I have released 5 slide guitar lesson DVDs, 4 blues guitar lesson DVDs, and a numerous amount of guitar lesson downloads, which are really cool due to the internet. No waiting!

I think I have some really useful stuff in these DVDs, but it really doesn’t matter what I think.  It matters what the students learn. So I try to constantly improve the lesson material and put together videos that cover things I think are what people should learn to take their blues guitar playing to the next level.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do know that what I teach I have used in the studio and in live situations to play some cool blues guitar in the style of Duane Allman, Derek Trucks, Johnny Winter, SRV, Eric Clapton, and Warren Haynes.

After all is said and done, the only thing that matters are the results people get when they work through a lesson and apply it. I want to know what you have learned from my slide guitar and blues guitar lessons on DVD, and if you have seen real world results with your playing.

Are you applying these techniques in live band situations? If so what has been the outcome? Let me know what you think right below. The only way for me to provide better lessons is to know what has worked you.

Technorati Tags: blues guitar lessons, blues guitar lesson, slide guitar lessons, slide guitar lesson

Tweet This Post 

First let me say that I am a huge fan of Eric Clapton.  His phrasing, songs, and blues guitar style are so easy and fun to listen to.  He doesn’t have tons of chops, but when did speed determine the skill of a guitar player?

In my opinion, Clapton’s blues guitar style is more cohesive and easier to listen to than Hendrix and SRV.  Don’t get me wrong, Hendrix and SRV are Guitar Gods, but I find that sometimes I can get tired of all the chaos.

This is where Eric Clapton shines.  Simply put, his style makes you feel good, and is also very melodic.  3 different guitar players with 3 different styles playing all the same licks and notes.  Makes you realize that phrasing and feel are really the essentials of playing the blues.

Now on to his tone.

I love EC’s Fender tone, but recently I’ve gone back and re-listened to his sound in the early days using the SG and the 335 and WOW.  What a sound!  His Cream era tone, and the stuff he did with the “Bluesbreakers” is just unreal.  Nice smooth overdrive, and who can forget “Woman Tone”.

Right now I’m really digging EC’s Cream era tone.  The tone on “Spoonful” is just what a true blues rock guitar sound should be.

His playing sounds different as well.  Since Eric is always playing a lot of staccato notes, the chunky Gibson sound seems to fit his style better to me.  His early playing is truly amazing.  Simple, but effective use of note economy, and phrasing.

Check out this video below of Clapton demonstrating some licks on his SG during the Cream era.

What do you think of Eric Clapton’s tone.  Fender or Gibson.  Let me know right below what your opinion is.

I’ve put together 4 DVDs on playing guitar in this style.  If you’re interested in learning more about blues guitar, please check out all my Blues Guitar DVDs.  Sign up for the newsletter and you’ll get free videos of how to play the blues like Eric Clapton.

Technorati Tags: eric clapton, gibson guitar, blues guitar, blues guitar style

Tweet This Post 

I just came across Rory Gallagher a few weeks ago, and man is he awesome!  If you haven’t checked him out, you’re missing out on one of the best blues rock guitar players ever!

I had not ever paid much attention to him, but when I watched a few of his YouTube videos, I realized where SRV got some of his licks from.  Rory just has killer licks, tone, and stage presence.  He really is that good.  His legendary 61 Strat looks cooler than anything.  I wonder if SRV though the same thing too?

His style is Roadhouse, in your face Blues like no other.  I really liked his rendition of “Bullfrog Blues”.  He simply has amazing chops, feel, and the willingness to try anything on stage.  It would of been awesome to see him live.  From what I’ve seen on YouTube, the guy put on a faboulous show.

Check out this video of Rory playing a blues.  It is really cool.

What do you think of Rory Gallagher?  Let me know right below.

For more information on slide and blues guitar please visit Learning Guitar Now.

Technorati Tags: blues guitar, rory gallagher, blues guitar players

Tweet This Post 

If you’ve never heard of Joe Bonamassa, then odds are you are not current with what’s happening with blues music.  You owe it to yourself to check out this amazing guitar player.  He has chops like Stevie and Jimi, but can also play 3 notes that with the feeling of an old bluesman.

Joe Bonamassa has been playing and touring for years, and now he has finally reached a point that most would call pretty successful, which is pretty hard in the music industry these days.

BB King has played a major role in helping Joe keep his eye on what’s important to be become successful.  Joe first played with BB when he was around 13 and made a huge impression on the King of the Blues.  He would later record an album with Tom Dowd, the Legendary producer of “Live at the Fillmore East”.

Now Joe has reached another milestone.  He will be headlining the Royal Albert Hall in London on May 4, 2009. This is quite an achievement to say the least.  This is the same place Cream played their last 2 shows in 1968.  Now Joe will take a stab becoming one of the premier guitar players in the modern blues scene along side of Derek Trucks, and John Mayer.

If you have never heard Joe Bonamassa, then watch the video below and tell me your opinion of Joe.

It’s pretty amazing what Joe can do with the guitar.  I think he’s a total original, but then what do I know.  Let me know what you think of Joe right below this post.

If you’re interested in learning Blues guitar in this style, I’ve put together a set of Blues DVDs, that will help you learn this style.

For more information on slide guitar and blues guitar please visit Learning Guitar Now.

Technorati Tags: blues guitar, joe bonamassa, eric clapton

Tweet This Post 

Everyone has that one album where that moment occurred.  This moment is when you realized you were now a blues fan.  If you’re a blues fan, then odds are you are a fanatic blues conisuer.  If you’re not a blues fan, then you never had this experience and you should STOP reading now.

Every blues fan I have met is very passionate about their knowledge of blues albums, and considers their list the best.  I am the same way, and think my picks are the best as well.  I guess this kinda comes with the territory.

So anyway, back to the point.  For me, I became a lover of the blues the moment I heard Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Texas Flood”.

I was just out of high school and really wanted to be a rock guitarist like Steve Vai, and Van Halen.  I was hanging out around Gulf Shores one day and a friend of mine said, “You ever heard of this guy?”  It was SRV’s “Texas Flood”.  I put the CD in and WOW!  Now this guy had some serious chops, but there were some really cool blues songs as well.  From that moment on I was hooked.  I then proceeded to get every SRV album, and them learned about where he got his style from.  Albert King, BB King, Otish Rush, and many more.

I now had to redefine what I wanted to learn.  I had been playing rock licks before and they were hard, but these were an entirely different animal.  The feel and vibrato were hard to copy.  Just because I could play the rock licks, did not mean I could pull off this style.  I was now determined to become a blues man.  What was the first blues album to turn you into a fan?

Here’s my favorite performance of SRV’s Texas Flood, from Live at the El Mocambo.

What was the first blues album that made you become a blues fan?  Let me know right underneath this post.

If you’re interested in Learning more about blues guitar, I’ve released 3 blues guitar DVDs that teach this style of blues guitar playing.

For more information about slide guitar and blues guitar please visit Learning Guitar Now.

Technorati Tags: blues guitar, blues album, blues fan

Tweet This Post 

Do you want to make your blues guitar licks sound like the pros?

There is one specific thing you can do that will enhance your blues guitar playing without running scales everyday.  Am I crazy?  No. Well maybe a little, but you don’t have to practice scales all the time to improve this area of your blues guitar playing.  Although, I can certainly tell you that it cannot hurt, and you should be doing this anyway.  Anyways, so the #1 thing you can do to make your Blues Guitar solos sound pro is to develop a vocal-like vibrato.

Mastering vibrato when playing blues guitar will  allow you to play less notes with more feeling.  You will be able to emotionally connect with your listener with just one note.  Yes, one note!  All the blues guitar greats have excellent vibrato.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite blues guitarist’s vibrato.

1. Albert Collins
2. SRV
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. BB King
5. Albert King
6. Eric Clapton
7. Otis Rush

All of these guitarists exhibit a commanding vibrato, and can change how their vibrato sounds depending on what kind of song you they’re playing over.  Your vibrato can make or break your solos.  If you sound out of tune when you vibrato, it will sound forced and lack emotion.  There’s nothing worse than listening to out of tune vibrato.

In my new DVD, Blues Guitar DVD Method 3: Combining Scales, I show you how to combine vibrato, bending, raking, and combining scales to create some really powerful blues guitar solos.

What blues guitarist’s vibrato do you like most why?

For more information about slide guitar and blues guitar please visit Learning Guitar Now.

Technorati Tags: blues guitar licks, blues guitar dvd, blues guitar playing

Tweet This Post 

There are so many great blues guitar players that it’s hard to choose just 5, but I’m gonna try.  This list is going to be based on purely blues.  Not blues rock, but blues guitar players only.  I know the line is hard to draw, but I don’t want to include all the rockers in this list such as Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix.

With that said here’s my top 5 Blues Guitar Players.

1. Robert Johnson Why? Because he is “The King of the Delta  Blues Singers”  Yes, the blues would not be what it is today without Robert Johnson.  His legendary recordings have been rerecorded and reworked by many high profile guitarists including Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.  All those classics such as, “Crossroads”, “Traveling Riverside Blues”, “Malted Milk”, and “Walking Blues”, were all written by Robert.  If you’re not familiar with Robert Johnson’s work, get familiar and start learning what the blues is really about.
2. Albert King  SRV’s biggest influence had a stinging vibrato, and guitar licks that hit you over the head like a ton of bricks.  Just check out “Born under a Bad Sign” if you want to hear where Clapton got some of his licks from.
3. BB King  What more can you say?  You can’t say Blues guitar without thinking about BB King.  His style has been imitated by every guitarist in every genre.  His vibrato and phrasing are his trademarks.  He can say more with one note than any other blues guitarist I’ve heard.   His style is instantly recognizable.  One guitar lick from him and you know it’s the King!
4. Buddy Guy  He was doing the Hendrix thing before Jimi ever came along.  Playing with feedback, wild solos, and just a total chaotic blues guitar style that dripped with the blues.  Buddy often said, “I’ve played louder than any metal band out there”.  He has a killer voice as well and his performances are very entertaining.  Simply put, Buddy is a living legend.
5. Elmore James  If there was no Elmore, then there would have been no Duane Allman.  Elmore’s slide classics such as “Dust my Blues”, and “Blues Before Sunrise” have defined him as an innovator of the electric slide guitar.  The Allman Brothers Band covered many of Elmore’s legendary hits such as “Done Somebody Wrong”, and “One Way Out”.  Duane was totally fascinated by Elmore James, and with good reason.  His songs are what electric slide blues is all about.  Anyone interested in learning slide guitar needs to check out his legendary blues guitar style.

So there’s my top 5 blues guitarists.  I know there are many other awesome blues guitarist out there, so that’s why I wanna know what YOUR top 5 blues guitar players are.  Leave a comment and tell the world your opinion.

I’ve put together some DVDs on playing blues and slide guitar.  If you interested in really taking your playing to the next level check them out at Learning Guitar Now.

For more information on slide guitar and blues guitar subscribe to this blog, or join my newsletter and receive free videos.  Now I’m going to dust my broom!

Technorati Tags: blues guitar, blues guitar players, slide guitar

Tweet This Post 

He is one of the most imitated guitarists in history.  His band the Allman Brothers rewrote the book on Southern blues and rock.  His songs still rock the airwaves even after 30 years of being written.  Anyone seeking to learn blues guitar BETTER listen to Dickey Betts.  Simply put Dickey Betts is a living legend.  Even after all this, Dickey got kicked out of his band the, Allman Brothers for reasons not totally known to the general public.

It seems that Dickey and Greg Allman had their differences about many things.  Both have struggled with dependency issues their entire life.  It is no secret the Allman Brothers were involved in many things psychedelic during their career.  Just check out the  mushroom that the original members got tattooed on them in the beginning of the band’s incarnation.

Although most of the members have now cleaned up (the ones that are still alive) when everyone is not on the same page, then it is hard to function as a unit.    The current Allman Brothers lineup is smoking for sure, and there is not doubt that that band has chemistry.  I saw them in concert a few years ago, and let me tell you they were amazing!  I also saw the Brothers about 16 years ago with Warren and Dickey, and it was just as rocking.

I don’t really know what to think about the whole situation, and I kinda feel bad for Dickey because he is one of my favorite guitarists ever, alongside Warren, Duane, and Derek.  I can remember sitting in my bedroom as a kid with the Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East and Decade of Hits, just trying to learn Dickey’s classic licks.  Let’s face it, Jessica, Elizabeth Reed, Blue Sky, Rambling Man, and countless others and just awesome songs.  You can’t say Allman Brothers without thinking about Dickey.

Even though it probably won’t happen,  I’d love to say Dickey jam with the Brothers again.  I wish they would put it all behind them and just move on, but I know it can’t be easy.  To see all 3 of my favorite guitarists jam at once would be a sight to behold!  You can always dream it will happen.  Until then we’re still left with the great music Dickey gave us with the Allman Bros and what he is doing now with Great Southern.

I recently put up a video about how to learn blues guitar in the style of Dickey Betts.  Check it out.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Dickey Betts guitar style check out some more of my guitar lesson downloads.

Please visit Learning Guitar Now for more information on slide guitar and blues guitar.

Technorati Tags: blues guitar legend, dickey betts, learn blues guitar

Tweet This Post 

In this weeks podcast, I show you how to play blues guitar like BB King.   I also go over the vibrato used to make these licks sound like a real blues man.  If you would like to get the tabs to this podcast simply sign up for the FREE guitar lessons newsletter.  You will also receive FREE videos, and email updates just for signing up.

There are also new guitar lesson downloads for only $4.99 each!  These new lessons cover a variety of topics including Hendrix chord melody, and a Dickey Betts style lesson.

If you have a question or comment about the podcast please feel free to contact me.

What do you think of BB King?  I’d love to hear your comments.

Please visit Learning Guitar Now for more info on slide guitar and blues guitar.

Technorati Tags: learning guitar, video podcast, bb king, play blues guitar

Tweet This Post