Blues Lessons book?

Jacques_nasi

Hi Guys,

First a little background as I've never posted much except a few paintjobs I've done in the past:

I've started playing (or tried playing properly) when I was std10 about 12 years ago. I've never had any music tution at all, and tried to learn as much as possible from books etc. I've played in quite a few garage bands over the years that never seemed to last more than 4 months at a time, anything from Iron maiden, metallica, guns n' roses to Tom Petty and the heartbreakers and Sheryl Crow, so quite a variety of music. I don't consider myself a "natural" guitarist and learned all the covers from tabs like a parrot, just copying, and the songs I've written were purely based on chords and riffs that seemed to fit together without any theoretical thought.

Over the years I've mostly played rythim, because chords are quite easy to learn and riffs are fun to make up, and the times I've tried moving to lead I just got so frustrated because although I could play some scales, I've never understood why they should be played like that and how to use them!!!!! I lived in a small town with very few music teachers, and even the ones there didnt seem to know all that much! this made me quite depressed because so many guys who started way after me and were a lot younger that me all seemed to be so much better, and I lost a lot of interest in actual playing and moved to just painting and fiddling with guitars. I've always lacked that spark that made musical theory clear to me!!! :'(

Well fast forward to the present, I've picked up a guitar again after not touching one for about a year and a half, and would like to better myself! playing in a band is out of the question due to family responsibilities etc., so Im looking to learn to play blues properly, I'm sure I can enjoy playing this by myself! I'm looking to buy a blues tutorial book, has anyone got any good recomendations??

Thanx
Jacques

singemonkey

You're trying to learn lead blues?

Pretty much the same answer as listening to blues. Get this: http://www.loot.co.za/product/hal-leonard-publishing-corporation-john-mayall-with-eri/jzdf-184-g070

Fiercely accurate tab of, perhaps, the most brilliant lead blues guitar ever stuffed onto one record (there is equally good lead out there - fans of other guitarists - just not so much win on a single record as that). Any lick you pick up will be useful. Use it when you get stuck working out the record by ear.

I've also got a book called Blues Rhythm Guitar by Keith Wyatt - that I can't find on loot at the moment - which is really great for discovering tons of blues rhythm styles that you may not know exist.

BobC

Jacques

Have you tried learning from DVD / Video tutorials?

Check out a website called - www.steviesnacks.com

Also, for general theory - scales, chord progressions, arpeggios, modes etc - check out Desi Serna's material on http://www.guitar-music-theory.com/

There are free previews on each of the sites.

Good luck

BobC

UncleGoatLips

It sounds to me like you just haven't found the right teacher yet, some teachers explain things differently from others. I had a similar problem when I started playing guitar and it set me back quite a few years. I would suggest going to your local music store and getting numbers of local teachers. The shops are usually overrun with posters of guitar lessons and the shops often have a database of teachers. Sometimes teachers give the first lesson free as well. You could phone them and ask them for a single lesson, go to a few check out if you learn anything from any of them. If you don't you could to to someone a bit further, even if it's just for a month so that the teacher could at least send you in some kind of direction.

But ya, learning from books and the internet is all fine and good but nothing substitutes for a good teacher. Someone to point out the gaps in your knowledge, mistakes you make with regard to posture, practicing etc.

Please let us know how things work out.

singemonkey

Oh how could I forget: www.justinguitar.com has a whole blues lesson series.

Lots of blues players weren't taught how to play. A teacher is good, but you can still do it if you work hard on learning stuff from records.

Here're two things that took me - and lots of people - ages to figure out. It's like a secret or something:

1. Blues lead guitar is predominantly made up, not just of the pentatonic minor, but a mix of the pentatonic minor and major. You'll never sound like the guys on the records if you just learn the standard "blues scale" (pentatonic minor with a flat fifth "blue note" thrown in). Because they're all using the major too. Yet strangely no one seems to mention it.

2. Vibrato. Most great lead blues players are almost defined by their vibrato. In blues, a good vibrato is not a nice-to-have. It's critical. And it takes a long time to get it right. So start working on it early on.

ratrap

singemonkey wrote: Oh how could I forget: www.justinguitar.com has a whole blues lesson series.

+1 on Justins series of online lessons or you can buy the lot on DVD!

Jacques_nasi

Thanx for all the input guys ?, considering I've never had a proper teacher before, I think that will be a good place to start to understand what I'm playing! ?

Averatu

UncleGoatLips wrote: It sounds to me like you just haven't found the right teacher yet, some teachers explain things differently from others. I had a similar problem when I started playing guitar and it set me back quite a few years. I would suggest going to your local music store and getting numbers of local teachers. The shops are usually overrun with posters of guitar lessons and the shops often have a database of teachers. Sometimes teachers give the first lesson free as well. You could phone them and ask them for a single lesson, go to a few check out if you learn anything from any of them. If you don't you could to to someone a bit further, even if it's just for a month so that the teacher could at least send you in some kind of direction.

But ya, learning from books and the internet is all fine and good but nothing substitutes for a good teacher. Someone to point out the gaps in your knowledge, mistakes you make with regard to posture, practicing etc.

Please let us know how things work out.

A good teacher can save you a lot of trouble. I had a good teacher, realizing it more and more. The Guthrie Govan books provide a really good foundation, you need a basic knowledge of modes to play blues for instance.

DaFiz

And have a jolly good time jammin' along to your favourites. ?
Yep. http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BL-000-Blues.php :yup:

Averatu

DaFiz wrote: And have a jolly good time jammin' along to your favourites. ?

Yes, the most important part!!!