Acoustic Blues For Absolute Beginners

Licklibrary.com presents "Acoustic Blues For Absolute Beginners," a detailed guitar lesson series aimed at equipping guitarists with fundamental acoustic blues techniques. This course is meticulously crafted to cover essential blues guitar methods, ensuring a comprehensive and enriching learning experience for students. This course is taught by Danny Gill.

Techniques Covered in "Acoustic Blues for Absolute Beginners"

12 Bar Blues in E (Dominant 7th Chords)

The course begins with the classic 12 bar blues progression in E, using dominant 7th chords. This is a crucial structure in blues music, essential for every aspiring blues guitarist.

Benefits

• Fosters an in-depth understanding of blues chord progressions.
• Enhances fluidity in chord transitions and rhythm.
• Builds a solid base for improvisation in blues guitar.

Fingerstyle Blues

Fingerstyle blues, a technique involving plucking strings directly with fingertips or picks, is explored for its unique sound and expressive potential in blues music.

Benefits

• Enhances precision and control over individual strings.
• Cultivates a unique and personal playing style.
• Increases adaptability across various blues subgenres.

Chord Embellishments

Learners are introduced to chord embellishments like hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides within chords, adding expressiveness to the blues sound.

Benefits

• Enriches basic chords with sophisticated sound textures.
• Strengthens left-hand technique and agility.
• Allows for simultaneous rhythm and lead playing.

8 Bar Blues

The 8 bar blues format is a compact variation of the traditional 12 bar blues, requiring precise timing and progression understanding.

Benefits

• Sharpens skills in diverse blues song structures.
• Enhances improvisational adaptability.
• Expands the blues repertoire and understanding.

Quick Change Blues and Shuffle Rhythms

This section introduces quick change blues and shuffle rhythms, essential for achieving the classic blues 'swing' feel.

Benefits

• Deepens rhythmic understanding and groove.
• Develops skills in timing and syncopation.
• Embraces the quintessential elements of blues rhythm.

12 Bar Blues in A (6th and 9th Chords)

Exploring the 12 bar blues in A, the course includes 6th and 9th chords, offering a richer and more varied harmonic landscape.

Benefits

• Introduces advanced chord voicings.
• Expands harmonic knowledge in blues contexts.
• Enhances chord transitioning and fingering skills.

Blues Bends, Soloing, and Turnaround Licks

Focusing on blues bends, soloing with licks, double stops, and turnaround licks, this module is key to expressive blues guitar performance.

Benefits

• Boosts expressive and emotional playing.
• Cultivates vital lead guitar skills.
• Improves soloing and improvisational abilities.

Scales and Arpeggios

Mastering scales and arpeggios is fundamental for blues soloing and improvisation, forming an essential part of the blues guitarist's toolkit.

Benefits

• Establishes a solid theory base for improvisation.
• Enhances finger agility and strength.
• Improves melody comprehension and musicality.

Practicing with Backing Tracks

Using backing tracks for practice is emphasized, as it mirrors a real-band experience and enhances timing, rhythm, and improvisation skills.

Benefits

• Simulates a realistic performance environment.
• Hones timing and rhythmic precision.
• Prepares for collaborative musicianship.

Technique List

Upon completing this course, students will be well-versed in various guitar techniques integral to blues music. For further details on each technique, please visit the following links:

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• Double Stops
• Hammer-Ons
• Pull-Offs
• Finger Picking
• Chord Progressions
• Arpeggios
• String Bending