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The Essentials for
the Aspiring Guitarist...
There are guitar players and then there are blues
guitar players. They are not as usually well known unless they
pioneer a new image and you can probably count on one hand the most
successful ones. Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Robert Johnson. A few
more notable names are Bo Diddley and Gary Moore; of course they
are all famous for their playing style of blues guitar.
If your main goal is to become a famous blues
guitarist then you should first learn this blues lesson. The blues
isn't about headlining a show but more about a musical feeling that
comes from learning the history of blues guitar and sticking with
the fundamentals that make it what it is. Blues guitar is
considered the root of modern music and when you begin to learn
blues chords and the blues scale you will understand how it
evolved.
Your brand instrument of choice, besides being a
guitar, really shouldn't matter. There are guitars that are made
for blues playing and if you took a blues lesson from a guitar
teacher they would tell you that the music inside comes through the
guitar, not from the guitar. In order to really learn the blues you
should start with basic chords that give the blues their soulful
sound.
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There are just a few chords that blues guitar players rely on, A, E
and D. Those basics will get you started and having the basics under your belt will
help you to expand towards scales and then onto reading tablature. You can also
immerse yourself in blues guitar music; it can help to transport you to a place
where you can really get in touch with a different style of music.
Most of the blues guitar music is created in 4/4 timing so its
pretty easy to keep count with, if you watch a blues lesson on video or take one
from an instructor you will find that its consistent and that helps a lot. If you
want to learn how to solo then the blues scale will have to become your breakfast,
lunch and dinner. The blues scale gives blues guitar is gritty sound. It's not like
the chromatic scale but if you know how to play that it will help you to understand
finger placement and rhythm.
Once you figure out chords and the blues scale the next blues
lesson is incorporating tricks into your playing. Bending strings or using a slide
to play with will give your talent more depth, even though the blues stays on a
certain level you can always add your own style to make it more personal.
The end result may take a few years to master if you have never
picked up a guitar so don't get frustrated because you can't play like the pros do.
Learning blues guitar takes perseverance and a love for good music. If you find
yourself at a barrier just put down your guitar and take a break, it won't happen
overnight, nothing worth while ever does… But it will happen!
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