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Blues Technic

1767 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Mr. David Severson
Since 3 months I'm trying to play blues, I really love the moods and the solos but I'm not a shredder. I know my five pentatonic scales (normal and with the blues note) and I'm just starting to understand how to use it ! For me it's a big step, before I was only playing Nirvana, Silverchair and some reggae things, so no big things. Now I want to improve my playing before trying to play the big name like Hendrix and Vaughan! Can someone help me, like some sites or books to buy!
Thank a lot!
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Ti-Ron said:
Now I want to improve my playing before trying to play the big name like Hendrix and Vaughan!
Hi Ti-Ron,
I don't quite understand this statement. It sounds like you don't feel qualified to try to play Hendrix or SRV until your playing improves. If you don't try, your playing will never improve. Ready or not, here you come.

As for websites or books helping you play blues, you probably won't learn much more than what you already claim to know (scales etc.) from books. You need to listen and develop an ear for the blues, which is all about phrasing, note bending, vibrato, emotion etc. It's like singing with a guitar instead of your voice. Listen, to learn the language of blues and you will eventually learn to speak (play) it.:wave:
I know there's a lot to come with practicing ! But whan I open my tabs book it's like climbing a montain to fast. My head turns ! :p Don't you have suggestions about songs that are easier to learn 'cause it's always gratifying to learn a new song in the way you want to go!

Thanks for your advices! ;)
You might want to try using something like Amazing Slow Downer, or a similar program, to slow down and learn some classic blues material. I find that if I slow down phrases, and learn them, I can then figure out how the notes relate to the scales. I find that early Peter Green stuff is great for that. I learnt a lot about how the Blues scale work and how they relate to the underlying chord, from learning some of Greens great playing. Even though its basicaly the same scales and notes which everyone else uses, Peter Green is able to put his own distinct touch to them

I think there is an add-on you can get for the Windows Media Player which also lets you slow down songs.
A golf term works in this case...


Grip it and rip it!
Jeff Flowerday said:
A golf term works in this case...
Grip it and rip it!
Are you making reference to the Leafs :tongue: :D



Ti-Ron,

Have a look at: http://www.bluesyoucanuse.com/

I bought the Blues you can use book (amazon.ca) It comes with a CD and is very helpful to begin with Then you can continue with More blues you can use

hope this can help,
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jcayer said:
Are you making reference to the Leafs :tongue: :D
I think the last game of season is going to be a gooder!!! I think your team will be golfing though.
Jeff Flowerday said:
I think the last game of season is going to be a gooder!!! I think your team will be golfing though.
[off topic]
I know that, It's not easy being a Bruins fans these days ... :frown:

A radio statio here in Montreal (CHOM FM 97.7) is making a contest. The guy with the best Leafs bashing comment will go to this very last game in Toronto... I hope they don't present this guy to the croud and tell what he did to assist to the game :eek:
[end off topic]

Ti-Ron,

I forgot to mention, there is a forum on the web site I mentionned http://www.bluesyoucanuse.com/ , and the author of the books is very present and answers questions and gives a lot of advices.

:food-smiley-004:
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Thanks !

Thank your all for your suggestions and agrements ! I start to learn Texas Flood of Stevie (Live Alive's version) ! I do it really slow but time and practice are with me !

Paul : Thank you for the link, I look that and give you some reviews. The only thing is that I'm little scare about paying for something I don't see before!

jacayer : This book look great ! The guy rocks with is moustache ! :p But it's look complete. I'll have an eye on it next time I go to the music shop !

bagpipe : I've download it and I will try that this week ! Thank for the tip ! :D
Learning the blues in the initial stages can be overwhelming. Take a phrase or lick from the tab of SRV and make a blues backing track. Play that lick over and over until you get comfortable with it...Not only do you learn the idea but the idea becomes part of your internal lick library and it will be something you can use in other situatuions.
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