Fingerstyle Blues

[tenthumbs]

I'm hoping I can utilize this new section of the forum to get some cool tips, practice techniques and perhaps a good instructional DVD that will help me become a better fingerstyle blues player.

Anyone willing to share their fingerstyle blues experience?

Thanks

[lofapco]

Ooooo I am going to like this thread! That has been my recent passion. For me getting the Al Petteway book "Celtic Blues and Beyond", starting to tune to DADGAD and just noodling has brought out a bunch of fun blues and rag type tunes. Al's music is pretty straight forward and the CD helped a bunch as well.

[banpreso]

here's a youtube account that has a lot of instruction videos, you might find some about blues:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=GtrWorkShp&view=videos&query=blues

also check homespun tapes.

btw, check this out, it's just a nice video performance my laurence juber, playing "blues de luxe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCktCSAerhU

[tenthumbs]

here's a youtube account that has a lot of instruction videos, you might find some about blues:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=GtrWorkShp&view=videos&query=blues

also check homespun tapes.

btw, check this out, it's just a nice video performance my laurence juber, playing "blues de luxe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCktCSAerhU

Thank you. I'll be sure to check this out when I'm not at work. BTW...Is there a particular song that's considered entry level for fingerstyle blues?

[Bern]

Learning the blues...well, it not that simple by just watching a DVD, I believe. Perhaps, some technique is gained by it, but I don't think for blues it is all that important. I believe, expressing that certain bluesy feeling is the key here. The funny thing is, though, you don't really know it until you get there.
For example, if you happen to watch some of these old blues guys, you will notice that most them don't really use the guitar as the primary instrument...it's more what they talk about and the guitar kind of just punctuates their sentences. Now, if one wants to play an all fingerstyle blues, it can become difficult to convey a storyline, a feeling, if you will, unless, if one considers nice technique and chops to be enough, I'm sure there are people who would enjoy just that too.
That said, to really play the blues, one must listen very closely to those who, basically, developed this style of music. Oh...and I would suggest, when getting into to the blues, think of simplicity, don't get too fancy.
...just my thoughts on the subject, like it or not.:)

[banpreso]

Thank you. I'll be sure to check this out when I'm not at work. BTW...Is there a particular song that's considered entry level for fingerstyle blues?

i'm no expert, but "cocaine" is pretty standard...

i'd just say pick a song you enjoy, and not too difficult, and learn that one. it's more motivating that way.

[Kira]

I wish they had it tabbed on paper, still pretty good video tut

[shawlie]

Though I don't have any of his dvds (but some of his books), Stefan Grossman is usually one of the first teachers mentioned. Nice stuff, lots of different styles.

Roy Book Binder's dvds are nice, "Blues by the Book" 1 and 2. They deal with different keys, the second one in A I learned some useful things (a couple of nice turn-arounds, which are fun to learn).

Woody Mann has some nice ones as well. "Logic of the Fretboard" is useful, also shows you some ideas and concepts that might be useful if you're just starting (but it's not the easiest stuff to play, though, for a true beginner at fingerstyle).

But whichever ones you choose, I'll second the suggestion of listening a lot to that kind of music. Find a style or a few players you like, and spend a lot of time listening to their stuff. There's some great collections / boxed sets out there, full of great music, and listening to it all the time is really helping me learn more about the style.

[JohnDWilliams]

I have a couple.

This is a clip from a longer lesson video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCtG2YWKduo


And this is a Fretkillr imitation with a little more visibility:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oLtk6gniWg

[Lou777]

This is a good lesson on "cocaine"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHR1xk8Rp5k&feature=related

[TBman]

E, A B7 open chords in standard tuning. Throw in the E/d. Just get yourself in a blues mood by listening to some stuff and off you go. You don't really learn to play the blues, you really just have to feel it and out it comes.

[DaveG]

Here's another set of great lessons on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/deltabluestips

[drjond56]

Here are some books with tabs and standard notation:

Johnny Norris: Acoustic Blues Solos

Steven Eckels: Blues Classics for Acoustic Guitar (Mel Bay: Book or download)
Fingerstyle Blues Method (Mel Bay)

Fred Sokolow: Best of Blues Guitar (Mel Bay)

Lisle Crowley: Original American Blues (Easy arrangements; good starting point)

Kenny Sultan: Various book/CD's

National Guitar Workshop: Acoustic Blues series: Beginning, Intermediate, Mastering

These are some resources that I have used, mainly geared to instrumental play without singing. I think most, if not all, are available through Elderly Instruments, so you can check their website. They have lots of others available as well.

Jon

[terrapin]

Ooooo I am going to like this thread! That has been my recent passion. For me getting the Al Petteway book "Celtic Blues and Beyond", starting to tune to DADGAD and just noodling has brought out a bunch of fun blues and rag type tunes. Al's music is pretty straight forward and the CD helped a bunch as well.


I agree. Most people don't think of DADGAD as a tuning for the blues but it can be really fun and interesting.

When I first started playing with DADGAD I order the Artie Traum "DADGAD For Beginners" 3-DVD set from Homespun. He teaches ALOT of fun, simple blues patterns and licks that can be mover around on the neck. I have alot of fun with it.

[Blue in VT]

I highly recommend looking into Littlebrotherblues.com A wonderful site full of great lessons and the best acoustic blues forum on the net.

Cheers....you are starting down a very fun and interesting road!

Blue

[HarleySpirit]

i'm no expert, but "cocaine" is pretty standard...

i'd just say pick a song you enjoy, and not too difficult, and learn that one. it's more motivating that way.

Not mentioned too often, but the song "Kansas City" has probably been played by every country rock, blues band, I've ever known. It's 12 bar blues pattern is so easy to learn... great for any beginner or pro. Really gets you into that bad blues groove. Works well in standard tuning or any alternate tunings. (http://users.eastlink.ca/~harleyspi/tunings.html) ;):guitar: