I need anything you can tell me about playing blues.

Marc. · #1 06-02-2008, 02:46 PM

So I jammed with this guitarist last Friday, and it was awesome. He was very heavily influenced by blues and psychedelic rock. The thing is that I felt kind of lost while playing because my knowledge of blues is very limited. I'd like if you guys could give me a few things that are vital to playing blues well (scales, 12-bars, or even a website to point me in the right direction)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

nortonrider · #2 06-02-2008, 02:51 PM

Get a Stevie Ray Vaughan CD and start playing along. When you got that down, you can play the blues.

Marc. · #3 06-02-2008, 02:53 PM

I have several SVR CDs, but there's gotta be more to jamming on blues than ripping off SVR. Anything else?

fenderhutz · #4 06-02-2008, 02:53 PM

1. Play with your heart (feel the music)
4. Keep the groove solid
5. Listen to Stevie Ray, some Jonny Lang, maybe some Otis Redding for flavor

capnsandwich · #5 06-02-2008, 02:56 PM

Learn your pentatonic, blues, and chromatic scales and then practice them with some blues cd's and other blues players. Oh yeah, listen to some Stevie too.

Bofee · #6 06-02-2008, 02:58 PM

Listen to Roscoe Beck. Try "Thin Blue Line", by Robben Ford.
He has a couple of how to video's out as well.

LumpyGravy · #7 06-02-2008, 03:00 PM

Just think of things that happen. Like when you blow your amp.... Man, that's the Blues.

Just kidding. I played with a guy like that. Something would happen and his reply was always hooked with the blues.
Check out some Cream. Old Beatles. They may be more upbeat than the standard blues songs, but then you got Hendrix, Willie Dixon, and the Late Bo Diddley. You can go on forever.

Marc. · #8 06-02-2008, 03:05 PM

He gave me this list of people to listen to:

Freddie King
Albert King
B.B. King
Led Zeppelin - first album
Jeff Beck

Not blues, but I think they're pretty good.
Derek and the Dominoes
The James Gang

If you could rec any albums from those blues artists (besides Zeppelin, I already have that), that would be great. Also, any websites to learn blues or pentatonic scales? I've never really gotten around to learning any scales outside of major and some minor ones.

nortonrider · #9 06-02-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

5. Listen to Stevie Ray, some Jonny Lang, maybe some Otis Redding for flavor

Those are the 3 musicians whos CD's that are in constant rotation in my Tascam Bass Trainer.

**Thor** · #10 06-02-2008, 03:12 PM

This is a great DVD for the price of a lesson.

Hot Tuna does some great traditional blues renditions, and
Jack breaks down the songs very well for you.

http://www.homespuntapes.com/shop/product.aspx?ID=1119

Also, DVD #2 of the David Gross lessons on the same ite may be useful to you.

LumpyGravy · #11 06-02-2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

This is a great DVD for the price of a lesson.

Hot Tuna does some great traditional blues renditions, and
Jack breaks down the songs very well for you.

http://www.homespuntapes.com/shop/product.aspx?ID=1119

Also, DVD #2 of the David Gross lessons on the same ite may be useful to you.

JACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ryco · #12 06-02-2008, 09:07 PM

Check out these.

Play alongs showing some different blues formats and a little basic theory. Cheap.

Also check out Roy Buchanan, Buddy Guy, Albert King and Robert Cray.
Rest in peace Bo Diddley. You were a great influence and will be missed! Thank you!

**Freddels** · #13 06-03-2008, 05:56 AM

Get Ed Friedland's Blues Bass book and play along with the tracks (over and over and over) and listen to the above suggested artists. The blues isn't difficult but wrong bass notes stick out like a sore thumb.

robd · #14 06-03-2008, 06:37 AM

Listen to and play along with as many different blues songs as you can get you hands on.

skeptikal · #15 06-03-2008, 06:46 AM

studybass.com has an entire section of lessons on blues bass

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/blues-bass/

Phalex · #16 06-03-2008, 06:51 AM

Check out Tommy Shannon, he's the man. He played bass for the likes of Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray.

Also see Duck Dunn, and Johnny B. Gayden.

Thunderthumbs73 · #17 06-03-2008, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc.

So I jammed with this guitarist last Friday, and it was awesome. He was very heavily influenced by blues and psychedelic rock. The thing is that I felt kind of lost while playing because my knowledge of blues is very limited. I'd like if you guys could give me a few things that are vital to playing blues well (scales, 12-bars, or even a website to point me in the right direction)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A recording which I really like, and has excellent basslines, and is what I feel to be is a good example of blues playing is a recording called "Super Session" and it's by Bloomfield Kooper Stills (or Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Stephen Stills). There's a few slow tempo blues tunes and some mid-tempo ones. These will help you get your head around the blues changes and sense of timing, as well as an example of what good blues bass lines can be. The bass player is Harvey Brooks. If there's one recording I think about when I think about Blues, this is the one.

A thing like band in a box, or even someone who's kind enough to record a couple different blues songs (as exercizes, and minus the bass part) in different keys and different tempos would be helpful.

One of the most basic and essential things about the blues is not even 12-vs-16 bar form or whatever, but simply making sure that you're on the root of the chord on the downbeat, no matter what. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule (like all "musical rules" have exceptions if you dig deep enough to find them) but this is a important. So keep counting throughout your playing 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc...) to keep yourself aware of where the 1 is at ALL times.

If you don't have one, there are metronomes (timekeepers) online, and it is ALWAYS helpful to practice along with one. This is good for all tempos, fast and slow.

You can looks this up on youtube for a taste- AL KOOPER-MIKE BLOOMFIELD REALLY and also check iTunes and Amazon.com for track listings and more info.

**Thor** · #18 06-03-2008, 08:04 AM

That is an awesome recording. And Harvey Brooks is an awesome bassist. For those of you that don't know anything about him see the wiki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Brooks

Harvey has played with everybody. He has been involved in
iconic recordings with some of the masters, and studying
his style is well worth the time spent.

Super Session is a particulary good example. Al Kooper
produced on side (of the original vinyl) with Mike Bloomfield
and the other side with Stephen Stills on guitar.

The full story is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Session
Sad but true.

Deacon_Blues · #19 06-03-2008, 08:14 AM

You must feel the blues to play the blues. That's what the blues fanatics will say. I'm good with saying you must feel the groove. That goes for most music around, but it's the most important thing in my opinion. If you can feel it, you can (learn to) play it. Doesn't hurt to know the blues scale and some music theory though...

Thunderthumbs73 · #20 06-03-2008, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

That is an awesome recording. And Harvey Brooks is an awesome bassist. For those of you that don't know anything about him see the wiki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Brooks

Harvey has played with everybody. He has been involved in
iconic recordings with some of the masters, and studying
his style is well worth the time spent.

Super Session is a particulary good example. Al Kooper
produced on side (of the original vinyl) with Mike Bloomfield
and the other side with Stephen Stills on guitar.

The full story is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Session
Sad but true.

Thanks!