Blue Muse And Spirit

Blues Lead Guitar will focus on practical and theoretical understanding, looking at the basics of blues guitar, both harmonically and melodically. Harmonically, the basic 12 bar blues progression will be studied in two different keys. Melodically, diatonic and pentatonic major and minor scales will be examined and basic solos built from these scales. We will focus on lessons in the style of blues greats such as Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Eric Clapton.
 

Week 1-The Basics

Introduction to the basic 12 bar blues form
Rhythm exercises
Major and Minor Scales
 

Week 2-A Minor Pentatonic Scale, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”, First Solo

The A minor pentatonic scale
12 Bar Blues Progression “Everything’s Goanna Be Alright”
1. Bass line
2. One 12 bar solo based on minor pentatonic scale

Week 3-A Minor Pentatonic Scale Continued, Second Solo

Review of previous week’s lesson
Addition of new solo to help see the relationship of the guitar neck over different forms of the pentatonic scale
Introduction of Muddy Water’s style blues in E progression for next solo
 

Minor Pentatonic Scale in the Key of E

Harmony based on the bass line from last week
Some basic lead ideas

Week 5-Blues in E Continued, Intro to the Major Pentatonic Scale

Review and continuation of previous lesson with some new basic lead “motifs”

Basic eight bar blues form, “Key to the Highway”
A major pentatonic scale
 

Week 6-8 Bar Blues in A “The Key to the Highway”

Review of basic eight bar blues form
Introduction of lead based on the major pentatonic scale

Week 7-Wrap up 8 Bar Blues & General Review

Review of “Key to the Highway”
Review class with emphasis of relationship of different scales and positions to each other