How can you play good blues guitar?

Question

I'm having trouble getting the blues out of my guitar so to speak. I want to be able to play like Stevie Ray Vaughn or Jack White. I know the blues scale but for some reason it never sounds right please help! Some theory would be nice and please dont put blues comes from the soul.. Thank you

Answer 1

good blues is simple but sounds really complex. if you watch stevie ray vaughn videos he isn't playing the whole time. he will hit a chord and sit on it for a few measures and then do a few licks. he was one of the best blues guitarists to ever live and it took him his whole life to get that sound. just practice different techniques and see what you like. a good guitarists isn't necessarily the fastest or the one that has been playing the longest, a good guitarist is a guitarist that has a full arsenal of tricks up his sleeve. try things like the whammy bar, wah wah pedals, hammer-ons and pull-offs, bends, intervals, slides, and palm mutes. those techniques will get you started on blues. the greatest thing you can do for your playing is practicing your pentatonic scales. find what key a song is in and solo to it, you will eventually get better.

Answer 2

Yes what another answerer said, you most definitely should get your pull offs, slides and hammer ons right before expecting to be any good, they are the basis of lead blues(which jack white and stevie ray play). You could try some chord stuff first, learn some 7th chords, b7 ,g7 for example. Play around with those. Then you need to learn the scales(blues and pentatonic you already know) to know the right notes to solo, watch some lessons on youtube for things like blues shuffles, play in the key of E at first(the easiest key) it will come naturally after this, oh yeah and listen to LOTS of blues. Much of blues is just borrowing from other guitarists and inserting various riffs in songs.. Also in relation to the blues scale sounding right, you have to play in the key the song is in or the chords that are playing, e.g if a E is playing and you are playing the G blues scale, of course it will sound bad, so work out where the different keys are on the neck of your guitar. good luck

Answer 3

Two things: First, you probably need different equipment, for a more authentic sound. Second, most people have a preconceived notion of what the Blues is supposed to sound like, but they really don't listen to the masters. You can't learn to play the Blues by listening to Eric Clapton, you need to listen to Muddy Waters. Then, you need to figure out what Muddy's playing (or any other Blues musician). When you figure it out, you'll see that there's a lot more to it than you originally thought. Then, you'll be able to come up with your own, unique style in the Blues genre. EDIT: Actually, BB King plays what's called Memphis synthesis, and Muddy started as a Delta bluesman, and helped form Chicago and electric blues. You have to know the blues intimately before you can feel it. It's been said, "Improvisation is 90% persperation and 10% inspiration." You can substitute and get the same meaning for playing the blues.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Blues comes from the soul....... naaaa just kidding. well actually it does but you know what i mean . i would have to say bends are the most used technique in blues songs compared to any other genres. Just jam to blues songs playing round with the blues scale, just start off jamming to standard 12 bar blues. Thats all i can say really and dont think ahead or hesitate to what notes you think you should play next, just listen to the music and try and fit the notes and rhythm to the song without thinking to hard .And start adding pull offs , slides, hammer ons... It may sound like crap for a while but eventually if you keep just playing to songs using the scales you will begin to sound better and better. Also listen to the great blues guitarist (B.B King,Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy , Muddy Waters, Albert King)and try and mimic the sounds their making.

Answer 6

Playing like SRV will take you a while.

If you've got the scale down and are able to move smoothly from one note to the next then it's gonna be a matter of what you do with the notes when you get to them...are you going to hold it for some sustain..or hammer on & off it..or grab it and bend it...or whammy it..or

just move on quick right thru it.....

Also I used to form "mental boxes" of notes in my head..little mind pictures of a pattern of notes,and I can take those "boxes" to anywhere on the neck...But hey No one cannot emphasize the FACT that you are going to have to apply "feelings of emotion" into those notes....that's what the blues is "emotion"....when you are pissed or sad or you got a story to tell...it's gotta get to the strings...Jam on!

Answer 7

You need to have a feel for music, not just knowledge. Listen to blues, get a feel for it. Get a feel for the rythm and pattern of sounds. Knowing the scales is a good beginning, though.

Answer 8

Here are the three most useful things: practice, practice and practice.

Get these CD's they will work wonders for your ability.

BAND IN THE POCKET #1 Blues, And #2 these are great backup tracks for guitar.

Let's Jam! Blues & Rock Vol.3



Having these will make practice fun and productive. Do this.

Answer 9

I enjoy listening to BB King mainly because he lets the guitar "breathe" after playing a riff. Of course BB doesn't play fast and relentless like SRV does. I also like SRV "Texas Flood" is a favorite.



Like one person said "If it ain't the truth it ain't the blues"...Unknown.

Answer 10

You have to learn the bends, prebends, pull offs, the double stops and the phrasing. You need to go the sources and listen to them repeatedly and get the riffs down. Get some Albert King CD's.



Theory will not help you.

Answer 11

Blues guitar is what i was taught to play. Keep it simple and practice techniques such as hammer ons, pull offs, slides, bends, and reverse bends. Just play along to backing tracks to try to improve your improvisational skills. good luck

Answer 12

When you learn to play like Stevie



Come to my place and teach me



i will provide refreshment.

Answer 13

learn the language, assimilate all the good licks you like. eventualy you will know the language of blues..do it to it....