Posts Tagged ‘Blues’

Just a few examples from the triad pairs video:

http://www.playgtr.net/triad-combinations-also-known-as-triad-pairs/

I’ve been asked many times how to comp on your usual jazz – blues progression. Here I give a few rhythmic/harmnic tips  on how to approach this topic.  The form and chords of our typical jazz/blues progression can be found in this other post. The material I talk about in the video is pretty basic and straight forward, but it’s amazing how effective it is.

You can download a transcription of what I play at around 1:45 of the video HERE – (PDF file)

A new set of backing tracks has been added to the MrG Blues Tracks series, Vol 2 Funk and Soul.

‘Inspired by the golden era of the Motown and the classic 70’s funk grooves these tracks are guaranteed to get you moving while you improve your instrumental skills. Like Vol 1, 12 tracks to cover all keys, a range of tempos from very slow to very fast, going through 12 of the most popular blues styles, keeping he quality level of the overall product very high…’

All tracks are available at www.MrGCentral.com and at CDbaby.com (soon on iTunes and Amazon.com).

After all these years I think Clapton still got it…great performance at the LG arena in London with Steve Winwood (you can see Steve Gadd on drums as well). Killer stuff!

Just a quick post to point you towards a new Youtube channel I have created for the MrG Blues Backing Tracks:

http://www.youtube.com/mrgcentral

These are some samples:

Not only you’ll find video examples of soloing over my Blues Backing tracks.

MrG Blues Tracks are now available also on the new microsite:

http://www.MrGcentral.com

You can still download a full free sample track from the site!

Keep an eye on the site, as MrG Blues Tracks Vol 2:Funk & Soul are due for release in the very near future!!

When learning songs, I always suggest using a simple metronome or, best of all, getting together with some other musicians, to keep yourself motivated and focused…but when you cannot do that, this is a great site that has a great variety of guitar backing tracks for you to learn some jazz-rock, fusion, jazz and blues tunes. You will find them all at guitarbt.com, I have selected a few links below of tunes tha I am sure you'll be happy to checkout. Of course don't forget our very useful blues tracks! 

Look at the end of the link for the guitarist's name:

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Jimi%20Hendrix

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Allan%20Holdsworth

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Andy%20Timmons

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Blue%20Saraceno

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Django%20Reinhardt

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Eric%20Johnson

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Jeff%20Healey

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Jeff%20Beck

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Joe%20Satriani

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Larry%20Carlton

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Shawn%20Lane

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Steve%20Morse

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Steve%20Vai

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Tony%20Macalpine

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Wes%20Montgomery

http://www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=The%20Shadows

In terms of quality of the tracks you must understand that most of these are user submitted, but I must say some are quite good. Have fun.

Slide: Hints and Tips

     Don't we all love playing slide? Here some tips on phrasing and a couple of ideas on open tunings widely used to play in this style.
     The tuning I use in the second part of the video is what is know as G open tuning, so from the 6th string (low E) to the 1st (top E):

D G D G B D
6 5 4  3 2 1

I am quite a big fan of the blues, and I definitely advice studying no matter if you like it or not, as the majority of modern music originates or relates to this genre.

The most popular blues form is based around 12 bars. The first four are usually filled by the I7 chord. So this is the first characteristic of the blues: when we talk about a ‘blues in C’ we don’t strictly mean C major. The center of gravity of the whole structure is based around a Dominant 7th chord (the chord that sits on the 5th degree of the Harmonized Major Scale, so to speak) instead of a major7th chord. The following two bars are filled by another Dominant 7th chord, but this time on the fourth degree (IV7). Two bars of I7 follow. The last four bars are made up by one bar of V7 (the dominant chord on the 5th degree), one bar of IV7, one of I7 and finally another bar of V7 to ‘turnaround’ back to the top.

| I7     |         |        |          |

| IV7   |         |I7     |          |

|V7     |IV7    | I7    |V7      |

In the video I suggest two more advanced forms. Just download and print out the PDF file, learn the chords and go to the next step, the pentatonic.

Printable PDF: Three Basic 12 Bar Blues Forms