How to play Blues Guitar; Delta, Chicago, Electric & Blues Rock!

In this live session, Andy will be doing a deep dive into all things blues guitar!

To keep things fun, will tackle this topic from a genre point of view. After looking at the foundations, we'll take a quick look at Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, Electric Blues and Blues Rock. We'll listen to song examples, look at what techniques are being employed and have fun jamming along as we go.

Even if you're a total beginner, if you're interested in blues you should absolutely attend this session. Even if you don't understand every point we cover, this session can act as your roadmap from beginner to advanced, and help you make the most of the blues videos and courses we do have on the Andy Guitar website.

This lesson plan covers the history, guitar techniques, and characteristics of Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, Electric Blues, and Blues Rock. It includes key songs, artists, common chord progressions, lead guitar scales, techniques, and additional playing tips.

Lesson Overview:

• Total Duration: 1 Hour

• Focus: Understanding different blues genres, key techniques, and historical context.

Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Brief overview of the lesson.

• Importance of understanding various blues styles for a well-rounded guitar technique.

2. Delta Blues (15 minutes)

• History and Characteristics (5 minutes):

  • Origin: Mississippi Delta in the early 20th century

  • Key Artists: Robert Johnson, Son House, Charley Patton

  • Characteristics: Acoustic, raw sound, often using fingerpicking and slide guitar.

• Guitar Techniques (5 minutes):

  • Fingerpicking: Bass with thumb, melody with fingers.

  • Slide Technique: Light pressure to avoid fretting the notes.

  • Common Chord Progression: 12-bar blues (I – I – I – I, IV – IV – I – I, V – IV – I – I).

• Practice (5 minutes):

  • Song Example: “Cross Road Blues” by Robert Johnson

  • Exercise: Practice the 12-bar blues progression in E with fingerpicking and slide

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3. Chicago Blues (15 minutes)

• History and Characteristics (5 minutes):

  • Origin: Chicago in the 1940s and 1950s.

  • Key Artists: Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter.

  • Characteristics: Electric instruments, amplified sound, use of harmonica.

• Guitar Techniques (5 minutes):

  • Shuffles and Riffs: Emphasis on rhythmic shuffle and repetitive riffs.

  • Common Chord Progression: 12-bar blues with variations (I – IV – I – V – IV – I).

  • Techniques: Bending, vibrato.

• Practice (5 minutes):

  • Song Example: “Hoochie Coochie Man” by Muddy Waters.

  • Exercise: Practice the shuffle rhythm and basic bending techniques.

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4. Electric Blues (10 minutes)

• History and Characteristics (3 minutes):

  • Evolution: Came out of Chicago Blues, spreading through artists like B.B. King and Buddy Guy.

  • Key Artists: B.B. King, Albert King, Freddie King.

  • Characteristics: More sophisticated use of electric guitar, string bending, and extended solos.

• Guitar Techniques (4 minutes):

  • Scales: Emphasis on the minor pentatonic scale and blues scale.

  • Techniques: String bending, hammer-ons, pull-offs.

• Practice (3 minutes):

  • Song Example: “The Thrill Is Gone” by B.B. King.

  • Exercise: Practice minor pentatonic licks and bending techniques.

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5. Blues Rock (10 minutes)

• History and Characteristics (3 minutes):

  • Fusion: Combination of blues structures with rock’s energy and instrumentation.

  • Key Artists: Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan.

  • Characteristics: High energy, use of distortion and power chords.

• Guitar Techniques (4 minutes):

  • Scales: Use of minor pentatonic, major pentatonic, and mixolydian scales.

  • Techniques: Power chords, heavy use of bends and slides, fast picking.

• Practice (3 minutes):

  • Song Example: “Crossroads” by Cream

  • Exercise: Practice power chords and fast picking licks.

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6. Summary and Practice Tips (5 minutes)

• Recap: Review key points from each blues genre.

• Practice Routine: Encourage consistent practice of each style’s techniques.

• Listening: Recommend listening to a variety of blues artists to internalize different styles.

• Questions: Open floor for any questions.

Detailed Exercises

Delta Blues Exercise

• 12-Bar Progression in E:

  • E (4 bars)

  • A (2 bars), E (2 bars)

  • B7 (1 bar), A (1 bar), E (2 bars)

Chicago Blues Exercise

• Shuffle Rhythm:

  • Play the I-IV-V progression with a shuffle feel.

  • Emphasize downbeats and syncopation.

Electric Blues Exercise

• Minor Pentatonic Scale in A:

  • Practice the scale up and down.

  • Integrate bends, hammer-ons, and pull-offs within the scale.

Blues Rock Exercise

• Power Chords:

  • Practice E5, A5, and B5 power chords.

  • Integrate into a simple 12-bar blues progression with added distortion.

Additional Resources

• Listening Recommendations:

  • Delta Blues: “Cross Road Blues” by Robert Johnson.

  • Chicago Blues: “Mannish Boy” by Muddy Waters.

  • Electric Blues: “The Thrill Is Gone” by B.B. King.

  • Blues Rock: “Crossroads” by Cream

Website videos, courses and further learning

• Beginners course & 14 day course blues/ 12 bar blues lessons w/ Andy

• Acoustic blues & Texas Blues w/ Mike Bradley

• Blues songs search on the videos page

Connect with Andy and other AAA members between live sessions with the Andy Guitar AAA Discord community - the link is on the membership page here.

Join me here on the website for weekly live sessions where we can work directly on your playing & give the feedback needed for you to move forward and get inspired!

Every week we cover topics such as;

• How to make the most of your practice time

• Songs and exercises at your level and based on your music taste

• How you can stay motivated and maximise your progress

You can also request a tutorial for a song YOU want to learn and Andy will teach it during the session live! Each live stream is automatically available as a replay so you can catch up anytime and never miss a beat!