The 8 Bar Blues – “Key To The Highway” Style
This lesson is about the 8 bar blues. While it’s less popular than the 12 bar blues, there are still a lot of 8 bar blues tunes out there.
This variation is from Key To The Highway in the Derek And the Dominos style. This isn’t right off the record by any means, but it’s how I would play it if someone called it.
I hope you enjoy it… tabs and stuff are below.
Before you run off and try to play this, I want to point out something very specific about my left hand technique. Look at this image from the video:
Notice that the tip of my ring finger on my left hand curves away from my index finger, not towards it!
This is something I've seen a lot with my private students lately and it can really trip you up.
Your ring finger should oppose your thumb when you play. If your index finger or middle finger oppose your thumb, you have your hand in such a way that you will always struggle opening up and making stretches.
Downloads
This Video (MP4)Mac users should use the MP4 version to download the video
- This Video (WMV)
Windows users should use the WMV version to download this video.
The TAB for the example.This is the TAB for the example in the middle of the video
Hi —
Off topic I know but, despite being a resolute Griff fan, I haven’t found any explanation for the box numbering system you use. I started pentatonics with the 1 to 5 relating to the CAGED system, C being 1 etc. which seems logical. What’s up?
Your video explains the thump placement properly, but the explanation in the email below the video contradicts the correct way.
*THUMB
The number of each box corresponds to the number the lowest note is in the minor pentatonic scale.
Box 1 starts on note 1, box 2 starts on note 2, etc.
Box 1 is also the first pattern blues players learn.
CAGED patterns would correspond to boxes 34512. While you can relate each box to a CAGED shape, I’ve never seen an introductory course that taught the left-facing box 3 minor pentatonic pattern first.
This concept will also be useful when you get into modes.
Mode 1 will start on note 1 of a given scale on the low E string. Mode 2 will start on note 2, etc.
You could even think of boxes 2-5 of the minor pentatonic as modes of box 1.
Vice versa Boxes 1-5 would correspond to EDCAG shapes.
And the lowest note in each box make up the scale along the 6th string, 1 b3 4 5 b7, i.e. 1 2 3 4 5 notes of the scale.
Starting with the C shape would give you the notes of the scale in this order along the 6th string: 4 5 b7 1 b3.
This one it’s not playing on my phone
“your ring finger should oppose your thumb when you play”
Do you mind explaining this?
Oh, haha you did in the vid 🙂
I think that was a excellent video. I could never stretch my fingers until you showed me that the thumb in the back of the guitar, and oh my God I can finally move and stretch my finger where I need it, never knew I could do it… Thank you so much! I will learning this 8 bar blues as well.
You’re right again Griff, I was doing that 2 fret pinkie reach with my body and thumb out of whack. This might take awhile to get right. So when standing all we can do is tilt the guitar or put our shoulder in it or both?
To get maximum control (and freedom) while standing, set your guitar shoulder strap so that the guitar is the same height while standing as it is sitting. Having the headstock high is the key. A guitar too low slung will greatly hinder your mobility while fingering the neck.
Roy Buchanan could never have done the crazy speed and techniques he did if his guitar body was down near his hip.
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This is a great video. I played rythm in my band when I was 15 back in the 60’s. This progression 8 and 12 bar was like a staple. When I would strap up standing I figured out like Griff always says use the position that works for you I always played with the neck raised and it really helped to learn how to stretch especially when you move the pinky finger up 1 fret, a lot of our songs added this to the rythm. Griff actually has covered this technique in his lessons and I believe in these short videos.
Robert Lockwood Jr. did a great version of Key To The Highway.
I’d rather just play it in “A”. My hands are mangled and can’t make the stretch under any circumstances. My fingers and hands have been broken several times over the years and I virtually always have to make some kind of weird adjustments. Just ran through this video several times and no matter what I do my pinky just cannot make that reach. And I have large hands.
I think I need to have an 8-bar blues marathon binge to get that form into my head and fingers. I keep defaulting to the 12-bar form as I play/stumble along.
The good thing is whenever I do stumble, I make The Face so… I’ve got that part down-pat.
12 bar, 8 bar, 16 bar blues. Timing, Root notes of chords. Sounds simple enough. Wing it
Great video on technique, Griff. Do you mind sharing what year and model your strat is, thank you for everything you do for the guitar community!