A lot of times you want to play some blues and you just need something simple that will fill in the spaces between the vocal lines.
Better yet, something that moves easily from chord to chord, sounds great, and isn’t too hard to play so you can concentrate on singing or whatever else might be going on.
So to that end I’ve got an idea for you in the old Elmore James style. Now I did it on acoustic and without a slide, but it works equally well on electric with or without a slide.
115 replies to "Acoustic Blues Guitar Elmore James Style Lick"
Fun, fun, fun. Thanks, & more please.
That was fun. It took me a little practice to get it down. I am adding this to my very small bag of tricks. 🙂
Jumping into Blues Guitar Unleashed was an overwhelming experience. If I could start all over again, I’d start with the Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed course.
Great! Thanks!
Love the fact it’s blues and no bends on an acoustic since I use nylon strings on my crossover acoustic!
Playing these more basic riffs and chords really well sounds so much better than attempting material that is even slightly beyond your ability. I will continue to try to improve my level, but these little gems are really fun and more rewarding for now.
Never played this in standard tuning,always in open D. Great easy lesson!! Fun to play with the band. Thanks Griff!!!
Fun fun fun
Thanks for this video Griff! I mostly play acoustic so this was really helpful
GREAT, Can You Come out with book on this
Love acoustic blues tricks and tips.
Brilliant, more acoustic tips would be very welcome.
Yeah, but… can you sing like Elmore James? 😉
No,can you?
Thank you. fun stuff. Can you throw in a lick from plain’ on the porch?
Really nice Griff. Went great with my morning coffee.
Thanks again Griff!
11/5/18
Nice, easy – and transposable! – fill pattern. Make it bigger and faster and you have Link Wray’s break in ‘Rumble’. I love EZ stuff to add to my solo act to help make things more varied and interesting. Cheers!
Hi Griff,
Great sound on this one. I have a full ninety (90) magazine/CD set of blues (by way of an introduction to the greats). Elmore James is certainly one of them in there.I must confess with so many ‘greats’ to get a taste off, so to speak Elmore didn’t feature too highly in my (initial) radar. Having watched you do this however – Monday is Elmore James day. Well done Griff. You hit the mark repeatedly.
After many solo lessons based on ‘the boxes’ it is refreshing to see a simple solo technique based on ‘little chords’ instead. It is a great reminder that all these techniques tie together and if one’s brain remains flexible enough to shift focus as needed, the end result is truly a magical experience. Thanks Griff!
Things that make you say,hummm..
For those of us with 12 fret acoustics… I found the D shape for the frill a bit easier.
Great easy to play video.
Thanks Griff, Your simple little things help me a lot!
Sounds cool 😎🎸
“Elmore James has nothing on this baby”. George Harrison.
i was mesmerized with this video of yours . I was wondering how to get same sound . It is a great lick using basic theory . Thus I say it is great . In this video I studied very closely and was partially successful .I am going to practice and get same magical sound . Hats off to you . Love your playing the guitar in novice ways .
Thank you Gtriff
Yes thanks again good practice stuff for me love it Griff
Great lesson Griff, great job on explaining the theory on this! Ykanks for sharing.
This has helped a lot. I have so many things going on, with work and home, that when I do get to practice I sound like I have done it for a while.
Hey…great little lick there Griff. Thanks!
Hi Griff,
I am a piano/keyboard player and never played a guitar before. I liked your demos so much I have bought your seven of your courses starting with the beginner course (how to tune, re-string, etc.), Blues unleashed, jamming, tracks and so forth. I like your teaching style. You keep it simple. Thank you so much I am 71 years old and plan o enjoying your courses and learning guitar. I just bought a Gibson Les Paul. Thank you so much…..Ray
Thanks Griff!
Perfect timing for getting together with my family. As in “Hey Dean, how’s that blues guitar thing going?”
Then I pull out my acoustic and start in with this. “The sky is cryin'” – slide e thing, slide e-thing, slide e thing, “Look at the tears roll down the street”….
Nice. Very usable.
Very useable. How do you feel about playing in triplets for instance inyour song “spent money blues
Always a great lesson, have saved it for later but similar to Playing on The Porch BGU Course that I have.
Thanks
Michael-Sydney-Australia 5th December 2016
Fun to hear Elmore licks on acoustic !
LOVE me some Elmore James in the morning! 🙂
This is a good lesson Griff. Keep up the good work.
Hi Griff – good stuff – easy to just get lost in the groove! I like the groove. I may never leave. John…
Thanks as always Griff! I’ve been picking up my acoustic more lately, trying out “Key to the Highway” Clapton style and I can see the Elmore James style lick here coming in handy at some time too. You rock!
Every one has truly covered the video, cant add any thing to there’s , Great Basic theary .
thanks i have seen my friends do this it will help me a lot.
This is exactly what I’m always looking for! As a solo act, I need to find ways to make my playing more varied and interesting while I’m singing. But, as you pointed out, I need to keep it simple. Turnarounds and fills are just what the doctor ordered, Griff. Once again, you’re the man!
Did I miss the tab. If not could you send.
Cool video
never left a comment before. Enjoyed this acoustic stuff ’cause
I’m a bluegrasser at heart. The BGU course is fabulous and though I’m going at
it slowly(cause I’m old) am really enjoying it.
Another great blues lesson that is real cool. I am awaiting my copy of Blues Gig in a Box(should come today), so with all the cool lessons you have sent lately, I have a lot to work on.
Thanks for another great lesson! I really like your use of the little chords!
I think that the small “F” shape (I know, it’s not an “official” CAGED guitar chord shape!),
is about as useful as any small chord there is for blues and early rock n roll!
Thanks, Grif!
Great lesson, love that acoustic blues guitar. Portable with just you and the guitar.
Great lesson…broke it down in a digestible form…saw another video on “elmore james”style recently, which wandered into the peripheral details…you get to the heart of what is happening.
Thanks Griff!
Also check out Robert Johnson’s “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom” with Robert playing (originating?) the lick on acoustic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ZW08zOkYU
Good idea to relate the tuition to a song thank you Dan
Great mini-lesson! Its the small pieces of info that answer the “why” that make these great. Like showing that the 12th fret chord is an E chord. That’s how I best remember, rather than just a straight lick without explanation.
Lovely little lick Griff. Less is more, as they say….
Keep these inspiring ideas coming my friend. Thanks from London.
This was fantastic! Old time acoustic blues is my favorite, simple yet elegant. More of this type of lesson please!
A Wonderful lesson to learn Griff. You are the Master at playing the guitar.
Hi Griff
Exactly the type of thing I like to see and practice. Very well explained and now I think I can embellish my playing. So I have to go and practice this now. Catch you later and many thanks for your help
Germain
Hey, Griff…..thanks for yet another great tip! Been using a lot of the stuff you’ve shown us since discovering your website, and am never dissappointed. Keep up the good work. It’s inspiring to a lot of us…
Keith
That’s going to fit in nicely with 52 RFV and lends itself to adding a scale riff alternatively.
Thanks for all things Elmore James. Digging the Elmore slide solo also.
Pat
I’m cofused,I’ve been learning that boogie woogie part starting on the root e,forth string ,second fret. You’re doing it on the 5th second fret b. Same with a. Just learning notes . please help me comprehend.
I grew up on Rhythm and Blues, singing and dancing. Now I’d like to learn to accompany my singing. Thanks for the tips!
Even easier than it sounds. This is right about my level. Most I have to work a lot harder to pick up.
First class tips as usual Griff
Love it. Can you send the tab or notes?
Simple, but quite a bit of fun. I used to hear people play like that but I could not figure it out…This makes me a better player. Thanks so much…
Griff that was great and simple. Thanks and God bless you
Outstanding!
Nice piece of basic blues guitar playing, can make use of the riffs in many ways.
Hey Griff , Yep another winner .. what a nice little fill … thanks Deb..
A wonderful lesson to learn Griff. You are the master of the Guitar.
Griff, ” U R Da Man” . I just recommended your site to a guy I met who is starting to play guitar. I told him, ” it’s BGU”. Griff is a wonderful teacher. I then forwarded your email. Told the guy, even though I take serious private lessons for 3 hours on Fridays, ” Griff” is the ONLY video and CD guy I go to. Thank you for being you …
The guy’s addictive….I can’t resist having a go at everything he puts up! :o)
That’s a good one right there.
Hi Griff,Thanks again Great demo,Len.
Cool lesson. I’m going to try it. Thanks jim
Nice idea Griff. I found On Youtube Sweet Home Chicago (Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, Robert Cray, Hubert Sumlin) from Crossroads blues fest is ideal for jamming this kind of thing.
Dave
Cheers Griff like you said sounds good with a slide
Just got done learning “Playing on the Porch” and I thought,well this is fun, now what? Then you send me this lesson and it connects really well from what I just learned …Thank you Griff for the great lesson!
Your use (and teachings!) about little chords and fills seems to be what makes your blues playing sound more authentic. For so long I just used barre chords for everything. Thanks for another cool blues riff!!
Good one– and you could mix in a few minor pentatonic riffs with it too!
fun with octives is what it is in a 12bar form . I suppose you can change the pattern also, any 12 bar form . okay well done . I sence a little Johnny Cash there.
thanks nice and eazy go0od vibration
Loved the video Griff. Can we have more like this; especially with a “slide” alternative please.
Suits my listening pleasure. Now I can play it.
Thanks.
Finally some Elmore James. It’s shame almost no one does anything with Elmore James tunes, and style. Thanks for offering something in his style
I agree, I first got hookede on elmore James when he recorded TV Mama with Big Joe Turner! ( dating myself eh?) The intro he did for that recording still is a favorite of mine. I have it in my library and play it often.hanks for making that sound available to a lot of later blues players,. Roy
Thanks for this great lesson Griff I will use this idea along with the other things I’m playing when I do a Blues In E. Plus it goes great with the other fills I learned from your 52 rhythm fills course!
Thanks Griff, I’m going to steal it.
Thanks , Griff. Nice lesson. I believe I won’t be dustin anything but my guitar.
Good stuff, thanks Griff. I have been an Elmore James fan for years, even his playing on the Big Joe Turner’s TV Mama recording.
very good, this is something I can just sit & play by
myself. and it’s really easy.
Thanks Griff.
Tea
Thanks for the lesson.What is the best way to go from cords to a lead position? I’ve seen some players anchor their pinky finger and others their palm. I’ve tried both but still have problems. Is there an exercise?
This is a great lick! Thanks for the idea!
Hi Griff,
Great riff, Griff (Sorry for the rhyme). You can use it for both electric and acoustic in a slow blues. Thanks.
Greg
Thanks Griff,
The “LIGHT BULB’ just when on!!!!!!!!!!!
This really cheered me up Griff as it’s something I can do (with a little bit of practice) and it sounds good.
StevieD
Thank you another fun lick
Very nice thanks Griff and have a good weekend !
Thanks Griff. You make my guitar playing so much more fun with these little simple ideas.
Very cool, Griff!
Thanks for the lesson, is nice to hear some old times blues.
All these things I learn because of you Griff. Thanks for everything you do
That’s great; fairly simple but very useful. I was thinking just yesterday what a great twelve bar is Bob Dylan’s Leopard-skin Pill-box hat. It’s not hugely different from this but there is a little sequence at the end of the twelve bar which is repeated a few times. I believe it is played on the top three strings with the third and first open. If you ever think it worthwhile to show how that is done I would be very interested. Thanks Griff, your teaching makes everything so clear.
I am old retired guy who has found his guitar passion again after 40 years corporate America. I really enjoy your videos and have really helped me find my back. Great job! Thank you so much for doing this.
It’s all about having fun :-). Love it.
Great stuff griff you got soul
Griff,nice easy lick sounds great also thanks again, many places for other fills
Thanks for the lesson. As an acoustic player I’ve felt neglected since the majority of your lesson seemed geared to the electric. More frequent acoustic lesson would be appreciated.
Great lesson, I love your free video lessons I cant afford to take lesson so I thank you very much there always useful please keep sending them
Its good to go back and play without too much ‘twiddling’ as the end result really sound authentic old style. I liked it a lot!
Griff:
That’s a nice Elmore James style adaptation of “Dust My Broom”. Freddie King does it on a 1974 live album, “Live From the Electric Ballroom” in a radio studio in standard tuning I believe.
I actually learned to do it in open D tuning using a slide as Elmore James actually did it. In fact, “Dust My Broom” was the first song I performed live in my first open mike jam session a number of years ago. It’s a blast to play that way and maybe you could teach it some day? The nice thing about the open D is that you can use a capo and go to E or even G to do some numbers like the Stones’ version of “Prodigal Son”, or “I Got The Silver” or “No Expectations. Those are all fun and not too difficult to get down sufficiently to fool folks into thinking you actually know them…LOL.
My bad, “You Got The Silver”…
The simplicity makes it feel so right!
Thanks Griff.
Old School and Still Rockin’
Simple overlooked things sometimes just really rock. Thanks for reminding me of some of the smaller things to keep in my arsenal.
AS always GRif,a great lesson. Thanks. George.
It’s always good once in a while to learn self-contained, old acoustic blues that isn’t band or rock oriented. Thanks Griff.
Jim