Hopefully you learned the 7th arpeggios I showed you yesterday and had a chance to play with them a little.
You don’t have to have mastered them yet, but at least be comfortable playing through them before you try to up the coolness factor on them today.
If you dig this stuff, then I encourage you to check out my new Chord By Chord Blues Soloing course and do your soloing a big favor.
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37 replies to "Blues-i-fy Your Arpeggios"
griff i generally love all your videos. this was like high school calculus. way too hard and eventually unusable Sorry I still love you please dont be offended GREG H
We appreciate you Griff.
Playing blues just like that is one way to slowly empty a barroom lol. JK 😉
I just got my Ditto + looper. Works well and very simple to use.
Hi Griff, love everything you do. I’m an old man and been playing many years. Never been in a band. Blues are my favorite music, but I also like old rock and roll. I’m not real good, but I’m satisfied with my playing. I’ve sat in on some open mike blues jams, and do pretty good. You’ve taught me some good stuff that I use a lot and got complements. Problem…. I sit to play most of the time. That way, I can see a lot of the fret board, and that comes in handy for some of my solos. At a blues jam, I’m Standing and my guitar hangs in a way that I can’t see very much of the fret board. So I have to bend forward a little and change the angle with one knee rotating the guitar a little so I can see the fret board for my solo. Do you have a practice for amateurs like me to learn to play Standing Up?
I never got the day before lesson mentioned here, but I do have the Chord by Chord course, so I am probably all set.
Griff’s t-shirt is funny! I’m no fan of Darwin, but riffing on an iconic drawing to suggest guitar players are the next “stage” of evolution made me laugh. Meanwhile, great video and keep bringing the goods, Griff!!
I just completed Griff’s chord by chord solo course. that he refers to in this video. It has been a game changer for my playing and I have played the guitar now for 60 years. I spent about 2 months going through it with a daily practice regimen. I highly recommend mastering what Griff teaches in this course. You won’t regret it.
For some reason the previous video never came to me, but seeing as I already have the Chord by Chord Blues soloing course I guess I don’t need it. The course is very good.
Not only did we evolve to guitar ,but, a flute was found in a cave so music has been around a long time. Ah remind me that there is only 7 major notes and repeat every where on the fret board. The four note pattern is also a house pattern but is also a seven note pattern there also . I had at one time I believe to have asked that question . Where does the pattern go from 4 to where. I may have said bending the strings in a manner You have other notes as well. Can You dig into this a bit maybe . Thanks a long time supporter and guitar lover . Oh and I thought that arpeggios were less complicated .
I get totally lost in many of these videos. The pattern of the third, fifth and flatted 7th is an unfamiliar pattern. Have to learn that before you can move forward which makes it nearly impossible to play along with Griff. I don’t understand using this pattern and moving between the chords at all and I’m a BGU member. Every time I see one of these videos I feel like I missed two videos that would have helped me understand the one I am currently watching.
The pattern of the third, fifth and flatted 7th (along with the 1) shouldn’t be unfamiliar as those are the notes in the pentatonic scale. Only note missing is the fourth. Other than that, it’s the same notes. Other thing to watch out for is the 3rd. Flat the 3rd and it’s minor, otherwise the 3rd is major.
I say, don’t let this stuff confuse you. Just use the pentatonic if you like it. Maybe someday you’ll want to stretch out a bit and circle back to this. All Griff is doing is landing on a chord tone when the chord changes.
In the mean time try getting more familiar with the pentatonic scale. Not just the shapes of the boxes but what are the NOTES that make up the boxes? The best place to start is by identifying the 1 in the boxes. When you play a box do you know where all of the 1s are located? My guess is that you’re not that comfortable, otherwise the 3rd, 5th, and flat 7th wouldn’t seem unfamiliar.
Jeff,
Major pentatonic scale: Tonic – Major 2nd – Major 3rd – Perfect 5th – Major 6th
Minor pentatonic scale: Tonic – Minor 3rd – Perfect 4th – Perfect 5th – Minor 7th
I too am a beginner, but I have watched many of Griffs videos, some are way over my head, but he does cycle in videos for us beginners too. I am also working my way through his Acoustic blues Guitar unleashed and the guitar theory. The last three videos have been a huge step forward, I could actually follow what Griff is trying to tell us. I am not real smoth or fast, but I can see the light now, just need to keep finding the practice time.
This is really enlightening, Griff, many thanks!
When you flat the third on A7,it now becomes Am7, is that correct ?
Yup
If you play an A 7 chord flat the third it’s now an Am7 chord. But he is referring to in the video is playing a solo where when you come to the third you play the flat third into the major third so that is individual note picking not a chord.
Thanks for the lesson Griff!
12/17/19
OMG, Griff! You just gave me the Keys to the Car! I’ve been playing for many years and have a bunch of hot licks and good chord knowledge but NEVER understood how licks fit over the chords. The Light came on when I starting working with the 7th arpeggios. Once I started seeing the notes as positions, esp. the 3rd and flat 3rd, I could hear where the licks fit and start linking up the licks. Easy as pie! Thanks, man! I can finally see the Road!
Your points about Rusties concerns are true but Griff, it would be helpful for those like me if you could be a little more clear at the beginning of all your videos. In the title even, about where your lesson is pitched skill wise. It would avoid people like me feeling overwhelmed and a little discouraged by your more advanced lessons. I heard you once say in a video, ‘if you can’t do this or that, don’t even try this’. This is important to avoid early learners stumbling into things that are beyond our skills.. I know you mention it often but a more specific ‘positioning’ comment would be vey helpful.
Having said that, I do love your lessons, keep up the good work.
Bravo! This basic demonstration of the ‘major-minor rub’ is golden. Griff has framed the complex concept in an understandable example from which players of every level of experience will benefit. The theoretical details are not as important as how it blues-i-fies the sound of an arpeggio. And yeah… all blues greats historically from Albert King to Eric Clapton do it just as Griff has shown. Seeing and hearing this video is well worth the time.
Unnecessarily overcomplicated. This is exactly the kind of lesson that can put beginners off . ‘Flat thirds on offbeats but sometimes on a downbeat I’ll add a grace note ‘ ‘Root, seventh, bluesify my thirds’…Whaaat!!
You did watch the earlier video, right? You have seen *any* of Griff’s earlier videos? He can’t just keep going over the very basics all the time. Even a cursory glance at an earlier lesson would show you that a major chord is made from a root, third and fifth (of the major scale). If you know the theory behind the difference between a major and a minor chord, you should know that the only difference is the third is flattened.
Blues is the sound of a minor scale of a major chord, and Griff has done *loads* of videos explaining the basics, mixing major and minor scales (switching between box one and box two) and how to get that blues sound.
Sure this video isn’t for absolute beginners. But it is *necesarily* complicated – because some players want more than just someone repeating “five eight, five seven, five seven….”
I think this is a great lesson. Not for absolute beginners, but after just a day or two of actually learning how a pentatonic scale is made up, you can soon catch up!
I REALLY LIKED THSES LAST 2 VIDEOS.
I HAVE WROTE A FEW SONGS THAT BEGIN WITH USEING A CHORD, BUT DOING THIS WALKING UP AND DOWN THE FRET BOARD. I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE NOTES, WHAT FLAT, OR ROOT, IT HAS CONFUSED ME FOR 50 YEARS. SO I PLAY BY EAR AND BY MY GUT FEAL. ONE SONG, “NUMBER ONE SECOND TO NONE” IS MADE UP OF MOSTLY WITH THIS LESSON YOU SHOWED US. ANY BEGINNER WILL HAVE TROUBLE, BUT YOU NEED TO USE YOUR EAR AND BE PATIENT AND JUST DO IT!
LOVE YOUR G&L GRIFF, THANKS AGAIN GRIFF.
It isn’t a beginner lesson.
Hello Rustie.
This is clearly not for you at this time. However, ten or so years ago I held your view but Griff kept it simple for those of us just beginning or perhaps those of us that were self taught. I myself had some lessons but what I got from Griff cleared the fog and misery stuff over time. Step by step the full picture emerged as it were. It might be an advantage to you to check out Beginning Blues Guitar or
Strumming and Rhythm Marstery. You could take a look at the YouTube stuff, such as the 4 note solo and a ton of other easy to understand videos. I hope this helps you on your guitar journey. It certainly did mine. That said I’m still on the journey. Happy Soloing.
Kind regards
JamesBgoode
Great lesson Griff-your time is much appreciated as always but especially at this time of year.Wishing you and your family a wonderful christmas.
This sound reminds me of T-bone Walker. It’s nice.
Whoa dude, watch that t-shirt! I have no problem, being a hard core Darwin’n, however in today’s political environment you could loose many religious right customers over that simple t-shirt. However, it’s that is your intent, more power to ya my friend. I’m with ya!
Not sure how many religious rights are listening to the devils music. The blues. And even if they are if they can’t understand the humor in the shirt oh well.
I think the third one from the left should have drum sticks in his hands.
Yep, Ditto is good or Boss. I often use the one built into my line 6 M13 but it’s only 25 seconds long so often isn’t enough for a while 12 bars.
It’s good to hear attention to moving from the I to the IV etc. I find that difficult.
Thanks
Pat
Thanks Griff, I wish I had you as a teacher 40 years ago! What looper do you use? Can you recommend a functional not too expensive one?
I don’t know what Griff uses but to fit your criteria of “a functional not too expensive one” look at a TC Electronic Ditto Looper for around $100. There are others with more bells & whistles but this one is as simple as they come. They’re great for recording your own backing track.
Thanks looking for one too.