Since we done got country-fied on the last lesson… I thought it fitting to show you my favorite little country blues scale pattern.
It’s just a major pentatonic idea, but it fits so well under your fingers that it gets used ALL… THE… TIME… by country guys and the Allman Brothers alike (you’d be amazed how many Allman melodies are right out of that major pentatonic scale.)
Anyway, hope you enjoy it!
Downloads
The TAB (PDF)The TAB for the lick all the way through the 8 bar progression
The Video (WMV)Download this video for PCs... not so good for macs.
- The Video (MP4)
Download this for Macs and Windows computers that use itunes.
82 replies to "Country Style 8 Bar Blues Lick In Major Pentatonic"
Please do MORE Easy country style licks like this!
I like that delay. what is the name of it so I can get one?
Trying to figure out the scale. Oddly enough if I use box 5 of E not G I get the same notes you are playing. WHY DOES THAT WORK? Anyone.?
It is the the result of the miraculus connection known as the relative scale …play F# blues scale when the song starts with an A chord ( key of A )
Use the B blues scale for the key of D
Great teaching style!
I like it! Cool stuff!
6/6/19
I love a little bit of country. Have been playing something like that . You showed me a different way to play it thanks griff keep it coming
Can Griff or someone explain the music theory part of this lesson? Griff usually adds a little theory in his lessons but not this time. It helps me. Thanks.
I think it’s cool when I can play another person’s music or song in the style that they play it.
Thanks for this wonderful post. The information in this article is very helpful to me. Thanks a lot for sharing. Keep blogging.
Hi. Kind of a happy hue put on our blues. Thanks Griff. God bless you, your family and the rest of you hammer’n, pull’n, and bend’n pickers out there. fearless
NICE!! COULD NOT HEAR THE DIFFERANCE IN TONE WHEN YOU SHUT OFF THE SLAP BACK. I KNOW HOW IT SHOULD SOUND. THIS IS ALLMAN BROTHERS. THANKS, MY FRIEND.
Always find new things on internet. However, thanks for sharing useful stuff.
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That is so cool to know JC! But what you should know is that you’re in completely the wrong place. Pick up a guitar or bakavaas karana matan.
Hey Griff,
Nice and Country feeling cool, great lesson.
It would be great if you could do a Course around say 50 Blues & Country Blues, and Rock n Roll songs that all roll around Blues 12 Bar and 8 Bar into a BGU version… I am sure us BGUers would jump on it and purchase it or it could be bundled with some of your BGU Courses. Just an Idea.
Just imagine, us BGUers Standing on stage with our Laptop or iPad on the stand with our BGU Repertoire of songs to play outside of what ever band we are in and absolutely rattle the audience and even maybe the band.. something to think about..
All great.
Michael -Sydney-Australia
Griff,
I have been reviewing your video and PDF (Tabs) for sometime.
I hesitate to purchase a package because I have not gotten what I am looking for in video packages in the past.
What I want is along with the separate Tabs (printable) I am looking for the tabular embedded in the video, as you play.
Do your lessons embed the tabular?
Bill many of his courses do have on screen tab. Blues Guitar unleashed for example. Go to the site and look at the course catalog and there are examples you can watch
Hi Bill
I was the same as you
Checkout Griffs course pages
You will get all the important information on there
Best thing I’ve done to improve my playing and understanding
Good luck to you 😎🎶
Hi buddy sorry just getting you a coffee,..because that is just how it seems,..you are here one to one in Essex England,..showing me some great stuff chatting a bit having a sip of coffee and playing what you just showed me ..encouraging me,..ty. your teaching has inspired me when in times of doubt,..your blues licks have turned me around,..and Country Blues oh yeah!!..hit a nerve there,..due to my injury i am out of work and besides at 63yrs,..ah never mind that ..important is to say a massive ty,..and hey it’s ok buddy i’ll wash the cup ..lol. Cowboy.
Really cool, easy to play. Keep ’em coming maestro! Thanks heaps!!
Excellent stuff. Both kinds of music – country AND western!
Very cool little idea and those Almann brothers licks are just gems.
Keep socking us with angles Grif, it’s making me a little bit better every day.
I look forward every morning to my mailbox giving me these great treats.
Cheers mate!
Luv this country riff! Thanks Griff!! Seems like I can’t away from country in my area, so hope to get a chance to work it in!
Just pick-tacular.. Is nice that you share your talents with us wannabees.Thanks Griff
Maybe worth while griff putting a lot of his videos onto a dvd which we could buy.
Just a thought for those of us who cant watch them on on our devices
he has full courses on dvd
Im having constant problems watching griffs videos on my apple tablet does anyone else have probs.
Its spoiling my pleasure as i cant benefit from griffs expertise in teaching
Nope no problems at all on mine. Maybe something in that nefarious old settings department.
I watch all Griffs videos on iPad no prob 😎🎶
This is probably the simple most important riff I have received on the internet
And the reason is that I got it spot on…. I am using it on my classic and even without the delay stuff, It is already revolutionizing my music. Thanks a million bro
Oui c’est tres bien ont a besoin de jouer un peut de country
Hi Griff, mate you’re lessons are awesome,I look forward to hearing from you every day.you keep things straight forward and to the point and don’t over complicate things.always a new and interesting tip or approach,which has made a big difference to my playing.ive been a subscriber for a couple of years now,and i have tried to buy some of your courses along the way,but it gets too expensive with freight,and a weak Aus $ exchange rate.i am committed to being a musician and playing in various small venues around the region here in southern Western Australia.it would be great if you could get in touch and help do a package deal based on my specific needs.i’d be so greatful if you could.
Many thanks,Geoff Quin
Hi Geoff,
My name is Michael Chappell from Sydney NSW Australia, I have been with BGU since Jan 2013. I purchase the courses when Griff does a Promo with a discount… that way you can gain on the exchange rate and take the longest delay Freight which is only about 3 weeks. Give it a try, time is too short you are missing out on the Courses…I am nearly 70 yrs and going on 40 years learning BGU courses. Now intermediate level thanks to Griff and the BGU Courses..
You can too… Simple.
Michael-Sydney-Australia August 2016.
Cheers Griff
For the lesson I didn’t get the previous lesson yesterday I had the scale trainer video which was excellent
And very helpful ?
The earth has taken a few whirls since I watched this video last time. and It’s making a bit more sense to me. Thanks.
So much better. Than using cowboy chords!
Using the fret board road map is something else. Every time I pick up one of my Guitars and think I don’t remember my fingers start doing there thing. It’s cool, but I can’t figure out how my fingers do it. ? it is getting scary Griff. Everything is coming in its own. Fingers getting faster, bends sound good, with a few ???? beers they sound great, scales working. I never would have believed it 4 months ago. Thank You Griff!!! ??? .
Griff is the gift that keeps on giving, thanks Griff…
WELL SAID!
Old School & Still Rockin’
Nice lick to know , thanks Griff.
hello buddy ,
It is really a nice and helpful piece of info. I am happy that you just shared this helpful information with us.
Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Hello Griff thank you for your lessons been having fun with country lesson in Independence Star Spangled Banner it’s becoming easier thanks again
Gary
Thanks again for all you do for us Griff am really grateful for the theroy lessons you just sent out the past couple days extremely useful want to get that course as soon as I get funds for it ! There’s always gonna be nay sayers just know you and your efforts are hugely appreciated keep up the awesome work !!!!!!
Hi Griff; Well, I enjoy your lessons, and you are a good teacher, I got your 5 blues solos, and inbetween working on my normal rock stuff, which is my major intrest, I have found your blues lessons helpful ! I am dealing with a bad left hand, and arm problem, which is really hindering my playing at this time ! I still have been playing long enough to work out some of your lessons, since 1963 ! I cannot wait till I can get my left arm, and hand back to use, and have to practice a lot to catch up to where I was, but with the new skill’s I have got from you, I’m sure I’ll be a much improved player, and more comfident with taking some lead, and also writing more song’s with the new skill in hand ! Keep em comming, and thank you ! Drake !
so simple yet so usefull,,,thanks
Griff,
Hi Griff,
That is a really cool lick. I’ve used it in a similar fashion, but using that lick with a country feel is really cool. I’m going to practice with it and add it to my repertoire of my licks in my solos. Again thanks for the good lesson and tips.
Gregory A Burrow, Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals
I love a little bit of country. Have been playing something like that . You showed me a different way to play it thanks griff keep it coming
Really, really liked this Griff. Exercised my fingers, finger tips, stretched my brain. Great muscle memory exercise + it’s way cool IMO.
I’ll be playing / practicing this, add into it, adding it in different places. It expands my knowledge and familiarity of the fret board.
It’s short & gets right to the check this out point.
I imagine you can tell by now that this is much appreciated.
More like this wouldn’t break my heart.
Thanks again.
HOW FUNNY. I LEANED THAT LICK FROM GUITAR TRICKS LAST YEAR. SOME BRITT NAMED ANDY. SORRY IF I CHEATED ON YOU. LOL! I ALSO LIKE PLAYING THIS WITH OUT A PICK. SOME THING TO USE AS A SECOND LEAD GUITAR. THANKS GRIFF. PUT THIS IN MY MUSIC FILE FOR LATER.TRY USING ECHO INSTEAD OF THE SLAP BACK. VERY LOW SETTING. SOUNDS FUNKY.
A couple of years ago, I’d have had no idea what “8 Bar Blues Lick In Major Pentatonic” meant! Now, thanks to Griff, I “git” it!!! One question, though – when you’re playing a minor pentatonic solo over a I chord, you don’t change (keys) when it moves to the IV chord – here, you moved (keys?). Could you have just stayed in the same position for all 3 chords? It almost seemed like a “chord tone” solo (?) vs. major pentatonic scale. (Or both?) So much to learn….
In some of your other video lessons you tell us to keep our fingers close to the fretboard, but in this video, you don’t do that. I’m having a difficult time with the keeping my fingers close to the frets and I don’t know how to deal with it. Also I can’t play or practice very long until my left wrist begins to ache!!
I know griff said that, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that. I think if you practice it just a little bit, short time periods, it should get easier over time. And don’t do stuff that hurts your wrist. Come back to it later. Have an experienced player or teacher check out your technique, especially with regard to the “moves” causing you pain. Mainly work on and play what you enjoy, and your technique is bound to improve. Hope this helps. Good luck.
Griff, sometimes I get in such a funk trying to learn to play my wooden love. My guitar. I buy new ones. Used ones. New gadgets you name it. But what keeps me coming back with excitement are these little lessons of simple fun. You are helping in ways beyond your intent. Thank you. Thank you.
Hi Griff
I like your lessons except for one thing – I always know I’ll have to sit through a lot of tedious patter. I watch other contributors first because they get to the point. I hope you will take this as constructive criticism, its something that’s bothered me for a while.
Greg
Tedious patter? I call it interesting commentary and is one of the reasons that I look forward to everything that Griff posts. To each his own, I guess. He keeps me motivated.
Ah yes one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure…
I love these treasures – about where it all comes from so I know where I’m going.
At least you’re enthusiastic and want to learn fast!
Good on you.
I find Griffs videos full of Information
If you want to learn the guitar parrot fashion go to some other channels
I’ve been with Griff coming up to three years and my guitar playing and understanding is improving
all the time I’m now at a level that I thought I would not achieve all thanks to Griff
Prior to finding Griff I’d spend hours flicking through YouTube videos learning songs to only find out later on down the line tthat they were not accurate so wasted a lot of time 😎🎶
You actually make it appear really easy along with your presentation however I to find this matter to be really something which I feel I would never understand. It kind of feels too complicated and very wide for me. I am looking ahead in your subsequent post, I’ll try to get the dangle of it!
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Oh my goodness! an incredible article dude. Thanks Nevertheless I am experiencing situation with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting identical rss downside? Anybody who knows kindly respond. Thnkx
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Cool little lesson Griff … Thanks again
Griff. It is so amazing to me how you explain things in such a simplified way. Just that little country lesson turned on my country light bulb that had been a little dim for a while. I v been doing mostly rockin blues. But this puts a little twist on that. I love it. Thanks so much. Ish
Really enjoy your lesson.Would like learn little more country.You teach well and learn a lot, most other I don’t listen to but you explain so well I always see what new stuff you have.
thank bob
I have watched this video several xs Griff you need a better luthier to check your guitars man . That clicking or fret buzz isnt desirable at all unless you like that sound. I own seven guitars and all but one recently needed a truss bar adjustment . Now if I took all of them to a luthier for adjustment it would have cost a small fortune . I for one do all my own adjustments and customizing and I also do side work for many guitar players . Not only are the customers happy their guitars they sound better then when the guitars were new. Ive been a guitar player since i was ten. sounds like a song eh! also under a bad sign !
I think you’ll find the wonderful instrument the guitar – begins with a G 😉
There’s a huge number of reasons a million blues songs have been in the key of G, and just one is that it’s the lowest key you can play all the notes of the Pentatonic scale above and below the tonic note…
Also it’s the first letter in Grif’s name 🙂
I also have noiced Griff that You tend to like that G note for your first note . Hendrix had a special first note also. A signiture sound or style of impression . Thats all cool I think. I got to play around with this one for awhile C U next time .
Griff,I am not really a lover of country music,but this is really cool. It still is a blues lick,and fun to play. Thanks again for another great lesson. Mike
Allman brothers band really ? To me they are country rock sort of . I will have to watch this one a few times to get that drift. Of course you got to be able to define butchs input on the slide and seprate the other guitar parts . I THINK THAT WITHOUT TRUCKS SLIDE WHERE WOULD THE BAND BE HE IS GREAT PLAYER. His wife is pretty good too. Like many great guitar players the rest of the band would be nowhere without them. For a instance the lead guitar player for the Eagles Do you agree? That guy is awesome on lead . Saw the Eagles in 2008 at the Moheagen sun what a show and of course Joe Walsh is a great also. Their new album is a great piece of work too. Long road out of eden for thoes who what to know . PEACE AN RAMBLE ON
Yea , l like that it sounds pretty cool, Griff is so smooth n relaxed when he plays . l would like to hear him flesh that out some more with a band .
Excellent country lick Griff and as some others have commented the scale is what B.B. King uses for his signature bluesy sound.
I think it’s cool when I can play another person’s music or song in the style that they play it.
Another lesson “WELL DONE”. I appreciate your style of teaching.
There are many times I hoped for three camera angles. #1 You and good posture playing (like you do); #2 lower left, on your right hand palm muting, picking, strumming, chops etc; #3 your left on our right showing chords as you see the neck, and at an angle to the fretboard to see pull-offs, bends, vibrato, chord changes… So we can get up to speed better/sooner.
I don’t fully know, this might answer things we don’t know to ask. What do you think?
I’ve been playing over 40 years – you being my teacher the first. Yep, self-taught. Thanks for all you do to teach me, Griff!
For anyone thinking about getting the DVD’s- YOU’LL RECEIVE FAR MORE THAN YOU EXPECT TO GET. Griff is a professional guitarist. He makes a point to share all he knows. You will learn this as you begin to get his emails containing blogs of lessons, no ongoing costs. He offers other series of DVD’s if you want to buy them, but for me – I’m real good for now.
Griff is methodical, careful, makes learning uncomplicated, he’s a good natured individual with a good sense of humor. He’s a good guy. I don’t even remember how much it was. (OMG!) I play more easily, comfortably, and confidently. My buds at church think I’m much better than I think I am. I just notice that many, many bad habits are diminishing.
Good luck everyone…PLAY-ON!!!
i remeber the last video on this scale. wow did it improve my solos. thanks Griff.
Is it just me or does that lick sound a lot like a BB King lick ?
Great lick Griff! I kind of like this country blues style. I do like that pop you get from using your fingers. I just wonder if I can get that same pop from a strat. I’ll have to try it when I get home. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks!
As always Griff, another great lesson. I so enjoy the country flavor!
Thanks for all you do for us new guys.
Giff,
Quite simple and easy yet adds a very nice flavor to country…
I’m gonna have fun using this one and the guys in the band will love it.
Thanks
Another great little fun lesson, thank you. Question; what delay pedal are you using?
I like country licks. And this is a good one to start with.
this was great Griff, I will have fun learning/playing this lick for a long long time. Thank you so much.