Similar to what we did with Hoochie Coochie Man a while back, let’s look at an easy way to play the classic 8 bar blues, Key To The Highway…

Download this video – MP4 | WMV

If this is just about your speed, you might want to check out my Beginning Blues Guitar course, or if all you need are the chords my Essential Blues Chords course will do the trick.

If this seems a little too easy for you, maybe check out Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed if you like playing solo, and Blues Guitar Unleashed to learn everything you need to know to jam the blues with a band!


    44 replies to "Key To The Highway – Easy Arrangement"

    • Bill C.

      I like it. I’ve always played this with the “back and forth” standard blues line. Added bonus, I have never been able to sing and play at the same time and used this song to try and get it down. Hummed along with it until I could get through it and then started singing the words. I don’t know why I never played the chords but it sounds a lot better with them. Thanks!

    • Thomas Guitarman

      CHECK OUT PAC NW BLUES MAN ERIC RICE s slide resonator version of this , will blow your mind SK

    • bob

      Great lesson. My friend and I were actually working on this the other day..

    • Michael McCartney

      So it’s a I V IV progression? Great lesson, by the way. Thank you! 🙂

      • Dave

        I think that is a standard 8-bar form.

    • Benton

      Yeah…a little coffee drinking acoustic number. Thanks

    • Bob Eisenberg

      A very nice lesson! Thank you, Sir. Fairly simple song, nice variations to spice it up. Something for everyone. I like it!

    • Clem

      love it! thanks Griff

    • Jean

      like Joyce said, you can do so much with it. Many thks

    • Strick

      Now we’re talkin’ Thank you for this nice and easy tune. I found some fun in using some of box 1 in this.

    • Joyce Knake

      A nice little tune that you could do so much with. I’m going to introduce it to my group and see what they do with it. Thanks so much.

    • R. George

      I learned part of that song years ago in a ragtime style from a really terrific picker of ragtime .When he played, it sounded like two guitars going at it with chords and a definitive melody at the same time. You have helped me for the last three years off and on. I just then came back from a fifteen year stint of not playing , work ya know. Now with your help I crossed several thresholds which lets me enjoy playing like I’ve always hoped too..This song toke me back. Thank You for everything Griff Truly R.w.G.

    • Jack Zukowski

      Hi Griff,
      You have been my inspiration for the last couple of years. I have played for over 50 years and had all but called it quits when I somehow came across one of your tutorials. You lite up my world on the guitar again. I am still playing out with my wife whom is a wonderful harmonica player but I had hit a dead end, it was the same old thing over and over and I just couldn’t come up with anything new to revive my spirit, but you put new life into the way I play guitar. Subtle little things that change everything, you are truly a great teacher. I only wish I could have had this 50 years ago! Thanks Griff for giving so much and making an old man happy with his guitar again. So many, and I probably missed a lot of your tips , the one that was the most important to me, or changed how I play, was the ” don’t start your riffs on the down beat” Wow, what a difference in how your music takes shape! I am certainly not a hot shot player, but to many people, it looks like I am!! 🙂 Thanks Griff, I truly mean that.

      • Michael McCartney

        I agree 100 percent with everything you said, Jack. I’m on the wrong side of 78, and didn’t start learning to play guitar until I retired. Was going to learn at about age 9 or 10, but school and sports got in the way. Cheers! 🙂

    • Rich L

      Thank you Griff for making an absolute “must have” standard nice and simple. Which A pentatonic box would you use for the solo?

    • Mark Matthews

      Love it Griff. Mark

    • Tom Polak

      Thanks Griff, for the KEY to the Highway. You made MY Saturday. Also, a few of the comments are helpful as well. Thanks for sharing!

    • Eddie

      Another blues song to add to my repertoire. Thanks Griff

    • Jim P.

      Thanks Griff. I appreciate your providing lessons on real songs. It’s helps us “students” to build up a reserve of songs to play based on the application of the lessons in the courses but you provide. Real life application is important. .So please keep the song lessons coming. Also, feel free to provide some more rock and roll songs e.g. like you recently did with The Rolling Stones sample. Thanks again. Keep them coming.

    • Marion White

      now all I have to do is fid the words or makeup my own, thanks Griff.

    • tony

      The D7 can be varied one way is simply leave the fifth and forth string open second is mute or just play the top four strings . Just to simple right . Another way would be to second fret first finger 3rd string, second finger third fret 5th string third finger third fret 2nd string fourth finger fourth fret fourth string that would be C F sharp A D seriously the same notes. I have seen this in a Neil Young piece of music . Needle and the damage done . The Grand daddy of grunge turned 74 this week. I am looking at 20 different shapes all over the fret board . The shape I described has all the same notes ,but, in different order that`s a GRAY area of course. . Its a cool cord guys and gals .

    • Mike

      This song is also very similar to “How Long”, an older tune Clapton covered on From the cradle…

    • David Tharp

      Griff – Great video and I love the tee shirt. My wife spent a lot of time at Interlochen, in fact she graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan.
      David

    • Michael Chappell

      Nice and simple Griff, saved it and will have a go at it later this week.

      Michael-Sydney-Australia 11 Dec 2017

    • Norman Blackmore

      Griff,
      There is an alternate D7, one that you really like and also say is underutilized.
      It is the C7 shape, played up two frets higher. This is a chance for you to promote this chord shape that you like.
      Thanks for the great videos and for the Blues Guitar Unleashed, which I purchased.
      Cheers,
      Norm

    • Mike

      Good stuff thanks Griff

    • John Sikora

      Nice and easy to play and sounds great, Thanks.

    • Robyn

      Thank you for a great lesson. I do not know this song, but sure is a good starting point.

    • Jerry Hearn

      Send more love old school blues

    • D K

      Yea griff sounds goodI like down my alley😎

    • Larry Tannery

      Griff,

      These lessons are really helpful and easy to follow. I hope to see more of these presented and maybe a course from you with these types of songs. Thanks

    • Paul Grammas

      Griff, thanks so much for presenting this “easy stuff“ To the rest of us. And you make it interesting and you’re kind about it and you’re one of the most awesome people I know.

    • Steve

      Griff … This is great … not too challenging, fun to play … first song I have attempted to sing along – not great but getting there and having fun… still working through BGU but have ABGU in the queue … hoping today’s video is representative off what I am going to find in AGU. Keep up the great work!

    • Glenn Andrews

      Was hoping for Eric Clapton’s version at the Philmore!

      • PAUL

        NEVER KNEW THE WORDS EITHER. PLAYING RTYUM GUITAR FOR SO MANY YEARS, I HAVE GOT TO WHERE I DON’T NEED TO MUTE THE STRINGS. I KNOW WHICH ONES TO RING OUT.
        GUESS I’LL DOWN LOAD THE TABS AND LYRICS. I LIKE THE BLUES IN A VERSION. GREAT STUFF AS USSUAL GRIFF. THANKS.

    • Jim Fandrich

      Griff,
      This course and the method that you use to teach in short is awesome.
      I’ve had a GREAT career in music for 50 years. Mostly as a classic rock and roll bassist, part-time drummer and keyboards. I’ve had some experience with 6-string all these years, but now that I’m retired, I can get after one thing I’ve always wanted to do… To conquer the BLUES GUITAR!
      Your course can definitely help with achieving my goal.
      You probably get stories like mine alot, but here’s the truth of the matter.
      I’m now retired,disabled from hauling equipment that’s to heavy and have lots of time on my hands. My wife, Ruby,of 40 years loves to hear me play guitar. I think that it’s a lot nicer for her to listen to as apossed to one note bass lines or pounding drums. Anyway, let me cut to the chase.
      My wife and I are living from check to check from SSA. After mortgage and bills we have precious little to live on. I really want your courses. I get a lot from what you share on your emails. If you can find a way to help an old fellow musician out, I would charish a generous gift of just SOME of the lessons you could help me with. I’M DYING TO PLAY THE BLUES!!!
      Give it some thought, please. Thanks for your time, your BIGGEST Fan,

      Jim Fandrich
      jimlrub @gmail.com
      & 209-283-0869

      THANK YOU

    • Jim King

      Nifty! Obviously, this works with both 8-Bar and 12-bar tunes. I like the turnarounds. Playing alone, I’m always looking for more ways to make simple strumming more interesting. Thanks for another great tip!

    • Gary Neal

      Great and easy, Griff! I really love the way you started with the easy and built on it. Thanks once again, Griff!

    • cowboy

      cool approach in E…thanks…later.

      cowboy

    • Bob Utberg

      Great stuff (as always) Griff! Good “camp fire”/sitting around the Christmas tree song and approach!

    • Davy

      Loved that Griff. Thanks.

    • Gery

      Griff, Great demonstration and explanation. You pick terrific songs to learn and songs that can generally be played (& learned) simply or with increasingly interesting embellishments. Much appreciated! Gery

    • Joel Anderson

      Great lesson…which is funny to me. I just watched John Bonnamasa live at Carnigie Hall acoustic show on mtv and then see your lesson today. Thanks Griff

      • Jim King

        It’s interesting how versatile and universal a lot of this is, right? You never know when you’re going to see something you just learned in action. Makes you feel good.

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