trying to play the blues

Big Ed

Blues Newbie
Hello BGUs, Everybody calls me "Big Ed", I don't know why, they just do. I'm from Worcester, MA and have all winter to just practice.
I've been playing Acoustic Country for about 40 years now. Every time I tried to play a Blues song, it sounded like country. So I decided it's time to learn the blues. Looked all over and found Griff and Acoustic BGU. Started today and found out that I don't know anything about the blues.
1. I haven't used a pick in 20 years.
2. I've been finger picking for at least 15 years.
3. I thought everything was played by 6 string Chords and bases.
While all of that is going to come in handy, I have to start all over at the beginning and it seems like fun.
Hopefully I'll be able to actually play the Blues in a few months.in the mean time I'm going to enjoy learning.
 

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
Howdy, and welcome!

I’m thinking that as an experienced country fingerpicker you’d find the Acoustic Blues Unleashed course to be right up your proverbial alley. :Beer:
 

Zzzen Dog

Blues Junior
Welcome, and there are plenty of blues and blues rock players who don’t use picks or hybrid pick (pick and fingers). Jeff Beck being a prime example.
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
Welcome to the forum Big Ed! Good to have you with us!!

Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straights), Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), Robby Krieger (Doors), Hubert Sumlin (Howlin' Wolf) all played without picks - just to name a few off the top of my head. So did so many of the old acoustic Bluesmen - including Eric Clapton.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Good to have you with us Big Ed. With your background, I don't think it will take you very long to learn what you need to change to play blues. I'm guessing that two things will help the most: Feel (shuffle) and playing Minor Pentatonic instead of Major.
 

JestMe

Student Of The Blues
Hello BGUs, Everybody calls me "Big Ed", I don't know why, they just do. I'm from Worcester, MA and have all winter to just practice.
I've been playing Acoustic Country for about 40 years now. Every time I tried to play a Blues song, it sounded like country. So I decided it's time to learn the blues. Looked all over and found Griff and Acoustic BGU. Started today and found out that I don't know anything about the blues.
1. I haven't used a pick in 20 years.
2. I've been finger picking for at least 15 years.
3. I thought everything was played by 6 string Chords and bases.
While all of that is going to come in handy, I have to start all over at the beginning and it seems like fun.
Hopefully I'll be able to actually play the Blues in a few months.in the mean time I'm going to enjoy learning.

Nice to see a fellow New Englander! I'm a bit north of you in New Hampshire. There are lots of great people and lesson here on BGU. I think you will not only learn some blues but also meet some cool people.

Welcome to BGU... Have fun!
 

Big Ed

Blues Newbie
OK, that is my fedora. I've got to fix that picture!! I've been wearing fedoras for about 10 years, off and on. Bought a bluesy guitar a few years back and it still sounded like country. I'm getting there though.
 

Big Ed

Blues Newbie
Howdy, and welcome!

I’m thinking that as an experienced country fingerpicker you’d find the Acoustic Blues Unleashed course to be right up your proverbial alley. :Beer:
Don't confuse back porch fingerpicking with Doyle Dykes fingerstyle playing. Country really is as simple as three chords and the truth most of the time. Thanks for the vote of confidence though.
 

Big Ed

Blues Newbie
Good to have you with us Big Ed. With your background, I don't think it will take you very long to learn what you need to change to play blues. I'm guessing that two things will help the most: Feel (shuffle) and playing Minor Pentatonic instead of Major.
What does pentatonic mean again. I'll get there.
 

Big Ed

Blues Newbie
Nice to see a fellow New Englander! I'm a bit north of you in New Hampshire. There are lots of great people and lesson here on BGU. I think you will not only learn some blues but also meet some cool people.

Welcome to BGU... Have fun!
I'll be playing the blues by the time ice is off Winny. That's around June I think.
 

Big Ed

Blues Newbie
Welcome to the forum Big Ed! Good to have you with us!!

Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straights), Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), Robby Krieger (Doors), Hubert Sumlin (Howlin' Wolf) all played without picks - just to name a few off the top of my head. So did so many of the old acoustic Bluesmen - including Eric Clapton.
I've already started converting some lessons to fingerstyle. No muting necessary. I've been picking so long I thought this would be easy. I'm getting there though.
 
Top