As you may already know, I’ve been playing the blues around the Southern California area for well over 20 years now… sometimes as many as 180 shows a year.
Nowadays there just aren’t that many clubs to maintain that kind of schedule… but my back isn’t too upset over not having to carry my amps around the way I used to 🙂
And if there’s one thing that has never changed it’s the presence of the “old guard” blues lovers who don’t want nothing to do with us playing too many notes and too loud.
I’ve long since gotten past it… you can’t please everyone and there’s no point in trying, but there’s also an “old guard” amongst blues guitar learners I’ve come to find.
You might know him by these tell-tale signs:
- You can’t learn the blues from a book or a video, you just have to listen to records and figure stuff out!
- You don’t learn scales or anything proper, you either feel it or you don’t – there are no rules.
- You can’t learn the blues unless you’ve been through some sort of tragedy and you can intimately relate to feeling down and blue
Now in the event you read those 3 things and think to yourself, “I agree completely!” then you probably should move on, I’m not the guy you want to be working with.
Because in my experiences with private students and 30,000+ Blues Guitar Unleashed members around the world nothing could be further from the truth.
But the main bone I need to pick is with item #2 that there are no “rules” in blues.
First of all, rules are made to be broken, and they do get broken and they get broken often.
But blues, by its very nature of being a set 12 bar or 8 bar form starts out with an extremely rigid rule right off the bat!
Of course, there are variations (half a dozen or so) but by and large if you know the first chord in a blues, you know them all.
And why do you think you would go through all the trouble to learn a bunch of licks and songs from records of your favorite blues artists? To learn how they do it… the “rules” of how it is supposed to be done!
If you find that the same lick is used by 43 different blues players in the same place in the progression, you’ll know it’s a good one to use.
Well wouldn’t you rather someone just tell you the rule right up front instead of making you fish for it and waste weeks or months (or even years) trying to find it?
I know, I know… a lot of us are a little more “advanced” in our age and we don’t like doing things differently than they’ve been done. I understand that as well as the next guy.
But I also know that if I can learn the same stuff in 1/10th the time – I’m all in.
Now if you’re interested in the 3 rules that my students and I use day in and day out, 365 days a year, then check out this video and start looking at the licks you know and use to see if you’re following them. If you’re liking what you hear right now, then you probably are.
But if you aren’t…well then it might be time to start trying them out a bit.
30 replies to "The “Old Guard”"
I’m with you Griff. I played for years learning and scraping together bits and pieces from records and tapes. Your approach has vaulted me streets ahead in the last two years. Sure there are rules and, yes, it’s fun to find out how and where to break them. Thanks for your lessons and insights. I’m way better off because of them.
Right on, Griff. I’m trying to put together a new band and last week we met up for the first time. The “old school” keyboards player with his giant Hammond organ was a good player, but couldn’t adapt and had to “play by the rules” – and if it wasn’t exactly right he’d just stop playing!! At one point he commented to me “that solo was wrong” – well, I can tell you it wasn’t as per the original track, but there were no bum notes in it and it sounded OK to the rest of us.
I’ve been playing guitar for over 30 years and still am amazed by the talent which others (sadly, not me) have got. But breaking the rules is often a good thing – look at the crazy non-conformists like Zappa, Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis – they didn’t stick to 3 chords and 3 verses!
So Keep feeding us with this good stuff, it always makes me grab my guitar if only for 5 minutes after I’ve read the blog!
Hendrix once said (this is paraphrased) – The slaves in the cotton fields sure would have sounded different if they had had electric guitars.
Blues is a very flexible genre that is subject to change. An old blues/rock band called Blues Image (known for their hit song “Ride Captain Ride”) had a deep track called “Ain’t No Rules in California.” The h**l with rules!
I am 67yrs. Old, who played guitar back in the 60`s and seen many legendary bands or gifted soloist play. So, through all these time periods, it is their musical processes that developed my desires and feelings and a course ” No Blues Purist Rules “, to play whatever and whenever the formality of the Blues curriculum made me want to play. Mr. GRIFF Hamlin is a rare breed of person who on a quest to teach as many of us people in playing ” The Blues ” the proper way. This man`s knowledge of music in general and his talented techniques is the first, in my opinion, to analyze complex musical forms and reduce much simpler forms a valuable teaching of the inner workings in ” The Blues “! I wished he was around when I first learning how to play guitar. Just play with your feelings, practice regularly, and learn all you can from him. Yours accordingly- Mr. Manny.
Old Guard. Guys like Dave Van Ronk never gave up Folk Blues after Dylan’s extraordinary shift to electric which changed the World’s music. I play old blues and some Chicago style. No pick. Its the way i stsrted playing, back in the caveman days. You play and teach the blues. You don’t do electronic music. There are always hold outs. Some people can only play Celtic or Bluegrass. So What as long as the love playing.
Thanks Griff I have been playing since 1977 going through different styles of guitar kind of what’s popular at the time but the real deal is I have never cared what someone thinks I play what I like and after all these years I know what sounds good but I have made more progress than ever since I’ve been following your lessons and that’s real !!!
Griff,
I’m an older guy but definitely not “old guard” nor a “purist”. Everything evolves. What is a blues “purist” anyway? EVERY blues guy borrowed from the guys that came before him or his contemporaries and embellished. When the “purist” listens to Dust My Broom, does he only listen to Robert Johnson? Of the 50 odd recordings of that song alone, what would be acceptable to the “Purist”? Probably Elmore James’ and Howlin Wolf’s versions, Me, I prefer Walter Trout’s rocking version myself. Why limit yourself? You will miss a lot of great music.
Playing by ear is great sure, it’s how I learned originally and it helped me develop my ear and be able to pick up and play along to pretty quickly songs , but then came guitar tab, VHS video, internet, etc. I always embraced whatever came along that could help to improve my playing. Like anything else (unless you are Amish) you use the modern technology available to accomplish your goal.
The blues is personal, Mike Bloomfield as a well to do Jewish kid from Chicago, had a whole different perspective and frame of reference on life than say, McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters) , growing up in Mississippi in the early 20th century, but both are respected bluesmen. I think you just have to love it and have the desire to play it, doesn’t matter what style that you prefer, how fast, (or slow!) you play it or how much distortion you use.
Keep em coming Griff, always enjoy your lessons and perspective on this wonderful music we call the blues
Rules?! NO rules?! Music theory? NO music theory?
It’s the BLUES! And NO ONE TEACHES THEM better than GRIFF!
For $9 dollars you HAVE TO GET THIS!!!! If you are really looking to learn blues guitar, this is the time to jump in! I got started with “5 Easy Solos” and have dramatically improved my playing ability, as well as my knowledge of blues guitar theory. No risk…DO IT!!!!
Hi Griff,
I’ve never worried about the “Old Guard”, as I have lived with them all during my long and precious life. In the mid-1960’s, the same “Old Guard” said Dylan was ruined by his use of an electric guitar. Just keep on keepin’ on. I reckon the folks who never want change are the ones who have little or no character….and the ones who live to “regret” their old age, instead of savoring life in all its glory; change and all.
My life has evolved so many times, from a rock drummer in the ’60’s to a housing contractor with an acoustic guitar. When I retired, I started using electric guitars and have learned so much from your ‘4 note solo’ and ‘blues unleashed’ lessons.
Thanks from an old man with a mid-twentie’s soul!
Hey Griff, a few quick questions. What exactly is the blues? Is it a a soulful feeling about being wronged by a woman, society, the MAN? I understand the blues originated in the cotton fields of the south during slavery. This “pre-blues” music was adapted from the field shouts and hollers performed during slave times, and then was expanded into “simple solo songs laden with emotional content. The crucial question is, however, can a white man like myself, who is rightfully considered the “MAN”, attain this soulful spirituality? Or am I just kidding myself and posing to others? I mean, I believe I got the “blues” when Zayn Malik left One Direction. Does that count?
Hey Griff, & Ian, I am one of the great contingent of Blues Guitar lovers in Australia and love studying the rules and practicing them to be able to create great sounds around some of the Solos and Licks that Griff is so good and teaching us all. I am now retired and committed to become perhaps one day one of the hard trying legions that benefits from the way Griff Hamlin & BGU members all help the fraternity to become what it stands for today and the future.
I will never be sidetracked as I am a fidele member of BGU Forum and a student of Griff Hamlin.
Michael- Sydney Australia
In the book “Guitar for Dummies” the author makes the following tongue in cheek comment about blues: To have good blues you need bad grammar. Examples: “My baby she done me wrong.” Bad blues would be : “My life partner has been insensitive to my needs.”(Good grammar, bad blues).:-)
I heard the same thing a few years back…the band I was in was playing a Sat night club crawl during a local blues festival…we were in our lead singers room and a friend of his was talking about himself being a “blues purist”…same lines of BS…
could never understand how anyone can “create” music if they don’t take it in another direction…if guys had done that, we would have never had the BB Kings, Albert Kings, EC’s, SRV’s or Joe Bonamassa’s of the world…how boring would that have been…later.
cowboy
Yes l agree with you Griff. The blues offer an endless open form of personal expression. Most all blues players will have their own sound eventually ,so this notion you have to live, or feel the blues in order to be vadid is just pure subjective Bullshit . Like griff says learn the basics,and then play with feel ,and fun , the rest will fall into place.
Hi Griff
You are absolutely right about rules. Your lessons are great giving students
some safety strap how to play blues indeed.
I play mostly different styles but your professional playing blues and theory lessons like this one impress me that from years I haven’t been practicing like now watching how you brilliant pick your blues solo.
Thank you and keep your great teaching as long as possible…
My best regards : Krzysztof Ch.
I’m having fun using the pick backwards for power strumming. Try it, kind of roll the rounder part of the pick at a very slight angle to the strings, so if held real tight in, its easier to muffle extra strings with the right hand and the left. All the rounder parts of my hard picks are worn down I’ve been doing this so long…from the rock bound coast of Maine
Hi. There’s no link after the video. How do I order?
ha ha, done myelf a disservice here. Used another computer, got onto your *flagship* for $147.00 was so impressed I put the order in just to learn I could have had it for half the cost ordering it with bluesgitarunleached. yeap, not stupid but definitly dumb I am…….
arnie
Knocked my socks off with knwdleoge!
Wow, that’s a really clever way of thinking about it!
BION I’m impressed! Cool post!
The genius store called, they’re running out of you.
Teets -don’t worry at all-don’t worry about -speed………
what matters MOST is that you have FUN and are comfortable……playing WHAT and HOW-YOU enjoy playing!
THAT-is ALL that really matters!
LOTS of different ways of playing(don’t forget that Jimi Hendrix played with his teeth(see Jimi Plays Berkeley(1970 film9available on DVD)( right at the end of’Purple Haze”(where it fades out and (from behind) you see Jimi playing his white Stratocaster with his teeth)
If Jimi enjoyed playing with his TEETH-YOU can enjoy playing YOUR way…..DON’T WORRY about Speed…….speed -is way overrrated(T Bone Walker wasn’t fast-9and a lot of blues greats are NOT fast….)
In 1978-I saw a guy do an amazing guitar solo-his fingers flew up and down the neck.ooohs and ahhhs galore ….(but you KNOW something? TEN MINUTES later-I could NOT remember a single NOTE-that guy played-from his guitar solo( but I can remember BB King solos(clearly-note for note-40 YEARS after I first heard them…..(anything Albert King played….)
Think about that-for a MOMENT-you could play 4 notes-and HOW you play those 4 notes(and what you do with them- pick them-hammer them on or off-blend or slide them up or down-(whatever) is YOUR choice..(you could take those 4 notes- and totally have an audience LISTENING to every NOTE you play-)
YOU play-how YOU want to play- (and as long as it makes you happy and comfortable-thats all that matters- 9you don’t have to be a carbon copy of Alvin Lee or anyone else…..(just be the BEST YOU there is-when you play-get out of your instrument-what YOU want it to do…..)
Enjoy! Feel BETTER about what you play and how you play it!
(I could have taken guitar lessons from the late great Canadian blues guitarist Jeff Healey(who was BLIND- and played totally unconventionally-(and had an excellent career(check him out on You Tube)
I’ve listend to your 3 rule presentation, at the end you recommend to click on the icon to order the dvd ? program? for a mire 9 dollars………. or there abouts.
but the link is not on that site nor an icon to click on ..so how can I order?
thanks
arnie
I play guitar with my thumb. Index and middle finger.i tried to pllay with a pick and I’m totally unable to have anyl control. So at this point I have given up trying. The problem is, I have developed control using my fingers but I just can’t get the speed up. I see joe pass, Clapton, and Jeff beck and their speed is great , not as fast as using a pick but quite proficient for making their playing sting with sweet flowing solos. Any suggestions?
Teets
Yeah exactly Griff…..
I’ve been playing blues since 1970….( and I hear all the ‘old tired icliches’ about being a blues musician……
In my view you can live ANYWHERE on this planet-(and play blues…)
Blues is NOT AT ALL about being sad or depressed or crippled and blind( another stereotype about blues)..
Blues can be_WHATEVER YOU want it to be….(its like ‘musical gumbo’ musical STEW-hey you can mix whatever YOU WANT in it(any genre of music) and as FEW or as many notes as you like…)
(and on whatever instrument you want to use)
we all feel and express ourselves differently……..
THAT is what its really all about
But MOST OF ALL-always LOVE and enjoy playing9and listening)
Music is supposed to be FUN! ALWAYS!
Enjoy!
(as the late great(and very much personally appreciated and much missed) Bob Hite(the great Canned heat vocalist) always used to say-‘Don’t forget to boogie!
Enjoy!
Kerry
Hi Griff,
completely with you here – the old guard would have us believe blues is more mysterious then it is, and that only the chosen few have access to it. i heard Gary Moore talking about borrowing John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (beano) album from a friend and when he gave it back he had worn it out, and i’m sure Eric Clapton has similar stories… even Hendrix in all his psychedelic meanderings was always within the ‘rules’, if you analyse what he is doing.
thanks for your positive approach
Ray
Griff,
I’m with you. I have heard this paradigm, as well, regarding the “road” to blues playing. It’s getting older every decade. In a compositional musical or genre dialogue most musicians agree that all that is written was influenced by the past that can’t be ignored. Evolution is music is accepted as evolution in species. Of course, there will always be nay sayers. Can it really be argued that Rock and Roll didn’t have roots in the blues. And Jimmy Page didn’t repeat a lick from Robert Johnson and Keith didn’t emulate Chuck. Bonamassa is a great player! Did he copy licks with a CD player in the 80’s? Yes. Does it reduce his talent or my enjoyment in hearing him? NO! We are all products of our time and our ears have heard some great players basically rearrange and creatively compose, as you say, the same 12 bars in their own personal interpretation. We have Griff, the internet, Guitar Center, etc….. It’s not 1925. The learning time can be shorter. That’s a product of our time and technology. It shouldn’t diminish the appreciation of the what I’m hearing or how I’m feeling about my own playing. You don’t have to be a heroin addict to play the blues! The fact that we can’t identify who specifically invented the blues or jazz or classical is testament to the universal language of music. The notes are all the same. We have these styles now and can enjoy them by listening or playing. As guitar players, we have decided to participate in this music by playing. What the hell is wrong with that? The Jimi Hendrixes don’t come around that often, but even Jimi had his roots on the R&B, RR circuit and it could be heard in his music.
Keep it up Griff!!!
Ya my brother from down under…check Griff Hamlin out on YouTube…I can’t remember the name of his band…Griff Hamlin and the “something or others” but his band rocks…big ol horn section. ..the works…Griff wails on guitar and sings the B right out of the blues…
i also watched him competing in the Guitar Center blues contest…I guess he did that a few years back…he was burning up that fret board….so unless you can’t find YouTube down under…don’t miss Griff actually doing his thing.
Hey Griff
There’s a great contingent of blues lovers here in Australia. In my widest dreams I would like to hear you play. Is there any way I could obtain a video of your band?
Your lesson are great and I’ve learnt a lot from your videos.
Cheers Ian