If you are familiar with the popular ‘Blues In E” type of blues riff, then you’ve come across a turnaround before – even if you didn’t know it.
The turnaround is the last 2 bars of the 12 bar form, and it’s a place where you want to have some easy “go-to” options…
And that, is what this video is all about.
There’s no TAB specifically because of the “mix and match” nature of the ideas. Feel free to put them together into whatever you want to hear and what fits your fingering preferences.
22 replies to "Beginners – Easy Blues Turnaround Ideas"
terrific lesson
When I was a kid I wanted learn to play blues realey bad. Now I,m 68 and plays blues realey bad. Whith out Griff it had been even bader.
Thank You Griff …
Great lesson as usual……thanks turn arounds are essentials for great blues
Griff I’m so excited about your beginning blues lessons. I’m 75 years old and have always been a blues fan. I’ve tried so many ways and quit guitar after private lessons and never learned a thing.
After taking your beginning blues course I’ve finally have found blues. I’m just starting but I’m going all the way thanks to you and your teaching methods your obvious love of the blues. I’m hooked on your the one to get me finally to where I want to be.
Than you so very much.
Click on the View in Youtube Link
Click on the gear in the lower right hand of the screen
there, you will find options for playback speed and several other things.
This was a reply to Dave in the below post.
To make a TAB from this lesson, just play it over and over as you write down the notes. Then you will have your own TAB
Griff, I get an error on my I-phone when I try to watch your videos. This has been going on for a few weeks now. Any ideas ?
just what I needed, nice and slow with COUNTING!
thank you!
Thanks Griff this was a good refresher ok now back to my BGU lesson Great video!
a few can be used to end a song also.
Nice but i would like to see what intermediate looks like
Griff, what a fantastic lesson.
I’ve wanted to know this stuff for so long but couldn’t ask cos I didn’t know what it was called.
Assuming that it’s adaptable for any key, I’m really going to have a good go at it.
It’s heard all the time in most blues and also a lot of rock music if it’s written in the 12 bar form but I could never do it until now, it’s really just a matter of knowing what notes work in that key.
Thank you 🙂
As a beginner, a PDF would have been a no brainer?
Cheers number one.
Nice approach Griff…never really thought about breaking the turnaround into two sections…thanks…later.
cowboy
R-3-4-f5-5 Good grief, there are turnarounds all over this thing.
Nice! But (isn’t there always!)
‘There’s no TAB specifically because of the “mix and match”
Nonetheless it would make it easier to have the tab for each of the snippets (then we can mix and match) – just easier to learn when you have it in print rather than trying to decode it from the video, especially for those of us with less than perfect video decoding skills.
you could use the settings and slow the play speed down to half or further and learn it that way. It makes it easier but Griff’s speech will be slurred down to a drunken sailor mode!!!
I have to tell you, it is okay to struggle…sometimes, it is like self discovery of your own abilities. He put it out there, now work to figure it out. I had to play the lead in to the video several times to figure out the pick and finger work he did in the very beginning. I could not have got that from a tab. Just my thought.
Hi Griff,
Great lesson! Do the turnarounds belong in a major or minor key?
Also, I asked ages ago if you had any hand/finger stretching exercises for the fretting hand. I have Carpel Tunnel and nerve damage and also blessed with small fingers and a rather short ‘pinkie’. Love your lessons and have several of your courses including BGU.
Best wishes
Jim (UK)
Hi Jim,
Ernie B, Physical Therapist, here. Wife a Hand Therapist. Sitting or standing, place your hand on a flat surface with palm down, fingers open & spread flat.
(The appearance of your hand would be like saying, “Stop” while extending your arm in front of you.) With the your hand thus fixed to the horizontal surface, move your elbow away from you, while using your opposite palm-hand to keep your fingers from curling from the elbow action that extends your wrist. AVOID flexing your wrist as best you can always, as that is what compresses the carpal tunnel. Also, avoid long practice sessions and consider perhaps slide guitar. (?) Not able to evaluate or know of the level of severity and history, my advice is “generally speaking.” Consider seeing a hand therapist, or PT with special UE knowledge….Avoid chiropractic
unless you are convinced that some of your hand symptoms are related to some neck issues you may have.