I’ve often heard it said that “kids should be seen and not heard.” It’s an old saying that I’m going to change to “rhythm guitarists should be barely heard when a solo is going on.”
With inexperienced players getting together you get a lot of people all playing loud enough that they can be heard over everyone else. But that’s a real problem…
It’s a problem because if you listen to a recording, there is always something that is prominent, and other instruments that are supportive. In a jam session, being supportive often means barely being heard at all. And not only is that okay, it’s better.
So in this video, I’ll show you a really easy way to comp (accompany) behind a soloist or a vocalist in a swing feel with some super easy 2 note chords.
The TAB For This Lesson
This is the TAB for this lesson in a PDF format.
This is the backing track I used for this lesson in MP3 format.
165 replies to "Blues Rhythm Lesson – 2 Note Easy Chords"
Is there a reason why one would strum these little chords as opposed to plucking them with your fingers? Or is plucking the strings acceptable? Why or when would one do strumming vs plucking of the strings? Just wondering.
Hi..riff, thanks for the brain plug in..ba da bing..brain plug..
This is great for those who have trouble with playing full chords. Hitting all the strings to make them ring out. Used it in a jam session with the guys,worked well. Thanks Griff! 🎸🎼 Was easy for my 10 year old grandson who plays around with the guitar.
Looking for effective advertising that isn’t full of crap? Sorry to bug you on your contact form but actually that was the whole point. We can send your advertising text to websites via their contact pages just like you’re getting this message right now. You can specify targets by keyword or just do bulk blasts to websites in any country you choose. So let’s say you would like to send a message to all the contractors in the USA, we’ll scrape websites for only those and post your ad message to them. Providing you’re advertising a product or service that’s relevant to that niche then you’ll receive an amazing response!
Write a quick note to muhammad2435tay@gmail.com to find out more info and pricing
Looking for fresh buyers? Receive hundreds of people who are ready to buy sent directly to your website. Boost revenues super fast. Start seeing results in as little as 48 hours. To get details reply to: leo6843will@gmail.com
Great lesson Thanks
Hi Griff,
Very nice Lesson on blues “Shell Voicings” an old “blues man once told me less is more. Great lessons.
“Thanks
Artemus A
Hey, you got a great following here Good stuff. I have your Blues guitar program. Need to get back to that.
hi Griff– can you teach me beginning bass guitar
Great stuff Griff. Thanks. I have this Wingo a freind gave me that I’m tuning-up to fly in the park next to my house. Grab a park flyer and come on up the coast. God bless you & yours. Dick
Great unbelievable lesson. And Griff is too cool to say so but if you really want to express your. appreciation…buy something. There is always some lesson here you can use, lay some cash down as little green thank you’s.
This is the kind of stuff that make going to work tolerable – knowing I have something to work on when I get home…thanks Griff !
Hey Griff,
As I get older I have found the benefit to holding back more, watching and listening to what others are doing so what I add in helps rather than detracts.
Little story. I was playing with a number of young’uns a while back. Everybody had something to prove, trying to outplay everybody else. A veritable cacophony of noise. I didn’the know any of the songs actually. However, it was relatively simple to stay in the proper key in the backgroud with my rythym in several positions around the neck. Felt kinda guilty afterwards getting comments like “Wow,amazing the way you can jump right in there on songs you don’t even know and just play along with these guys! Wish I could do that!”
Now, with these little chord shapes I wonder if I’ll feel even more guilty? NAAAH!😎
Thanks Griff!
D
Thanks Griff,
Very useful blues part.
Thanks Griff
Been practicing little runs between the chords and discovering their relevance to the chord in question and this little tip has triggered more expansion and variety for me to play with.Just discovered arpeggios and still trying to get my head around them. Checking out your stuff on utube. Love your work buddy and thank you so much for your help. over the years… Regards Nifty
Love your work. Your professional way of teaching is greatly appreciated.
Hey Griff,
As usual some cool rhythms here similar to your lessons on How to Jam in Part 1. Always a pleasure to participate in these wonderful video lessons.
Cool
Michael-Sydney-Australia
oh crap…..I get it with small chords now
Again thanks for the great lesson. All this stuff helps me to get where I want to be. Many thanks Griff.
Great idea. I love it. But did you notice that you were playing on the one and the three after yo said you would play the two and four?
Thank you Griff~ this is so fundamental!
Very nice sound with this one Griff. The sort of musical background you might expect in some sort of jazz club. I was interested to hear that someone requested information regarding string to purchase. I think this is more of a personal choice scenario as to which strings to purchase and the style(s) of play intended. I would imagine an accomplished guitarist of the hero mold might know what are best for them yet, not necessarily recommend them those particular strings if the Enquirer was perhaps on a learning curve. Horses and courses come to mind, not that I am trying to undermine the reasoning for asking that question. I too would be pleased for such advice. Obviously, if the question was expanded slightly acoustic / electric – that was not mentioned and would be relevant to any advice sought and obtained. Keep up the great work Griff.
That was awesome. I’m still at the learning blues beginning but it’s cool to have a lesson even I can do and it actually sound like something. I’ve looked at other teachers courses and Griff; You Are The Best.
Hi griff nice grove by the way a great lesson coul you post the reason there is three sharp Sighns by the treble clef I know there’s a reason for it donn’t know why though I’ve got a inkling thanks for a short and useful lesson
This is really effective. I was at a blues jam and “T-Bone Shuffle” was played- key of C— so this works so well with that tune. I didn’t know the solo that Jesse Colin Young uses- I guess this was the version we were doing- but this slide thing is perfect.
The 3 sharps are the “key” signature for the key of A major. They are C# (A chord third note), F# (D chord third note), and G# ( the third of the E chord).
The sharps are to make the distance between the notes or “intervals” the same as they are in the key of C
Well, Gav, if you were to pull your head out of your backside long enough to understand the “point” of the lesson, you might understand that the only thing that’s s#*t is what’s behind your ears. The guy playing full chords at the jam session is the one that no one wants on stage. Of course, the troll that writes posts like this is the guy that no one wants at the bar during jam night.
Griff, thanks for continuing to help make us better players – both technically and in the context of playing well with others.
C’mon man,
That’s tacky!
Nice back-up. Basically (when played in C) the backup to Albert Collins “Ice Pickin”. There is a great Y-tube video (not the live version) one could use for a lead track. I’ve been playing this for years, (pulled it out of an old guitar magazine a long time back) but still went in and played the backup again…..great fun. And Albert Collins is one of my favorites!
Good lesson, as far as dynamics are concerned, most groups especially in their beginning groups don’t know about dynamics, everyone wants to be heard. Dynamics are like are all a part of the music and need to actually be practised. Only the lead instrument or vocal is out front. The other thing I notice with many vocalists is, it is difficult to understand any of their lyrics it all sounds like a big mumble, why have words if they are not easy to hear and understand what is actually being sung.
Jamming rule: The bigger the egos of the other musicians (and they can be HUGE), the LESS and QUIETER you play! They’ll love you!
Very good lesson and I fool with these kind of chords all of the time just for the reason you did this lesson, because if there is one thing I hate when I watch a band is all the players trying play louder than the other. If I don’t see the guitar player comping with quiet fill, or the lead guitar at trying to put some taste into his leads, or singer virtually screaming to sing a song I just don’t watch them. When a band has the all the wheels spinning pretty much correctly to make themselves sound good they are a joy to watch….
Not gonna lie, that was pretty mean. It was also funny as hell though, so thanks for that.
Griff as usual another great lesson! Thanks for all your efforts. I will use your technique when comping with my guitar club. Small chord shapes is the way to go.
The muting of strings will take some finger memory and lots of practice.Thanks again and old plucker from Vancouver BC
What was the name of the place in Pasadena? I’m going down that way and want to check it out.
nice, another method to add to the ever growing bag of tricks . Thanks so much Griff
Griff,
As always a most informative lesson. I have been playing for 55 years and still have so much to learn. I agree with Cise in that “learning to play good chords is a must for anyone who wants to learn playing good lead[s].”.
Also, the point you make about not playing too loud is all so true.
I like to say when I am playing rhythm you may think you don’t hear me, but pull me out of the mix and you will miss me! Early on I learned barre chords, but it was you who turned me on to the two and three note chord concept which has actually improved my lead playing.
Griff I can never thank you enough for all you do to help us who play guitar, play a little better.
Take care my friend…Old School and Still Rockin’
This is a good reorganization, I was wondering if I could use this write-up by my website, I will linkage it back to your website though. Rider this is a problem satisfy assent to me know and I will obtain it consume right away
My first gig was at a VFW hall at the bar. there were five of us at that time . a single singer, bass, drummer , lead guitarist and me on rythem guitar. We were situated so close to the poeple listening you could almost shake hands . I spent a week working on a piece of music so I couldnt get it wrong . when that time came for me to play it .Seemed like the whole world stopped moving. I got it done right and since that time crowds do not bother me . fact is the drummer and i are going to check out a new place to play out. The VFW actually burned down wow . The band has gone thru a lot of changes since that first gig. I am the only original member from the first band. We need to do some work on what we know already . I still get a little shakie at first because I am the leader of the band now Im also the singer when we do play out. I do love it when they whistle and clap for us . It just makes it easier knowing that they like it. This lesson is laid back and kool . nice way to warm things up . My drummer feels that we should play something that kicks butt right off the bat . In order to get attension ,but , he says that poeple go outdoors for a smoke and we are playing and not hearing us . My reply is that they can still hear us anyhow . SPECIAL NOTE THE DRUMMER IS ONE OF THE BEST I EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH . High school drum corps training . The bass and second guitarist are green they try very hard . lessons lessons lessons pratice alot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great lesson! Thanks!
ciao griff:
you and your videos are an inspiration. if i’m not an awesome player, it’s only cause i’m lazy. thank you. i’m sure there is a place in guitar heaven waiting for you.
roland, ttg
cool . even thogh i now how to play the way your lesson was, it still greeses my wheels. i was never nervous on stage. i loved it. if i missed a beat i would just let it go. then after 10 years not playing live, we played cal state domeguez collegee unity festival. we where not that tight, but we pulled it off. no power for sound check, i could not face the audiance. never have i ever had stage fright. the first song , i was sweeting bullets. then it came time for me and our lead singer(young gal) to due a duet. then everything just snapped and i was the clown, or the movement for the band. the duet got us a standing ovation. today, i’m not confidant enough to play live. just to sick. again thanks Griff for all you do.
In the book “Guitar For Dummies” Rich Tennant did a cartoon showing the devil in hell passing out bat wings and Strats to newcomers.
Thanx griff your teaching is excellemt and easy to follow
You are the best Griff! Another great little lesson. I can’t believe how good you have made me sound in 3 short years. Thank you!
Thanks again Griff , I will enjoy this .
Hey Griff,
Nice short video well explained and executed really enjoyed it, it’s always a great feeling to be able to spontaneously join in a jam session and no-one need feel embarrassed with this nice little bluesy segment…
I just jumped in and started playing licks. Sorry!
If you would PLAY the WHOLE lick you are teaching BEFORE you talk about it would make a LOT EASIER
to follow and we would know what we are trying to imitate…THANKS for your lessons/posts
Thank you Griff for another ” GREAT ” short lesson
Dude!
No need to get nasty! You’re angry about something, but I doubt it’s really about this lesson!
Thanks Griff. As always something worth knowing. Gavin Jones realy?
Good stuff, simple yet effective. By the looks of this site it has been enjoyed by many.
Many Thanks for the lesson.
Griff, Thanks for bringing us something so simple that it can be automatic to get through the first time stage fright when your nerves are screaming from the rafters. As for Gavin Jones, go find yourself a short pier… pal…
Hi Griff,
Nice job explaining how to mute all but the two strings. However, instead of strumming across all six strings, I find it much easier to just play the two strings with the pick on the fourth string and use the third finger on the third string (hybrid picking).
Don Roberts
what a nice sound from something so simple. will add this to my pile of must learn,
gavin jones, if you dont like it dont watch, all of these lessons are helpful to us that are learning, something can be gained from each lesson.
go griff
Thanks for the lesson and advice
Rog
Hi Griff just want to say a massive thanks for inspiring me to play, actually keyboards and bass, but i use many ideas from watching your videos etc…one day i will put it to the guitar!!
YO GRIFF
I AM TRYING TO CREATE A LITTLE SPORTS GIG WITH A VERY SHORT FOUR OR SIX BAR STRUMING WITH A VOCAL AND THAT LITTLE CORD PLAYING HELPED ME–THE UNFORTUNATE PROBLEM IS I HAVE LITTLE TIME TO PRACTICE BUT I MAY BE ABLE TO SQUEEK SOMETHING IN IF I HAD A FEW MORE SIMPLE CORDS TO PLAY.
THANKS, MIKE
That was cool! Again old habits of 38 years hard to change. It will take me alot of practice to use the pressure of my 2 fingers and use my other fingers to mute. I’ve always been good at just hitting the strings that count. Muting the A string , no problem. I use my foot for the count and strum just the 2 strings to the music. Strumming my hand in the air and countng ? Just not corodenated to do that. Also I know what you mean about getting up in front of a 100+ faces. The last band I was in we played the Unity Fest at Cal State Domengues Colloge. Electrical problems, so we never could do a sound check. I was so nervous I could’nt look at the audiance. When it came time for me to sing a duet with our female Volcalist , she winked at me and I faced the crowd and we sang our love song togeter and i hit every chord on time. We got a standing ovation. WEEEH!
Thanks again Griff! So simple and something we all know but will fit perfectly when playing rhythm!
cool Griff, on my third or fourth cup of coffee this mon. AM. another piece to the puzzle. thanks. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the time you spend with those of us who really need just the simple lessons.
Thanks again
Dale
Oh, to have the resources and gifts so readily available . In my early musical hacking we had to mock others ( like yourself) but if we couldn’t see the fretted action … for me it was luck!
You’ve made something so trying to do so easy to visualize and accomplish. For all the people what are beginners like myself, Thank You!
Love it…I’m always lookin’ for short cuts
By the way, I have a 1967 Les Paul Standard in excellent condition (Sunburst), all original, Humbuckings etc. I can send a picture…very heavy (weight) guitar, great sustain…know anybody who’d be interested?
I look forward to your lessons each week as they keep inspiring me to practice.I would love to see a lesson either in a paid lesson or one of your freebies, based on “do the memphis grind” by duke Robillard. For some reason that song has harmony, a little lead, is slow enough for beginners to play, doesn’t have more than a dozen chords, and sounds as bluesy as it gets.
Thank you
Thanks for your riffs..Giff..from She Real
i like the way you explain it Thank you
As always Griff a great video. You help me remember things I have forgotten.
No video
No download for the lesson video?
BIG thanks !!
Thanks Griff, Great idea.
im not the best guiyar player and always play acoustic-i can really use this
Griff, I have never seen you bust out a Les Paul before! Nice work.
Great lesson. It’s amazing that such simple techniques sound so cool. I really appreciate all your lessons and advice. I always welcome new things to learn. I always wanted to learn valuable quick techniques and cool tricks to advance my playing. Everything you’ve taught me has been so incredibly helpful in my playing ability. Again thank you
Less is more !
Your tips on playing are always great but what always catches my eye is how fantastic all of your guitars look. They look as if they just came out of the box. Are these the same guitars that you use on stage? Do you have a special trick to keep them looking that way other than to clean them everyday or is that the answer?
Something so simple and sounds so cool ,Thanks
Oh,,I forgot about kiss also
Wow,you never cease to amaze me.you are awsome.im 56 years old.i was. Happy with original first album stuff like grand funk,foghat,sabbath among a few heavies as well as csny and other acoustic things.but since watching you,man you bring it all together,and actually have an explanation to how it’s done.thank you very much.keep it simple..jesse
Have always liked your layed back approach. Thanks
Can’t beat the ole’ “KISS” principle!! Good lesson for ALL guitarists…
Thanks Griff, I’M a 60 year old guitar player that has been a hack for 40you years but I have had alot of fun over the years playing with friends and a couple off bands.
You have chaged the way i play. Thanks ever so much. Jim
Griff : very good job of teaching not impressing. In more advanced lessons why not somehow number every fret? Easier to grasp. You are impressive, it comes across. Tell peers also. Yours in music, fran
u r a good teacher n concise!appreciate it!
Like simple and solid great video. I’ve found in a band if there is no keyboard there is nothing like a good solid basic rhythm. I was playing with a group many years ago that had a rhyhtm player that was a solid basic rhythm. We had a sax player that wanted to play guitar more. The lead player kept saying to me do we really need the “extra guitar”. We played a gig one night that the rhythm player could not be there of course the sax player steped up to fill the slot, unless he had a strong sax part. When we took our first break the lead player came over to me and apoligized. I say what for, kinda puzzeled. He said “Jaybird is doing a hellava job down there”. He never mentioned anything about a extra guitar again. I’ve been playing for fifty years and I’m still learning. Thats why I love it.
40+ years noodling and this “simple” rhythm never occurred to me. Nice!
What’s really cool is that no matter how simple the lesson appears, the excellent transcription gives me the additional challenge of working on my reading – both standard notation and tab! Reading and scales are the basics I really wished I had worked on from the beginning. Thanks Griff!
This video baffles me every time. So simple. So cool. So laid back. But you can build just about anything on top of it. I especially like this one at 2 am. 🙂
My best friend was and still is a working drummer and has backed some REAL names in the business. I finally got my hands on some good equipment and practiced real hard. I wanted to be a rocknroll star. I could feel it but could not hone it to make the sounds so I practised some more.One day we had a jam and my friend played the drums. It was my time to solo and I did the best I could. He looked at me and smiled during my solo and says to me over the music “Alright!” That 30or 40 seconds I have never forgot and think of it often. There were a few people there and all were encouraging. That was 40 years ago.
LOVE THE STUFF,IVE BEEN PLAYIN 39 YEARS AND GRIFF HAS SHOWN ME SOME LICKS THAT CAN ONLY BE SUMMED UP WITH ONE WORD,..”SMOOOTH”.BACK IN THE DAY WE’D
REFER TO HIM AS “A REAL ONE”!! THANKS BRO,KEEP BENDIN DEM STRINGS!!
GARY(HAWK)GILBERT
I love the “KISS” method!
Thanks Griff>>>>>>>>
I’ve always heard that KISS means “Keep It Simple, Stupid!”
Those are nice keys, it’s easy but, with my guy’s I need to play the hole cord the make the song sound good, or my guy’s will get lost. 🙂
Thanks I got it though.
Griff , thanks for your recent lessons , I have just binned the arpeggio one by mistake any chance you could resend it ??
Next time you have an offer on the complete course plus bonus items I an going to try and snap it up .
Thanks again
Si
Thanks Griff, I love the simplicity and effectiveness of your lessons.
As most people I have little time so the short clips are perfict. I feel like I am progressing also.
Mike-Florida
Thanks Griff
All your lessons have really helped. This one is so simple yet sounds so good. Thanks again!
This is a cool lick that i can use since i’m a novice. thanks
Hi Grif, Love your vidios. I’ve been playing guitar for 60 years.I remember when jam was something you put on toast. Thanks again ,you keep me up to date. Dick
kool lesson, well explained, easy to follow.
Thanks a bunch.
I like it. Just the thing to show friends.
Hey Griff the lessons are great even for a player that has been at it for some years we can take something from your lessons thanks alot
Griff..real nice..tks
thanks my family & l have been through a rough time but the kids & l can sit down & try too play & have good time
Grif I know you were inviting best jam story’s, havn’t got there yet but did have my first pub open mike night recently, here is how it went, I did have three easy tunes that I am comfortable playing lined up, I sat down and plugged my guitar (electric) into the public address system and got right into tune 1 …….I was well focussed but couldnt hear what I was playing because I was behind the PA speakers !……. tune 2 …….my ears were now getting used to the pub noise and I was also now starting to hear my playing through the speakers, I was playing a blues number with a nice groove (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHtPYZRVeGI) when a drunk guy at the bar started banging the bar top to the beat ! now I am listening to him more than myself ! more mistakes!………tune 3 ….it was only at this point that I kinda got it all together with my hearing and made far less mistakes!
So yes I would do it again, but different, yes I did get a good clap which made it worthwhile, and a pretty good bass player asked me if I would like to play with him next time………sorry but I feel another story coming !!!!!!!!
Loved the video. Great description of how to do it and opportunity to apply what you taught. Thanks.
Try …..octave major 3rds with the b7 on the I chord and octave b7s with the major 3rd on the IV and V chords i.e play strings 3, 4 and 5 to get the bigger “organ chord” voicings commonly used by the classic guitar/organ/drm jazz/blues trios like Jimmy Smith with Kenny Burrell …a very cool sound.
Hey Griff – this was great as always. We’re standing by for your christmas special!
Hi Griff
Very Coollove it also love all your lessons thanks for your time
enjoy your e mails.plan to order some of your expertise before to long.the two finger deal is a cool way to keep the water clean as you said.although imust say i dig muddy.i live where the blues are not played much if any.each to his own i guess.iv been jam trackin forever it seems like,retired awhile back so need to find a jam somewhere and yes im so old duane eddy was my first guitar hero.keep on pluckin.
Very cool!!!
Very handy. No one, besides my guitar instructor and son, hear me play. With this I may consider joining in!
No one except the walls in my room hear me play so you have me beat!
Griff that email you sent describes me to a “T” !!! I want to be able to play in a jam sooo much but I just can’t seem to “get it”……along with having terrible stage fright. I just don’t want to make a complete idiot out of myself. I have top line expensive equipment and it looks like I should know what I am doing by having it, but I just don’t have a clue.
HEY GRIFF. EVEN THOUGH IVE PLAYED BLUES USING 7TH”S I STILL DIG USING 9TH”S ..JUST A LIL COMMENT
BOB……………..
Where were you my first jam? Pretty much as you described. Had an unintentional vibrato from my hands shaking! This is a very valuable lesson that will help many!!!!
Hey Bro, do you have any videos of how to play scales? And in a slow way so I can follow.
This is a great lesson. For most people, the more you play, the more you begin to understand that a lot of what you hear and try to replicate is less complicated than you think. You just saved a lot of people (yes) years of frustration. Thanks for all of us.
hello i know i need to talk to a bass player but what i need is some simple bass gutair music to play with or to if you know where i can get some good bass music in cd or how ever it come i’m a new beginner on the bass and i have learned alot but i’m trying to advance on the bass thanks larry
Yes good one
Wow!!! Awesome, yet simple…I’m no musician, but I do enjoy Jammin’ with anyone I can, and This is gonna help me step it up!! I’ve been practicing it a couple of days now and it’s a Blast!! I actually recorded it and Jammed with myself! Lots of room to move in this one… Recommended with a thumbs up !
Thanks, John
Griff,Griff,Griff:
Let me start off by saying, BRAVO!. You and nobody else, have pulled me off my Plateau of over and over again the same old material, can you say Stuck in a Rut? Finally I seemed to have risen from the ashe’s of monateny!! and the same old progressions. Whew! I thought I would be at the same level for the rest of my Blues playing day’s! Just a note of Thank’s!
A Loyal Viewer
Jeff:
cool trick
really nice thanks griff
Hi Griff I found this very good.gunna give it a go.most appreciated
Thanks
Very cool and very simple–different sound, I like it. We all could use more stuff like this! Thanks Griff
Hi Karl,
Not wanting to answer for the maestro but I use D’Addario EXL110W guitar strings, with a wounded G, works and sounds great. You also get them in EXL109W for softer fingers (D’Addario because I don’t get any other brand locally with a wounded G),
cheers,
Cheers Griff. I enjoyed that
G/day from Ozz, great stuff Griff———————thanks
cool
hey griff can you recomend a good set of guitar strins for me i’m not liking the action i get of mine thanks
Hi Griff.
Thanks for another great lesson I’m sure this one will get used a lot, please keep up the good work very much appreceated.
Frank.
Great Lesston. Thanks
Well Griff. It happened mate. All of those lessons &practice payed off. It all of a sudden made sense and understanding of how to put it all together just came. It was surreal. BIG THANKS /GRIFF & BGU /John
Cool Griff.
Another great video and handy hints..
Thanks Mate…
Regards
John
Great Vidio I am learning all the time with the vidios you send me thank you
Simple, but sweet! Thanks
Remarkable. Don’t need a suitcase to carry that riff. TKS
you make it so easy for a novice to feel like he’s accomplishing something, & actually playing guitar…thank you!
Man that was the best lesson I ever had ,Thanks Griff it really improved my playing !
Thanks for the followup, I have only just ordered your blues guitar unleashed package and are very impressed with the little snippets you are already supplying to keep me enthused. Can’t wait for the program to arrive. Haven’t played for about 10 years but have tried to learn blues in the past but my teachers weren’t into it and random tabs got me no where. My fingers are itching to get into your course. Love what I’ve seen so far!
WOW! A bit off topic. Griff, I see that you have the same ebony and cream 1960 Classic LP that I have. Yours sounds a lot better somehow. ; )
I got mine on clearance. I went to look at the Studios, and realized that for a little more, I could get the Classic LP with the binding and glossy finish. Total impulse buy, and never regretted it.
Simple and very cool.
Griff
I have been playing Blues now how about 8 years and love your stuff. It’s always well done and very helpful. This lesson is something I never thought of but will be using it tonight at my jam with the Cruse Control Blues Band. To all the people going to jams, never compair yourself to other guitar players. Just do your thing and really listen to what is going on. There is no better way to learn then to play with others
A very simple lesson but also very important. Learning to play good cords is a must for anyone who wants to learn playing good lead. Your vids do an outstanding job of making it fun and easy.
Well done guys!
Cheers!
PS, Have a great New Years!!!
thanks for all the information my guitar playing is really coming along thanks to you i know vwhat 12 bars blues is and s0loing got a lot easier
so i get this gig in my old home town…St Jo. Mo…I really do not want to pull this train alone…the joint is called Acoustic Cafe… I put the Peavey 15″ 30W, (Delta Blues), a stratocaster as a backup… a 99 Telly “Thin Line” that I am fond of, and PRS in the van and left Toledo for a little adventure…The drummer is setting up when i get ther around 6pm. The bass player shows up around 7 pm… we shot the bull, tuned up, and take off playing. We set up a camera…let it run…and created 2 hours of magic the likes of which I had rarely participated in much less filmed… the evidence is on youtube (ezygittar09) and on my facebook page. They made me better and I made them better… magic night…Thank you Lord for letting me be one of the three that night.
Good chords for a band but less effective in a duo or trio
Simple pimple bragh!
Thanks for your help Griff,
now i’m in vacation i think i will have time and taste of playing back guit. a little bit.
Wish you great Christmass holiday , see more from you , bye !
Griff, Thanks I am enjoying this info all the time. I am a bass player and am learning lots from you. I have always loved the blues and you make it where anyone can understand “how to play it”. Thanks again.
Dude, that is flippin’ amazing. I try to keep my blues mindless and simple, as fun and relaxing, as possible. But this little gem is the ultimate in simplicity. Thanks.
Hi Griff!
I really loved this story and video because a few years ago my guitar teacher forced me to go to a Friday night jam session at his friend’s house. I was a nervous wreck! Even after taking years of lessons, I didn’t think I was any good. It doesn’t come natural to me at all! I have to practise, practise and practise and for many years I had a very demanding position and worked 24/7 so there wasn’t alot of time for practise. But I loved to play and used it to escape from the rest of the world. Anyway, at the jams, I gained alot of confidence and played much better and really enjoyed it. Unfortuantely, they stopped just recently. I actually have a small band of friends that just get together and play (we don’t play out) but only chords – I can’t seem to play any solos with them. I love to watch your videos and read your stories and have learned alot so far. Keep up the good work. Thanks, Jo-Anne
Gotta love Griff! Griff neither over or under teaches. I am a decent (now retired) teacher who (without baby-sitting) will at times over-teach; leaving students bored before dismissing them as inattentive.
I know it seems elementary but music discovery – like cars, guitars, art, girls, physics and most inventions – is about grace and elegance – about artful anticipation that leaves some stuff in and other stuff out. Students here learn first precision and the value of play it clean or leave it un-played.
Hey Griff. I had quite the experience one night. I was playing and singing when my false teeth came out and hit the mic and then I got them back in almost instantly but missed two words of the song. I looked out at the crowd and three girls right in front of me were pointing and laughing at what they had just seen me do. I quickly played a little na na na na naaaaaaaaa na and we all laughed. I lost my teeth when I was twenty years old but never expected anything like that to happen. One night back in the early sixties the Rolling Stones were playing in Sacramento and mick had some guitar string ends sticking out of his guitar, (he actually played guitar then) when one went into his mic and shocked him. He fell backward like a rock and concert was stopped. lol.
*** doh! 3 x 3rd-7th I meant!
Beautiful demonstration on how less is actually more in this case. Your course & video pearls are priceless. Thank you.
Again, thanks for simplifying it for us “wannabees”. Great to have a guy like you helping us out!
Nice. Some say this is the heart of blues harmony – those magic 3 x 4th-7th intervals (diminished fifth intervals!).
Thanks, Griff!! I learn something and get a littttllllle better with each video. Keep up the good stuff.
A few years ago I realized that I knew enough guitar players to put a little jam together, plus a drummer and keyboard player. I figure I’m a mediocre player and there were players bother better and worse than me that showed up.
We were of course doing some blues that everyone could add something to. As it became my turn to show my stuff (which I didn’t really have much to show) I was hitting a couple basic licks and muddling through OK. Then I happened to glance up and of course everyone was looking at me since I was doing the lead. I not only lost my place, I completely forgot what key we were playing in! 12 bars can sometimes take an eternity to get through! But I lived through it. And after doing a few songs like that I became more comfortable and it got easier.
I have learned since that at a jam, there will just about always be someone who I am better than, and someone who is lots better than me. And no matter how good anybody is, it’s all in good fun and nobody really cares about how others play. Just showing up gains respect from guitar players of all levels.
Thanks for all you hints and tips Grif! I’ve learned a lot from your videos!
Joe
Hi Griff, Needless to say “Great Stuff”, however I have had experienced, now few times, where I can not load the PDF file. It tells me that the file has been damaged and it is not repearable. Any idea on fix?
Griff – I am continuously amazed at how you can demystify and simplify the blues for us non-musician folks. I can follow along both mentally and with my guitar all of this video, except for the part where you where you are explaining things for the “theory geeks’, that just went right by me. It so nice to actually be able to play along. Thanks so much for remembering us perpetual novices. Happy Holidays.
Great little video lessons.
I really appreciate the attention to detail.
Thanks a lot.