Today’s video is in response to a common question about how to play “real” blues songs in a solo context (meaning, just you and a guitar, not a band.)
This is a pretty common thing to want to do and highlights the difference between a song and an arrangement, or a specific recording of a song.
If you just want to play a song, you just may already have the tools to do it.
23 replies to "How To Play “Real” Songs By Yourself"
A long-time course buyer, one question? Blues Guitar tab lesson, where can I get it?
Rick
Great Video! It answered many question I’ve had. Among them, I couldn’t see where to mix in all your one and two bar licks.
I’m looking at soloing with an acoustic guitar and singing.
You took a 12 or 8 bar blues at random and played a groove like the basic blues shuffle for the first two bars of each line. Then added a fill for the next two bars. Then finished with a choice of turnarounds to end each time through.
This is actually a breakthrough for me. I can take any song – play a groove for the 1st two bars of each line and sing. Then I can choose a fill for bars 3-4 and 7-8. Then finish with a turnaround.
This is a really good foundation for further innovation and improvisation, while not slavishly copying and memorizing exact songs. Thanks.
I am about 20 licks into “How to Jam The Blues Alone on your Guitar”. That course along with “How to Build Blues Songs” will get you playing like this. It is just a slow process. There is no fast way to get all those licks under your fingers. Just keep hammering away. It works.
Exactly what I’m looking for. Do you plug in specific riffs to a particular song to always use for that song? I’m considering writing out my own tabs for each shuffle blues song I play.
Light bulbs turned on. Thanks
Griff. Like you’ve pointed out before the width of our reach barring and applying the 7 while applying the pinkie is fixed. I’ll be damned if I can make my hand defy that rule. I generally play that stuff first position whenever possible.
If you guys enjoy this playing on the porch type playing, then you would enjoy learning,”The Spent Money Blues”. This is a course Griff teaches and it is a absolute blast to learn and play. I learned this song about 5 years ago and I play it almost every day. I have this song in my back pocket always ready to Rock the acoustic guitar!
They’re inspirational quotes.
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
It reminds us to take precautionary measures, so we don’t end up with bad results.
It’s become one of the most viral memes on the internet.
This also reminds me of a precept by Sir Edwin Sandys, a politician who helped establish Jamestown, Virginia.
One of his most notable is, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Not so much.
So my advice.
An aphorism is a literary device that uses a short, clever saying to express a general truth.
And since they’re universal truths about life, they help persuade your reader to accept your message.
Another success aphorism comes from Chris Grosser.
Moris7l*all Remember that.
Have you ever felt frustrated when other people didn’t meet your expectations.
Other Common Examples of Aphorisms
Skilled writers use aphorisms to evoke big ideas in a relatable way.
Your stories can benefit from this method too.
Pontificate or bloviate? Only the learned know for sure.
Thanks , it looks like a lot of fun while sitting around playing .it also is great for learning a lot of different liks.
Griff inspired me to buy a sweet Les Paul by Epiphone. This forced me to consider the need for an acoustic. First time out I see an premium $200 vintage Ibanez Ragtime Special with lousy action. I simply had to get the bridge adjusted so she plays in tune at the 12th. I think the stiffer strings that came on it forced me to voice chords more carefully. Fortunately, I actually sounded like a real player when I went back to the electric. Then, like a junkie, I’m back to the music store where I nabbed a ’99 Fender Princeton Chorus that literally looks like it just came out of the box. Wow! -TWO Inputs! ..won’t be long ’till the amp is singin’ the Blues for a vintage Tele with a well worn maple neck!!
Now that’s what I’m talking about!!!
Great lesson. I’m new to this and following your Playing on the Porch. Quickly realised that it gives me the basis to play Before You Accuse Me which I love.
Totally! I absolutely could have done that song the same way, and have on many occasions.
Did you provide a tab l can download for this lesson? For some reason I am having a problem logging in. This is a first-time problem for me on your site.
There isn’t a TAB for this lesson, it’s more of something to get your ideas flowing. If you have courses like the ones I mentioned, you can easily find the TAB for those particular building blocks.
How to Jam the Blues Alone is another great course by Griff that goes along with this concept. I would recommend it along with ABGU.
Thank you, I’ll just add that it’s not the best choice to do first since it assumes you’ve learned many of the building blocks in ABGU.
Thanks, Griff. Great lesson today. Several light bulb moments for me. This video cleared up several things for me that have been causing me heartburn.
Hey Griff, you pointed out one time the fact that the distance between my pointer finger and my pinkie will never increase and it’s an uncomfortable stretch. What’s the work around for playing that rhythm ?
It’s not a workaround, but if you lay your guitar flat on your lap with the strings down, you’ll find that you can make the stretch easily… so the trick is to maintain that hand position while it’s upright. That usually means getting the guitar much higher so that your wrist can drop and make the stretch.
Works for me.
I’ll give it a shot.