BSBB Blues Speed Building Blocks

Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
Well, not to let the cat out of the bag, but that COULD be a special topic for an upcoming... <ahem> “guest lecturer”...

What do you say, Ham Grifflin?! :)

Kevin
I try not to say anything whenever possible ;)
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
@Griff this might take a while. At one beer I'm comfortably challenged at 120 BPM on the Group 1 solo. So 130 is more stumbling than I like and 140 isn't happening. At 2 beers (as my practice was interrupted with today's webinar) I drop 10 to being comfortably challenged at 110. But in order to play at these higher speeds I start with the warm-ups and then go right to the Group 1 Level 1 play-a-longs........ and do everything into the Group 1 Level 3 solo's taking a break at the end of each session. Do I need to get group 1 entirely under my belt before I move to group 2?
 

Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
@Griff this might take a while. At one beer I'm comfortably challenged at 120 BPM on the Group 1 solo. So 130 is more stumbling than I like and 140 isn't happening. At 2 beers (as my practice was interrupted with today's webinar) I drop 10 to being comfortably challenged at 110. But in order to play at these higher speeds I start with the warm-ups and then go right to the Group 1 Level 1 play-a-longs........ and do everything into the Group 1 Level 3 solo's taking a break at the end of each session. Do I need to get group 1 entirely under my belt before I move to group 2?
No, not entirely. If you're doing 80% or better on all of Group 1 I'd move on. Most people make the mistake of taking too much time at the slower speeds and not letting their fingers know what is expected of them.
 

Mr.Scary

A Blues Legend in My Own Mind
I am painfully doing Group 1 & 2 @ Level 2 . A few trip me up but I think that is do to "A CUT RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF MY FREAKING INDEX FINGER". Ouuuch. I digress.
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
No, not entirely. If you're doing 80% or better on all of Group 1 I'd move on. Most people make the mistake of taking too much time at the slower speeds and not letting their fingers know what is expected of them.
OK. For Group 1, I can probably skip the Level 1 play-a-longs and that'll give me 25 minutes to start on Group 2 level 1 play-a-longs. I think I can jump into the Group 1 Level 2 play-a-longs successfully. And then I'll get to the Group 1 Level 3 solo earlier in the day too!
 

Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
OK. For Group 1, I can probably skip the Level 1 play-a-longs and that'll give me 25 minutes to start on Group 2 level 1 play-a-longs. I think I can jump into the Group 1 Level 2 play-a-longs successfully. And then I'll get to the Group 1 Level 3 solo earlier in the day too!
You can also substitute the Group 1 solo for the Level 1 time. That's it's purpose. If you can play that solo, you can keep all those moves under your fingers in a lot less time.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
Just a couple of small misprints/errors in the manual CD track listing.

CD 6 doesn't have tracks 21-23 listed.

21 4 Bar Phrase - Level 3 Speed
22 Group 4 Half Bar 60-80 bpm (Ex 4)
23 Group 4 60-90 bpm 2 Bar (7-8)

CD 5 listing jumps from track 14 to 16, so tracks 16 thru 36 should be 1 less, i.e. 35 total tracks.


Here's the DVD listings. Might save you some time.

DVD 1

Intro
Warm-up breakdown & Play Along
Group 1 Breakdowns
Group 1 Level 1 Play Alongs

DVD 2

Group 1 Level 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Solo 1 Intro
Solo 1 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Group 2 Breakdowns

DVD 3

Group 2 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs

DVD 4

Solo 2 Intro
Solo 2 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Group 3 Breakdowns
Group 3 Level 1 Play Alongs

DVD 5

Group 3 Level 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Solo 3 Intro
Solo 3 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs

DVD 6

Group 4 Breakdowns
Group 4 Play Alongs
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
Just a couple of small misprints/errors in the manual CD track listing.

CD 6 doesn't have tracks 21-23 listed.

21 4 Bar Phrase - Level 3 Speed
22 Group 4 Half Bar 60-80 bpm (Ex 4)
23 Group 4 60-90 bpm 2 Bar (7-8)

CD 5 listing jumps from track 14 to 16, so tracks 16 thru 36 should be 1 less, i.e. 35 total tracks.


Here's the DVD listings. Might save you some time.

DVD 1

Intro
Warm-up breakdown & Play Along
Group 1 Breakdowns
Group 1 Level 1 Play Alongs

DVD 2

Group 1 Level 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Solo 1 Intro
Solo 1 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Group 2 Breakdowns

DVD 3

Group 2 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs

DVD 4

Solo 2 Intro
Solo 2 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Group 3 Breakdowns
Group 3 Level 1 Play Alongs

DVD 5

Group 3 Level 2 & 3 Play Alongs
Solo 3 Intro
Solo 3 Level 1, 2 & 3 Play Alongs

DVD 6

Group 4 Breakdowns
Group 4 Play Alongs
Has the help desk been alerted?
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Man, I was trucking along really well today (I started over at Group 1 Level 1)
I got all the way up through Group 1, Example 8, Level 2 (130bpm) just fine then I'm stopped dead in my tracks. I can't get my fingers to move fast enough for Level 3.
 

Mr.Scary

A Blues Legend in My Own Mind
Man, I was trucking along really well today (I started over at Group 1 Level 1)
I got all the way up through Group 1, Example 8, Level 2 (130bpm) just fine then I'm stopped dead in my tracks. I can't get my fingers to move fast enough for Level 3.
Level 2 is 90-110 bpm I thought
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
I moved onto Group 2 last night so I'm, just working the solo's for Group 1 today. Group 2 looks like it'll be tougher than Group 1.

I tell you what, Group 1 Level 3 is pretty darn fast. Especially at 130 and 140. I think the difference of being fast and not playing it at all is making sure that you get these bends are done properly and done in time to move your fingers "accurately" for the next written note. If your just a bit off? dust it off and pick it up on the next phrase........ Now if we played more heavy metal we could all be faster.... fewer if any full step bends!
 

Mr.Scary

A Blues Legend in My Own Mind
yes.

Level 2 is 90, 100, 110
Level 3 is 120, 130, 140...........

Thats my point when MikeS said"I got all the way up through Group 1, Example 8, Level 2 (130bpm) just fine then I'm stopped dead in my tracks."
Group1 Level 2 would top out at 110 bpm.
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
Thats my point when MikeS said"I got all the way up through Group 1, Example 8, Level 2 (130bpm) just fine then I'm stopped dead in my tracks."
Group1 Level 2 would top out at 110 bpm.
All I know is that the last examples of Group 2 at level 2 are pretty darn challenging..... :eek:
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
All I know is that the last examples of Group 2 at level 2 are pretty darn challenging..... :eek:
And there I was working one these same Group 2 level 2 examples again today......... and my e string just breaks!! I can't remember the last time my e string has broken? It's a darn good thing I had my trusty Firebird all tuned up and ready to go............
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
Well I went into Group 2 Level 2 solo and just for kicks I started in on Group 2 Level 3 play-a-longs........ Jezz! Really? The level 2 solo is not out of reach but the Level 3 play-a-longs? It just wasn't going to be today......... :Beer:
 
Last edited:

Mr.Scary

A Blues Legend in My Own Mind
While I'm going through Level 2 I thought I'll try it with some Jam Tracks. Whole different ball game I think to play to those as opposed to a click track I think but with some practice I'll forge on.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
While I'm going through Level 2 I thought I'll try it with some Jam Tracks. Whole different ball game
When I get "finished" I'm going to go back and put the examples in my looper and change the pitch so they are in different keys.

I think that will also seem like a "whole different ball game."

Keep the faith.

BTW: Griff does provide 2 jam tracks to play to, as well as the click tracks.
 

JohnPetersen

Blues Newbie
Just getting into this course. I'm into group two level one play alongs and noticed that the blue line counter disappears after example 6. I'm using the online version. Is this intentional ?
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
noticed that the blue line counter disappears after example 6. I'm using the online version. Is this intentional ?

I have the DVDs and the blue line is always there.

I checked it out online and you are most definitely correct. It does not appear after Ex 6 in that section, but is back in the next.

I think that would be filed under Oops!!!!

I also noticed, for the first time, that for Ex 6 the little drop down thingy at the beginning actually says Ex 5.

A very minor Oops!!!
 
Top