Play Blues Guitar – 5 Easy Steps to Play Like BB King 12-Bar

If you want to play the blues on guitar here are a few tips to get you started. This style of music can be easy but has its tough parts on any instrument. The range of arrangements varies, and as you get better, the tougher ones will come. There have been many influences to this sound by many well-known musicians throughout the years and these tips will put you on the right road. Here are some tips to get you started playing the blues.

Tip #1: First off, you need to learn the progression of cords in a blues style. Most times a one, four, five progression comprises the scale of the blues. Each key has its own harmonization and these numbers represent the cords needed to achieve the sound needed. For instance if you were playing in the key of A, you would use A, D7, E7, D7, A as your basic elements for this song

Whether you are picking it or strumming it out on your guitar the sound will surprise you.

Tip #2: Once you have learned the blues progressions, you?re ready to experiment with the different rhythms of this style. Listen to other blues tunes and use the tempos there to find out what you like the best. This may be a short tip, but the beat of the blues is vitally important to playing this music.

Tip # 3: Learning the different scales on your guitar is key to being a good blues player. The pentatonic and blues scales are the easiest to begin with and will offer you a wide range of sounds to play with. Your speed and timing will get much better with a little practice and soon you will be able to add a lick or two with the lead and improve your playing sound ten fold.

Tip # 4: Licks are just another way to bring out your own sound of the blues. If you listen to other artists licks and add your own style to it, you can create music that?s your own. Interpretation and progression are the key links to a great blues player. Pick out a good blues tune and see the results.

Tip #5: The last tip is about technique. There are a few techniques that define the blues as a different style of music. Learn the slide, this is one of the most recognized sounds of blues and is done by using a single string and sliding up and down with a bar throughout the neck of your guitar. Another major technique is the bending of the strings to reach a higher octave or pitch and the wobbling of the strings to give a vibrato sound. No one can teach you how to play the blues by just writing about it, but hopefully these tips will help in your quest to try.