If you ever go to an open jam session, or even just get together with some friends once in a while, the time will come when everyone sits around looking at each other….
“What do you want to play?”
“I dunno what do you want to play?”
“Do you know, (insert song here)?”
“No, how about ….”
And so it continues.When all else fails, as it will very soon, someone always says “let’s just play blues in e.” What that means is, “you play rhythm while I solo, then I’ll play rhythm while you solo if you want.”
So what exactly is this mysterious song “Blues in E?” It’s just a common pattern that seems to be everywhere you go. It’s been handed down generations and now I’m passing it on to you.
Once you get the idea, try to play along
Downloads (as always… right click on the name and choose “save target as” or something similar)
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This is what I have been looking for. Thank you
This reminds me of the old song (instrumental) Honkie Tonk Part 1
Hi Griff,
I would like to know if you offer any bass guitar instructional videos.
Thanks for giving me a chance to try to catch. My guitar was in the shop , had to get a little work done. Just got started and I am very impressed Your lessons are Great and So easy to learn. I am back reading notes. I am learning so much. Can thank you enought. Plan to puchase both Beginning Blues and Unleashed.
Click Here! to see how to play with a drummer!!!
I believe this is a very helpfull for me to expand my learning of blues , personnally I never learn enough about playing guitar
and will certainly purchase this ( $ 147.00 set ) after the Christmas holidays…or (in January 2012…) Many thanks…much appreciated..
Griff:
I have commented to before and again I sure do appreciate these videos with your tips. I’m a blues harmonica player and got a chance to play with Mr Henry Gray in Myrtle Beach, SC at the Pirotes Cove in Ocean Drive September 2010. This was the height of my musical ladder. I was honered. Griff, my Dad bought me a Fender student model “Musicmaker” guitar in 1957 and a finder amp. I used to play a lot in the late 50′s and 60′s and the guitar went with me through all of my traveles over the many years and was beat up a little. I took it to the Guitar Center in Greenville, S. C. in September and ask them to fix it that I wanted to start playing again. The salesman said I can fix it but you can’t leave it with us because it’s a ventage guitar and I don’t want to be responsible for it. I did’nt know this and they offered me right at $1,600 for it. Instead of cash I got a $1,300 American Strat (standard) and a $500 Fender Blues III Jr. amp and I believe my Dad would be proud. I’m 68 years young and retired now and trying to start back playing the guitar. I will be ordering your courses when I figure out which one would be best for me at this time. I want my guitar to sound more bluesey so the Guitar Center is putting a “hunbucker pick-up” if this is the way to spell this pick up” on the Strat for me. Thank you for your tips.
Doug Collins
your instructions are being constantly interrupter by buffering any suggestions
love your simple tunes and how you break it down so its easy to under stand thank
Hey Griff,
Wow! I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate what you do.
I’ve been a casual drummer/percussionist & singer for years,
yet have always glanced at the guitar like looking at a woman who’s
out of my league.
It’s been a part of my life that I feel has just been missing.
And it’s not like I had never tried to play the guitar before…
I have – several times – and always badly.
My fingers felt like I had cerebral palsy. I just couldn’t make them
do what I wanted them to do, and whatever came out of the guitar just sounded like hot crap on a sidewalk.
…Until I accidentally stumbled across YOU & your site here!
I don’t know what it was, but something about your style of teaching
and how you demonstrated the ‘Porch Sittin’ Blues’ made me run
downstairs & grab up my ol’ acoustic Yamaha G-55 (which my mother had lent me in hopes of me eventually learning how to play), and sit down
‘with’ you & actually PLAY the Guitar!! And it sounded GOOD!
That small, little success gave me the confidence to learn the next thing-
how to play an actual CHORD! (taught by you, of course).
You showed me how incredibly simple it is to read TABS (a God-given gift to mankind lol), and I was off & running!
That was less than 2 weeks ago.
A few days ago, my mother came to visit my family & me,
and I asked her if she remembered her guitar that she loaned me.
She did & I asked her to play whatever she remembered.
After she did that, she passed it back to me & asked me if I knew anything.
Griff, I’ve gotta tell you that I blew her away with what I showed her!
I played several songs, some sweet chord progressions, and even a few licks
on that ol’ acoustic.
My kids & girlfriend even came in & started listening, and all started
smiling & clapping along.
It was AWESOME!!
I can’t believe that only 2 weeks ago, I couldn’t even play anything
on the guitar other than ‘Smoke on the Water’… badly. lol.
Thanks to you, I now have the confidence to learn more & enjoy the heck out of it. I might not ever get to be a virtuoso or a master, but I’m really happy
just learning & playing music on this beautiful instrument.
Not only that, but I just bought my son a nice electric Fender guitar
for his 12th birthday, and guess who he wants to teach him how to play?
…ME!!
So not only have you helped ME to play, but you’ve also helped make
me look like a hero in my sons’ eyes, and I just can’t express
how grateful I am to you for that.
So rock on & keep bluesin’ out, brother.
Best,
Tony Pearl
Sounds great and is a super motivator!
Your teaching style is also great!
Hang in there.
iv been playing that lick for 60 years and old black gentleman show me that lick iv play every thing around that lick as soon as i get the money ill buy your guitar couses i need to make some money but instead of singing i want to play lead that way i can set down if you know what i mean
Hey Griff, I’ve been playing this riff for a long time and always wondered what it was called and what it looked like on paper. My daughter and I are enjoying learning the blues together and we really look forward to your lessons. Your method is one of the best I’ve seen. Keep it up man. SF
Hi GRIFF,,,I AM JUST LEARNING , I AM OLDER . I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN QUITAR . LESSONS ARE GREAT , NEED SOME INPUT ON READING TABS . DONT QUIET UNDERSTAND THEM ,DOING A GREAT SERVICE FOR US OLDER FOLKS . THANKS AGAIN . GERRI
Just read Ron E.’s post. Ditto in many respects. Been playing a long time but it wasn’t until I stumbled onto your site, easy-going teaching method, and materials that those missing “secrets” fell into place. Here’s where I rant and rail on everyone of you selfish guitarist for knowing a few simple little things and not sharing with those begging to learn more. You sorry s…… ! (90 minutes later… ) Are you just coming to this site? Stick around! I’ve been 3 weeks with this stuff and Griff’s intermediate email materials and my speed has almost doubled, I can improv’ without sour notes, and nevermind playing metal licks; give me more old-school blues! Seriously, 1st thing I do is check my email for the next tidbit until I can scrape the cash together for the full DVD course. From where I sit, I’m trading dirt for diamonds! Oh, and while you’re wondering if Griff can play as well as he teaches, check YouTube! And he’s got a decent set of pipes too.
Hi Griff
Don’t mean to be so familiar, but I’ve watched your lessons via email so many times that its like I know you and you’re a welcome member of the family. I’ve been messing with the guitar since 1959 when my grandpa gave me a Martin D35. Had no idea of what it was and eventially lost track of it the way I did my Fender Jaguar. Wish I had them now. I had played the accordian for years and was very familiar with chord progressions and it was easy to play rhythm in a country and western band in the local bars. I didn’t even know the names of the strings but was able to fit in. On and off over the years I stumbled across one junk guitar after another but was ok with that because I didn’t want to study and practice the way I had the accordion. I picked up on barr chords and had no trouble playing while singing and keeping up with the lead. Resigned myself to never go beyond that point because I could never get anyone to show me what I always new must be there, even with the accordion I knew there was more because I could here it but never knew where it was. The first time you talked about and demonsrated the pentatonic scale it all came tumbling in to place. It was like I had been driving in the thickest fog imanginable and sudden ly breaking into the clear sunlight. I got an instant hate on for those that had chose not to share. How unselfish of you to share your knowledge and time. I feel guilty that I have not yet had the money to afford your beginning blues course. I figured after one or two emails I would cut off but your tips and little lessons are still comming. I am excited to know as soon as I have the moeny the rest of expertise will be at my disposal, and with your method of teaching, slow and close up, I have learned more from your emails than I have in the last 50 years. With your musical notation coresponding to your excellant tabs learning the notes of the fretboard is automatic. Thank you Griff, You’ve provided to me what I never thought I would find. Please forgive me for taking advantage of the free stuff til I can purchase the course. I seriously sudied music from an accordion conservatory for a long time and I can assure you none of it measured up to the the pentatonic forms and your methodology. Good on ya. I’ll be purchasing the course as soon as I can, know you hear that all the time, but if what you have been willing to share in your emails is a sample of the lessons, I can’t wait to get my hands on them. God Bless You!! Ron Eskelson, age 66.
all i can tell everyone out there get the word out about griff,his teaching methods are the best i’ve ever seen.i,v played for 45 years or more and have not seen lessons like this across the country,and i,ve done it twice.griff has givin me some thing no one can take away confordence!a friend of mine played lead for steppiwolf for 7 years and i think he could learn a thing or 2 maybe3 jimi
Hi Griff,
I think it sounds better on electric and I started alternating on the B chord as well. My kind of stuff.
Really cool! I just got this down, neat little trick to sit in with musicians that are more experienced than(been play for 7 months now). I too spend more time with my guitar than my wife because I’m working out of town 7 weeks at a time, I’ve learned so much in just the last few weeks from you & videos-you make it easy to learn, great way to make my stay seem shorter. I can’t wait for my DVDs to show up. My wife is going to send me the first to my motel one as soon as it comes next week. Thanks again Griff!
Jim
Griff!
Awesome way to pass the time in a hotel room. As an airline pilot I spend a lot of time on the road. My guitar is my companion and relieves the lonelies. Keep up the good work.
Dan Mack
USAirways
As a single mom of 4, I’ve been plucking along at a pretty slow pace with the lessons and got curious about the Blues in E. That was fun!!! My kids are even proud of me, with the youngest saying “Mommy that was nice. It didn’t hurt my ears”. Anyway, It actually sounded like something resembling music! I so enjoy your style of teaching. I can’t play smoothly yet…that will come with practice…but at least my practicing isnt hurting any ears and it’s sounding like music (LOL).
I am looking forward to future lessons. Thanks Bunches & Oodles.
strumming along in utah
Ah, Blues in E… now that takes me back to many an unruly jam session…
Griff,
It’s been 35 years since I’ve picked up a guitar. Your online lessons are bringing back a lot to me. Thanks a whole lot!
I’ve have just started to learn how to play the guitar and you videos have help alot so i guess im tryrying to say thanks.
Hi Griff. As promised my daughter has purchased for me your dvd set and is bringing it to the UK when she comes over next week. I may be 79 but am still very interested and impressed by your ems. Keep up the good work and let us know if you were one of the lucky ones following our votes? Maurice
hi, griff paul again just to let you know that ive caught up with the videos now and i have been practicing blues in E this is getting great cant wait to get further as i have said before im self taught and could do some chords but got stuck . i put my guitar down and didnot pick it up for years then i found your learning course and it isnt till you get on a bit further that you relise how important learning from the very basics at the begining realy is and as brought me back to playing my guitar again thanks again for your fantastic lessons ‘brilliant’ paul webster uk.
I want to thank you beyond words for you consideration of us who are financially challenged and cannot afford formal lessons. I started on guitar many years ago and worked with the famous? Mel Bay music books to total frustration ha! ha! I’m sure I’m not alone on that one. Your videos would have saved me a ton of frustration and time. They are very clear and fast to learn. I thank you again and keep up the wonderful work. I am sure you will be rewarded somewhere down the line for the joy you are spreading .
Love Your Lesson’s I love your cd’s an your book’s with the tab’s.
I Want to thank you for the Free lessons Griff. I can’t aford to pay , But I am learning to Play. I have your E Bar Blues. Setting on the porch easy blues. The 4 begining rifs down And moving up and down the Fret board with the Pent Scale .
I am amazed that I was able to learn that so easy from your vidios. I do thank you Sir. I will deffinitly go to the crossroads and Vote for you and your band. Thanks Griff. Ant
I’m not able to read music and play completely by ear. Your
playing of what you are teaching is therefore more than
helpful to me. I’m also competely self-taught….just because
I’ve always loved the sound of a guitar. I play folk, blues,
country….whatever, for my own enjoyment. Anything I
learn from you is a plus!
Straight out of early 50′s rock n roll. Tempo to suit your mood. Rock On!
I need to see the string a little closer when u pick them
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