Table Of Content

LUES jee GOURSE INCLUDES + 96 Pages with Text & Tablature Lessons +3 Hours of Easy to Follow Instructions on 2 DVDs + (30 Professional Backing Tracks and Playing Examples on2 CDs + Lifetime Membership for Online Lesson Support < e BLUES GUITAR COURSE hy John McCarthy Written and Adapted by Steve Gorenberg ‘Supervising Editor: Joe Palombo Production Manager: Anna-Lisa Tedeschi Photography: Joe Palombo, Scott Sawala Audio Engineers: Joe Cuzino, Jimmy Rutkowsk! Music Transcribing, Engraving and Book Design: Steve Gorenberg Copy Editors and Proofreaders: Alex Palombo, Irene Villaverde Cover Art Direction and Design: Jennifer Piankoski ISBN: 978-0-97a9892-6-4 Produced by The Rock House Mathao® © 2007 Fred Russell Publishing, LLC All Rights Reserved House of Blues Photos © 2005 House cf Blues All Rights Reserved Table of Contents About the Authe oe Rooke Introduction ..... Li - 6 Toonlley ......0.. is Chapter ...sessessuee 8 Essential Blues Tools 8 Tuning 3 Parts ofthe Guitar 10 Roading a Chord Chart 4 Opon Bivos Chords 12 ‘Open hojor Chords 2 Open liner Chords 4 Open Chord Blues lo: ae Major Blues ss : ; 16 Minor Blues 5 ; 7 Rhythm Notation 18 Tablature Explanation i 18 Blucs : 20 Chapter 2 The Minor Pentatoni Seale : 22 “st Position A Minor Pentalonic Seale 22 2nd Positian A Minor Pentatonic Seale’. sae 22 ard Postion A Minor Pentatonie Scale ese 2a 4th Position A hlinor Pantalonie Scale 23 Sth Position A Minor Pantatonio Seale ie 23 Minor Peniatonic Scale Fretboard Diagram : siiaie ad Altemate Picking eS as eee Lead Patlerns : eee Double Lead Paltern Rec. 28 Triplet Lead Pattem « ee 26 Lead Techniques. page ct 28 Bending ..-..csssscsese Bee ce 28 Hammer Ons ieee a Digs Pall Offs cores 3 eRe ee Complete Blues Lead ; co Chapter 3 Creating a Great Blues Sound ; ental 3 Blues Fits That Wil Make Yo Mama Seream 22 THEBB. BOK ess sesscseesceees sassact ieee hulle Blues Rhythm 0200200200001 eas 85: Full hes Lead +... scscscs0 evoas Chapter 4. Barre Chords Sth String Barre Ghards . Retreat «88 Sth String Barre Chords ° 1... Re 40 Understanding the 12 Bar Blues Goneept Byres AB Single Note Blues Rhythm ren Rc 4 Transposing the Minor Pealatonie Seale Lroeaea “ Chapter 5 .. 1 Lead Techniques ees Se A Slides i Aten arenes 45 Vibrato 5 Rockin’ the Blues - Dead Situms anes ‘Sees Blues Riffs That Will Make Yo Mama Scream Part 2 ea 48 Open Chord Blues Progression in Em 48 Chapter 6. Bluos Scales -Key of E... Secei 50 1st Position E Blues Scale isa fe 50 2nd Position E Blues Scales... 2... ne BO 8rd Position E Blues Scale Po alae 51 44th Position E Blues Scale 25 Sth Position E Blues Scale... rer Open Position E Blues Scale... 252 Blues Scalo Frotboard Diagram 82 Open String Blues Rhythm in E .. Advanced Bonding Techniques . Half Stop Bend eae Ghost Bend 0... Double Pump Bend Scream Bend Blues Lead in E nT. r © Open Chords ee recat iee s = 58 Major Chords ooo. iiosececeeees 258 Minor Chords : cee af Feb ante BE Advanced Blues Jazz Chords cen eee! 57 ‘The Jazz Blues Fuze 60 Lead Techniques . . 61 Rakes ...... ei Pick & Finger 62 Advanced Bluos Rifts 2000000020200 eee Mest hes Chapter 8 Barre Chords... 4 Aso 86 Sth String Barro Chords ba 66 Sth Siting Barre Chords... : preacca Sandie. 22 86. Skioping Strings. : sae 87 The G Major Pontatonic Scale secant fami tran . 68 ‘1st Position G Major Pentatonic Seale... 0... ec eeeeee 68 2nd Position C Major Pentatonic Scale er act 31d Position G Major Pentatonic Scale <a ROR e+ 2 68 4th Postion G Major Pontatonic Scale app: 2 ee 69 Sth Position © Major Pentatonic Scale... esses 69 Fast Bluss in C (Sliding Rhythm)... 70 Combining Major and Minor Seales... : 2 Improvisation Exercise... 3 it 3 Chapter 9 ‘Sixteenth Note Lead Pattern sae 74 4st Postion D Minar Pentatonic bob i 2nd Position D Minar Pentatonic B Blues lock Progression - Key of D ... 76 Classic Old School Blues Turnarounds . . Chapter 10 . Modern Blues Progression -Citole of Fourths Piece 20 Natural Minor Seales a | eae ‘st Postion A Minor Scale ae LS er 2nd Position A Minor Scale peas ik 81 Melodie Lead... ss... i ese... 82 Side Technique and Rhythm eS eee 83 E Blues Riff Rhythm wt. Bite. 84 E Blues Solo i i aS Never Coming Back Changlag a String House of Blues . CD Track List & Index About the Author John McCarthy Creator of the Rock House Method John isthe creator of The Rock House Method®, the world's leading musical instruction system. Over his 20 year career, ne has produced andor appeared in more than 100 instructional praducts. Milions of people around the world have learned to play musie using Jahn's easy to follow. accelerated pragram, John is a virtuoso guitarist who has worked with some of the industry's mast legendary musicians. He has {he abilty to breek down, teach and communicato music in a manner that motivates and inspires others to 2chleve their dreams of playing an instrument, 4s a guitarist and songurtter, John blends together @ unique style of Rock, Metal, Funk and Blues in a collage of melodic compositions, jam-packed with masterul guitar techniques. His sound has been described as a combination af vintage guitar rack with a progressive, gritty edge that is perfecty suited for today’s audiences, Throughout his career. John has recorded and performed with renowned musicians like Doug Winbish (who Fas worked with Jos Satriani, Living Colour, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Annie Lennox and many more top fight artists}, Grammy winner Leo Nocenteli, Rack & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Bernie Worrall ‘anc Jerome “Big Foot’ Braley, Freekbass, Gary Hoey, Bobby Kimball, Davie Ellefson (founding member at seven time Grammy nominee Megadetn}, Wil Calhoun (who has worked with B.B. King. Mick Jagger and Paul Simon), Jordan Giengreco from the acclaimed band The Breakfast, and solo artist Alex Bach. John has also shared the stage with Blue Oyster Cult, Randy Bachman, Mare Flzzo, Jerry Donahuo, Bernard Fowler, Stevie Salas, Bran Tichy, Kansas, Al Dimesta and Dae Snycér. For more inforrnation on John, his music and his instructional produets visit mww.rockhousemethod.com, CREATING MUSICIANS ONE LESSON AT A TIME Introduction Welcome to The Rock House Method sysiom of learing. You are joining milions of aspiring musicians around the world who use our easy-to-understand methods ‘or learning to play music. Unlike conventional learning programs, The Rock House Method is a four-part teaching system ‘hat employs OD, CD and 24’7 online lesson suppart along with this book to give you a variety of sources to assure a complete learning experience. The producis can be used individually cr together. The DVD that comos with this book maichas the curieulum exactly, providing you With a Ive instructor for visual reference. In addition, the DVD contains some valuable extras like sections on changing your sings. guitar caro and an interactive chord library. ‘The CD that we've included lets you take your lessons with you anywhere you go. How to Use the Lesson Support Site Every Rock House product offers FREE membership to our interactive Lasson Support sie, Use the member number included with your book to register at wan cockhousemethod.com. ‘You will ind your member number on the sleave that contains your DVD and CD. Once registered, you can use this tlly ntoractve site along with your product to enhance your leaming experienee, expand your knowledge, lnk with instructors, and connect with a ‘community of people around the world who are learning to play music using The Rock House Method®. There are sections that direclly correspond to this product within the Addltianal Information and Backing Tracks sections. There are also a varioty of other tools you can ullize such as Ask The Teacher. Quizzes, Reference Material, Definitions, Forums, Live Chats, Guitar Professor and much more. Icon Key ‘Teroughoui this book, you'll periodically notice te folowing icons. They indicate when there are ‘ecditional learning iools available on our support website for the section you're working on. When ‘you see an icon in the book, visit the member section of vaww rockhousemathod.com for musical acking tracks, addtional information and learning ules. CD Track Number ‘The accompanying CD includes lesson demonstrations, adkltional information and bass ard drum backing (racks, When you see a CD icon and track number, fallow along with the included CD to hear the examples and olay along. A complete track listing is also included in the back o' this book, Backing Track Hany of the exercises in this book are intended to be played along with bass and drum rhythm tracks, This icon indicates thal ters is a backing track available for download on the Lesson Support Site. Additional Information “The quastian mark icon indicates there is more information for that section available on the website. Itcan be theory, more alaying examples. or tie. Metronome Metronome icons are placed next to the examples that we recommend you practice using a meonome. You can download a tree, adjustable metronome from our support site Tablature ‘This icon indicates that there is adcitional guitar tablature available on the website thal corresponds lo the lesson. There s also an extensive database of music orline thal is updated regularly, {Also found on the woosite isa free online tuner that you ean use to help you ‘une yaur instrument. CHAPTER | Essential Blues Tools Solid Body Electric Guitar ‘The solid body electric isthe standard electric guitar that's great for distartion sounds and lead playing, Pickups mounted on the guitar's body send the sound to an amplifier. If nere are two (or mora) pickups, a pickup selector switch ((oggle swvtch is used io select ono or blend them together. Pickups locaied near the bridge (bricige pickups) tand to have a brighter ‘sound, making them better sued for lead playing. Pickups closer to the neck (neck pickups) have a warmer sound, making them a good choice for rhythm playing, A humbucker pickup is popular double coll pickup designed to cancel electranic hum, Acoustic Guitar ‘An acoustic guitar is an ideal choice for intimate performances, classic blues, fingerpicking, country, or bluegrass. Tho sound is projacted out [rom the body of the guitar through the sound hole, making an ampifier unnecessary. An acousticielectnc isa type of acoustic guitar with buit in pickups, allowing it to be amplified through an amp or PA system. Hollow Body Electric Guitar A hollow body electric guitar is a hybrid of tho regular acoustic and electric guitars. It has F-holes on the front ofthe body. allowing the sound ta resonate. These guitars are the cholo cof many classic blues and slide guitatisis. Picks ‘There are many diferent typas of picks in cfferent thicknesses. A heavy pick may offer you ‘more control for lead playing, but medium and light picks have a flexibily that’s good for rhythm Playing. Strings Strings are available in different gauges. Heavier geuge strings procucs a thicker, fuller soun lighter gauges are thinner, easier to bend, and great for soloing, Tuning fay Each of the six strings on a guitar is tuned to and namod aftor a different note (pich). The Sennest oF 1st string is referred to as the highest string because itis the highest sounding sting. ‘The thickest or 6th string is referred to as the lowes! sting because Ils the fowest sounding string, Memorize the names of the open strings. These notes form the basis lor finding any other notes fon the guitar. Names of the Open Strings Ginsting —Sthstring—Athsting sting Andring string E A D G B E Sth string (thickest) lowest sounding eting Ist string (hinnest) bighest sounding sting Tune your guitar using the machine heads on the headstock. Turn the machine heads a litle bit at. time while plucking the string and listening to the change in pitch. Tighton the string to raise the pitch, Loosen the string to lower the pitch, Be careful not to accidentally break a string by ‘ightening it too much or to quickly The easiest way to tune a guitars to use an electronic tuner. There are many different kinds avalabla that are fairly inexpensive. You can also download the free online tuner trom ‘wun rockhiousemethod.com.