I'm a traveling blues man, playing and teaching acoustic blues guitar in Europe. Currently living in Lisbon, Portugal - I'm exploring new ways of teaching both individuals and groups internationally.
Keep it real - authentic acoustic blues guitar lessons with Jim Bruce
Recorded this a long time ago, but it seemed so, so relevant with what's happening in France, that I thought I'd upload again. OK, you've got to hide your money, but for most of us, you've got to find some first! It's nice that French politicians are now declaring their assets and savings, to show how poor and honest they are, but even the lowliest show
Of course, there's a lot more to playing a slow blues in E than meets the eye (or maybe less?) Often we play without really thinking about those little things we do to make this stuff interesting and also what strategies we have to pick and sing at the same time.
In this video I'm taking a closer look at a song I wrote called 'New Orleans' - I take it apart a little, and offer some ideas that can be incorporated into any blues in E. Someone once said that a good blues guitarist makes something difficult seem easy, and makes something easy seem difficult - you can make whatever you like out of that! Sounds good though.
Very often, simple things work if they are put together properly.
Have a good time with it, comment and ask questions if you like. If you like the video, the name's Jim Bruce - if you don't, it's daddystovepipe ...
For the majority of people, playing acoustic guitar in the authentic way is a bit more than simply copying the musical style. The idea kindles a continuing fascination with a time in American folklore that still speaks to us in the present day - the lives of the first blues artists and musicians give us a profound insight into the times and trials of life for negros in those times.
You don't have to listen too hard to hear the beat of the classic blues music in many modern jazz, rock and pop music. The blues is the root of 60s rock music, which came from Chicago electric blues, which came from the music of Big Bill Broonzy, which came from .... well, you get the idea.
While it's obvious that there were different styles of guitar blues, it all came basically from one place, and possibly from one physical are - the Delta of The Mississippi. The first African slaves labored hard hours in the fields gathering cotton and pulling big sacks in their wake. Work gangs were very common in the South, where a negro could be jail|jailed} for almost nothing, and then made to labor on county roads or on the bosses farms. It was a huge spiritual relief to sing or chant a rhythm to help the work flow and give a {sense of community|some comfort}. This is how the 'field hollers' were {created}. Field hollers had a limited range musically and the words were really repetitive, which became an enduring feature of all songs in the blues style.
The first slaves were taken from Africa, were there was a deep tradition of story telling and elementary music accompanied by hypnotic rhythms, frequently accompanied by drums and instruments with a single string created from gourds or the skins of animals stretched out across a frame. It's probable that the first rudimentary guitar had very few strings, with a sound box fabricated from a large cigar box. Without a doubt, only really simple music could be created from these beginnings, but the vocal nuances could be at the same time subtle and powerful.
The Blues Guitar Comes To Pass ...
At the turn of the twentieth, an innovative method of merchandising gave a new impetus for blues music and was vital for creating the rich variation we now associate with it. The Sears company created a system of commerce by mail, and distributed catalogs far and wide across America. This had never happened before - cheap factory made instruments were available to the masses. Amongst the many products on offer, one could purchase a Harmony guitar for one dollar. Blues music was on the verge of a breakthrough!
As one might suppose, a factory made acoustic guitar was not the best quality instrument, and probably hard to keep in tune - in the southern humid weather, it was just about impossible. This was probably why slide guitar was one of the first blues guitar styles to appear. It was easy to create a simple tune as the strings were tuned to an open arrangement such as open G, C or D - it wasn't even necessary to know any chords! In open G, for instance, it was a lot easier to keep the guitar tuned than when using normal or 'Spanish' style tuning. Even if the guitar was out of tune, one could vary the position of the slide whilst playing, so it wasn't that important - particularly for a skilled guitarist.
Many of the first blues musicians were adept at this style, such as Son House (who taught Robert Johnson), John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters. However, Son House played bottleneck guitar throughout his playing, whilst the others diversified into other finger picking styles. House used a National steel guitar-steel guitar called a National, which was all metal construction housing a patented 'cone' amplifier system. The natural acoustic amplifier effect was a big help when performing for house parties, or in noisy places, for example. These musical events often involved heavy drinking and frequently, fights about money or women.
Diversity In Blues Music
As guitar became more available and the ability to make music spread, inevitably musicians began to experiment with ways of playing and definite styles emerged, at time depending upon a particular region.
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Another interpretation of a great classic from Brownie McGhee - So Much Trouble. This is another example of how to play the blues with a subtle twist and yet retain the authentic feel of the music. Acoustic blues guitar lessons for beginners, how to play the blues for intermediate players.
The full range of lessons available cover all major acoustic blues guitar styles, such as delta blues music (Robert Johnson), Texas Blues (Lightnin' Hopkins), Chicago swing (Big Bill Broonzy), and ragtime blues(Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Willie Walker). Acoustic guitar lessons in the style of Carolina blues (Floyd Council, Pink Anderson, Scrapper Blackwell), bottleneck and open tunings.
Let Jim take you to the next level - all the finger picking acoustic blues guitar lessons you need in one place! Ho to play blues in the old authentic style. (A third of the lessons are tagged 'blues guitar lessons advanced'.)
Sign Up Now and get these Free Goodies: Complete Delta Blues Acoustic Guitar Lessons Download, two MP3 Albums (Acoustic Blues Travelers and Blind Blake) and a mini-course of 7 streamed videos covering basic blues guitar lessons, from Chicago style blues guitar to the delta. Learn how to play blues guitar.
This online blues guitar lesson featuring Deep River Blues by Doc Watson is the second in the series (maybe the last - we'll see!) Anyone serious about acoustic blues guitar and studying blues guitarists should take a look at the Travis style of picking and incorporate it into their playing, even if they want to play the blues in a different style. Learn how to play acoustic blues guitar in Doc's inimitable style
Here, we take a look at those 'fiddly bits' that appear in Doc's rendition of Deep River. These are the little things that suddenly appear and blow us away with their magic, such as double thumb beats and added syncopation with thumb/finger combination strokes. It's even more interesting when you consider that Doc (like other great masters such as Gary Davis, Broonzy,Hopkins) used just one finger on his picking hand to achieve these results. I hope you enjoy it - come back again!
Learn how to play acoustic blues guitar http://www.play-blues-guitar.eu - Preview Jim's Complete Course ' Acoustic Blues Guitar Lessons '
The full range of lessons available show how to play blues guitar in various styles, such as delta blues (Robert Johnson), Texas blues (Lightnin' Hopkins), Chicago swing blues (Big Bill Broonzy), and ragtime blues (Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Willie Walker). Learn blues guitar in the style of Carolina blues (Floyd Council, Pink Anderson, Scrapper Blackwell), bottleneck and open tunings. Many blues guitarists are covered in detail.
There are two videos for Doc Watson Guitar Lessons on this channel - this video is the first part of an on-line video lesson and gives an insight into his complex finger picking style.
It's true that basic finger picking is very simple - you either hit one string with thumb and the next one with a finger, or pinch two or three strings together with thumb and finger(s)! Of course, it's how we use our thumb and fingers that make all the difference. I've noticed that many, many older school blues guitar masters just used one finger on their right hand - Doc Watson, Reverend Gary Davis, Scrapper Blackwell, Blind Boy Fuller, Floyd Council, Big Bill Broonzy, and the list goes on.
Often, the right thumb jumps across to the treble strings to help out, which adds to the syncopation. It becomes more and more evident that the right thumb is crucial to creating the sound. It can double the beat, make an off-beat, strum across the strings and produce single string runs when used alternately with one of the fingers (usually the index.)
Enjoy the incredible easy sounding style of Doc Watson - and marvel at his genius and dexterity! Let his example show you how to play blues guitar! Learn blues guitar - more on my site http://www.play-blues-guitar.eu/how-to-play-blues-guitar-welcome.php
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