Basic blues book

rlw

As it says, I'm after a book to set me off in the right direction with blues keys/scales/chords etc starting with the assumption that I am a dimwitted twat who knows sweet FA about it.  I have one book about blues chords which goes rapidly from explaining basic theory to chords with very long names and about 9 notes in them AND suggests playing them all over the fretboard - we are not getting on.  So recommend me a primer, a book which explains the relationship between the commonest blues chords and scales, shows them and which might be understood by someone who learns stuff in a series of eureka moments, rather than absorbing it bit by bit.

I will be in the west end tomorrow and could probably buy it then, so no hesitation please chaps.

Ta.

frankus

One of Justin Sandercoe's books? He introduced me to a lot of turn-around types and stuff like quick-changes.

Iamnobody

The Blues you can use series are very popular over on the American forums.

Can't speak from personal experience though...

Chalky

Basic blues by Fred Sokolow. It takes you from some very simple stuff into Rock and Jazz blues. Fred's aim is to get you playing and enjoying it quickly rather than tons of theory and technique.

BigLicks67

Try John Wheatcroft's Improvising Blues Guitar. Some of it maybe a little advanced but you pick up licks and chord progressions from it.

DulcetJones

Some ideas if you play by ear at all.  Look up as many blues songs as you can on youtube(or if you have some CD's, mp3's whatever yourself) and start learning just the bass root note of as many as you can.  You will start to get the "blues 12 bar pattern" concept pretty quick.  From there start filling in the chords, a lot of blues music is simpler than people think, it's putting your own stamp on it that brings it to life.  Keep seeking out knowledge in the books and online though, 

rocktron

Try this:- The Ultimate Beginner Series Blues Guitar with Keith Wyatt - Steps 1 and 2 DVD.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blues-Guitar-Basics-Keith-Wyatt-Learn-How-to-Play-DVD-/400827779966?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d53328b7e

There is on-screen tablature, so you can pause the DVD and use the Microsoft Snipping Tool on a Windows 7 laptop to copy and paste them in a document.

This is an NTSC DVD but it has Region Code ALL, so it would play on any DVD Player and PC DVD Players.

Keith Wyatt does another DVD titled Rocking The Blues. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keith-Wyatt-Rockin-The-Blues-Guitar-Tuition-DVD-NEW-/400827783767?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d53329a57

If you are a beginner, I would recommend the first two DVDs.

mudslide73

I can recommend the Keith Wyatt ones. I got a lot from Rocking The Blues especially.

rlw

Thanks chaps.  Been a busy few days so I haven't had a chance to say that I appreciate your input until now.

rocktron

@rlw: The lessons by Keith Wyatt from the Unlimate Beginer Series Blues Guitar Steps 1 and 2 DVDs are available on YouTube. 

Here is Lesson 4, to give you a taster. 

You need to start from Lesson 1, and don't skip any because you will miss very essential steps in your learning to make good progress.

The lessons were posted by ibanez0930, so you can search his channel, or look them up on the right hand sidebar to get them in the correct numerical order.

Learn the extensions to the A-Minor Pentatonic Scale at the 5th fret, with the addition of the BLUE notes, and listen to the subtlety from down-picking to the addition of embellishments such as hammer-on/pull offs, bends and slides, etc. 

Have fun!!!

viz

BigLicks67 said:

Try John Wheatcroft's Improvising Blues Guitar. Some of it maybe a little advanced but you pick up licks and chord progressions from it.

Haven't read it but was chatting to him the other day about jazz blues, and he's clearly very interested and into the subject so I bet it's a good read. And his new cd is bloody excellent. So giving you a wiz anyway.