1 Topic by jruffinmoore (edited by jruffinmoore 2008-10-09 02:48:47)

  • Registered: 2007-03-25
  • Posts: 2

Topic: self taught

Know alll the chords, all songs sound the same.  Need some easy blues riffs and strumming hints.

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: self taught

I'm self-taught too.  I hope your teacher is less of a knucklehead than mine. 

As far as blues tricks, there's a book in the "You Can Teach Yourself..." line by Mel Bay for acoustic blues.  I have it, but haven't opened it yet as I'm still working through "You Can Teach Yourself Fingerpick Guitar" and a book on scales because Russell and Jerome threatened not to answer any more of my dumb questions if I don't start learning scales.  (not really, each is much to kind to say something that rude)

Anyway - good luck.  There's also sitting in with guys and when one of them does a lick you really like, hand him/her a fresh cold BEvERage (if you're of an appropriate age to do so) and ask him/her to teach you the lick.  Listening to guys like Keith Richards and Buddy Guy and such, I get the feeling they didn't learn to play from a book.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
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  • From: cornwall
  • Registered: 2008-07-21
  • Posts: 42

Re: self taught

if you can get a book and learn the TRI-ADS. it will learn you the chords that go really well together and you can start making up your own chord patterns,

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and alcohol!
  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: self taught

this is a link the Old Doll just put up looks good to me smile                                            http://www.ezfolk.com/guitar/howtao/folk-guitar.html                                                                               

jruffinmoore wrote:

Know alll the chords, all songs sound the same.  Need some easy blues riffs and strumming hints.

"Growing old is not for sissies"

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  • Registered: 2007-01-03
  • Posts: 36

Re: self taught

Well maybe you already know this one, but try learning, and then playing around with Folsome Prison Blues (Johnny Cash). It uses a chord that I love for getting some nice bluesy sounds and that magic little chord is the Bm7. So with E, A and Bm7 and mixing up the tempo and then working in a bit of a bluesy riff after the second verse you can really have some fun with it.
For me I think at some point in time I just stepped out of my little comfort zone and started to "create" sounds that worked well. Once those juices start flowing it just seems to keep coming. You just need a kind of breakthrough moment.
Good luck!

  • From: Anchorage
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 82

Re: self taught

I went thru that phase also where all the songs sounded alike because I was stuck in a strumming rut.  I taught my self to finger pick, and usually intersperse finger picking and strumming when playing blues.

Try playing some 12 blues songs and do a little finger pick'in.  Here is a really good little turnaround for blues in the key of E (songs like "Kansas City" and a whole bunch of others).

                                                    E
e------4----------3-----------2---------0--------
B---------4----------3-----------2------0-------
G---4----------3-----------2------------1-------
D----------------------------------------2-------
A----------------------------------------2-------
E----------------------------------------0--------

7 Reply by cameronkl7 (edited by cameronkl7 2008-10-10 21:33:51)

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-03-29
  • Posts: 953

Re: self taught

Royce,

  I was wondering where you found the "Kansas City" song in the key of E ...was it on here somewhere, the versions I looked at are different chords. Or do you mean the little riff is in the key of E?

    Cam

Keep a fire burning in your eyes
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
  • From: Anchorage
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 82

Re: self taught

cameronkl7

"Kansas City" is basically a 12-bar blues arrangement.  You can put it in any key you want . . . using a 12 bar blues progression. 

I think this is the version I play -> http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/www.r … y-crd.html  . . . use the chordie tool to transpose it +6 semitones and you'll have it in E.

The little tab in my previous post is a good turnaround between verses for this song and also other 12-bar blues songs in E . . . where it feels right . . . and yes, I'd say the turnaround is in the key of E also.