Blues guitar
Blues means three chords, a swinging shuffle and a solo where every note sounds like a voice. Below are the chords, scale, techniques and a riff you can hear and practise.
1900s60–130 BPMseventh chordsshuffle
What is blues
Blues emerged in the American South around the turn of the 20th century among African American musicians. Rock and roll, rock and much of modern guitar music grew out of it: the pentatonic, bends and vibrato came to rock straight from the blues.
The main form is the 12-bar blues on three chords: the I, IV and V degrees, usually as seventh chords. The rhythm is the shuffle: each beat is split into three, and the first eighth note is longer than the second. The guitar either keeps the rhythm or answers the voice with short phrases on the blues scale.
Signature chords
Almost every chord in the blues is a dominant seventh: A7, D7, E7 in the key of A. The 12-bar form: four bars of A7, two of D7, two of A7, then E7, D7, A7 and E7 at the end to lead back to the top. Below is a shortened four-chord version.
Scale for soloing
The blues scale is the minor pentatonic plus one “blue” note between the fourth and fifth degrees. Below it is shown from the 5th fret - the most popular position for a blues solo in A.
Techniques
Bend
A whole-step bend is the main voice of blues guitar. Push the string with three fingers together rather than one: it is easier to land exactly on the note. Press the button below to hear where the string should arrive.
Slide into a note
The note starts a fret or two lower and slides into place. This is how blues players “sing” a melody: the entry sounds softer than a plain pick.
Shuffle
Each beat is split into three: the long eighth takes two parts and the short one takes one. You get a swaying “DA-da DA-da”. The rhythm guitar, bass and drums in the riff below all play it this way.
Riff in the style
The classic accompaniment: the open fifth string plus a note on the fourth - at the 2nd fret, then the 4th. In the second bar the same shape moves one string down for the D chord. Keep the shuffle feel even.
Blues-style solo
A bend on the second string, a run down the blues scale in 5th position and a long A with vibrato at the end. Take your time: in the blues, how each note sounds matters more than how many notes you play.
The riff opens as a draft: change notes, tempo and tracks however you like.
Open in RiffonicWhat to listen to
Listen to these songs and pay attention to what is described next to each one.
- B.B. King - “The Thrill Is Gone”. A minor blues and textbook vibrato: the solo is built on just a few notes played very expressively.
- Muddy Waters - “Mannish Boy”. One chord and stops by the whole band: the riff speaks in the gaps and the guitar answers the voice.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan - “Pride and Joy”. A fast Texas shuffle: a powerful rhythm part where chords and lead phrases weave together.
- Robert Johnson - “Cross Road Blues”. Early acoustic Delta blues played with a slide - how the blues sounded before the electric guitar.
Every riff and solo on this page is an original exercise in the style of the genre, not the notes of someone else’s song.
FAQ
What is a 12-bar blues?
A three-chord form over 12 bars: I (4 bars), IV (2), I (2), then V, IV, I and V again to lead back to the top. In A that is A7, D7 and E7. Thousands of songs follow this form.
What scale should I play in the blues?
Start with the minor pentatonic from the root, then add the blue note to get the blues scale. Later you can mix it with the major pentatonic for a brighter sound.
What is a shuffle?
A swinging rhythm where each beat is split into three: the first eighth is longer than the second, like “DA-da”. Most blues and a lot of rock and roll rely on it.