The Big Book of Blues Guitar: The History, The Greatsâ¿¿And How to Play

by Andrew Lovato

Overview

The blues are the heart and soul of American music. They form the core of countless other genres and move listeners across the globe with a sound that can stir our emotions at their deepest point. Now, Andrew Lovato, an esteemed musician and educator, combines in one volume a wealth of information about the world of the blues and a teaching methodology that can help any reader feel the music come to life under his or her fingers.

The book covers the history of the guitar and of the blues, including a personal appreciation of the great musicians who have shaped the genre and created such an awe-inspiring legacy. Lovato's system of blues guitar instruction, built on his lifetime of teaching, can bring musicians of any level to a rewarding and creative lifelong relationship with the guitar as well as immersion in its blissful union with the blues.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781948749411
Publisher:	Terra Nova Books
Publication date:	12/01/2019
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Andrew Lovato is an associate professor of speech communication at Santa Fe, N.M., Community College, where he has taught guitar for thirty years. He received his Ph.D. in 2000, and was a Fulbright Scholar in 2008. He is also Santa Fe's official city historian.

His first encounter with the blues came at age 12 when he checked out an album from the local library by a musician whose name intrigued him: Howlin' Wolf. Lovato listened, and his world was changed. Soon after, he convinced his father to buy him a $30 guitar. Today, more than 40 years later, the blues still send shivers up his spine.

Read an Excerpt

Man, I love the blues.

Boy, I love the guitar.

And I love it most when we put them both together!

And you? I'm guessing that if you're checking out this book and reading these lines, the blues guitar has a pretty powerful hold on you too. Likely, you've been touched as I have by the emotion, the depth, and the majesty of this truly American musical art form born deep in the Mississippi Delta.

Perhaps the only thing better than listening to the blues is playing the blues yourself and feeling the music come to life under your fingers. If that's where you're coming from—if you can feel the magic I'm talking about—then this book is for you.
I'm here to be your guide on the exciting journey into the world of blues guitar by helping you understand what it takes, build your skills, and express your own personal style in your music.

Some readers picking up this book will be beginners at playing the guitar but nevertheless, lovers of its sound and of the blues. Others with some basic guitar skills and practice under their belts may be interested in taking their playing to a higher level through the new techniques and exercises I will share. Perhaps you've been playing for a few years and feel like you're stuck repeating the same songs and riffs. My goal is to shake things up a little and get your playing going in new and more-creative directions.

Whatever your skill level and experience, this book will help bring a broader and deeper range to your music. We'll begin by talking about the development of basic blues guitar skills, with the Guitar Guide for Beginners chapter offering the key elements needed to master the fundamentals for those who may be just starting out.

For readers who can skip ahead, the book's more-advanced material will aid in taking your rhythm playing and solo techniques to the next level of blues progressions, grooves, and improvisation.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

The Birth of the Guitar 5

The Guitarists Who Gave Us the Blues 9

Blues Guitar Basics 13

The 12-Bar Blues 13

Finding the Right Notes to Jam: Blues Guitar Scale 17

Blues Guitar Up and Down the Neck: The F Blues Scale in Different Positions 19

Got to Be Versatile, Man: Playing the Blues Scale in Different Keys 21

Three Essential Techniques for Playing the Blues: The Bend, Hammer-On, and Slide 22

The Chords That Makes the Blues Sound Like the Blues: 7th Chords 23

Putting It All Together: Combining Blues Scales and 7th Chords 25

Finding the Lost Blues Chord: The 9th Chord 27

Beyond the Basic Blues 29

Playing Country Blues: The Folk/Country Scales 29

Blues with a Santana Flavor: Minor 7th Scales 30

Exotic Blues Colorings: Modal Playing 33

Roll Over Chuck Berry: Blues Scale Double-Stops 35

Cool Blues Jazz Stylings: Minor 7th Arpeggios 36

Blues Passing Notes 38

Fingerpicking and Slide Blues Guitar Tunings: Open Tunings 39

A Couple of Blues Chord Riffs You've Heard Before: Laying Down the Groove 43

Legends of the Blues Guitar 47

Duane Allman 47

Chuck Berry 47

Michael Bloomfield 48

Joe Bonamassa 48

Roy Buchanan 48

Eric Clapton 49

Robert Cray 49

Reverend Gary Davis 50

Peter Green 50

Buddy Guy 51

Jimi Hendrix 51

John Lee Hooker 52

Lightnin' Hopkins 52

Son House 52

Howlin' Wolf 53

Mississippi John Hurt 53

Elmore James 54

Skip James 54

Blind Lemon Jefferson 54

Robert Johnson 55

Albert King 55

B.B. King 56

Freddie King 56

Lead Belly 57

John Mayall 57

John Mayer 57

Memphis Minnie 58

Jimmy Page 58

Charley Patton 59

Bonnie Raitt 59

Jimmy Reed 59

Keith Richards 60

Taj Mahal 60

Derek Trucks 60

Stevie Ray Vaughan 61

T-Bone Walker 61

Muddy Waters 62

Johnny Winter 62

Guitar Guide for Beginners 63

Your Most Important Instrument: Your Hands 63

Getting to Know Your Axe: Your Guitar 66

Nothing Sounds Good Until You Can Do This: Tuning the Guitar 73

The Basis of All Songs: Playing Chords 76

Discovering Your Inner Beat: Strumming 83

Finding Notes on the Guitar 84

Chords Are Not Set in Stone: Altering Chords 86

Focusing on the Bottom: Bass Notes 89

Putting All Those Fingers to Work: Fingerpicking 92

Becoming a Chord Monster: Moveable and Barre Chords 95

Got to Be Versatile Man, Part 2: Naming Barre and Movable Chords 99

Guitar Musings 101

Index 107

About the Author 115