If you are contemplating learning to play blues guitar music, you will need to learn a little music theory but you will also need to learn when to leave it at the door. If you have the kind of brain that thinks there is an “always play this note at the start of the bar”, then you need to let go of that mindset.

The so-called “blue note” is a case in point. The blue note is the flattened fifth of the scale you are working in and when to play it does not follow nay rules. Your own musical feeling will tell you when you should play it or leave it out. To start you off as a blues guitar player, all you need is your pentatonic scales and some time to learn some licks from CDs.

Get some blues music onto your computer or your ipod and try to play along with the guitar. First, try and work out what key you should be in, then work on getting some approximate version of some of the licks you are hearing. You don’t have to be one hundred percent accurate at first. You will improve as you go along.

What kind of guitar you choose to play blues music is a question that needs some serious thinking. You can play a Stratocaster or a Telecaster or a Gibson ES 35. The Tele sound is bright and the Gibson has a warmer sound. If you really don’t have a clue and don’t want to think about it too much, get a Strat. You can get a reasonable version of the Stratocaster for not too much money, so you can always change your mind when you have had a little experience.

A question that you don’t hear discussed very often is the role of bass in blues guitar music. Some newbie guitar players find themselves attracted to the bass guitar but blues music does not give them too many role models to get a handle on how to play.

All the same, the bass does fulfill a significant function in blues music which can give a bass player plenty of scope for improvising solos. The main function of the bass is really to draw the melody and the rhythm together by adding some color to the rhythm section.

So, what are some good songs to start playing blues guitar with? The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix, Pride And Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughn, Right Next Door by Robert Cray and I Looked Away by Derek And The Dominoes give you a wide assortment of blues styles to study. Other artists you could look at are Albert King, Muddy Waters, Roy Buchanan, Robert Johnson and B.B. King.

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Many people think that jazz is the music of the elite and well-established people. But, if you look into the roots of jazz, you will see the opposite. Jazz is an art of expression in the form of music. Jazz music is the fundamental music in human life.

Jazz tradition evolved from the lifestyle of black community in America who has been oppressed. Initially, the tradition began from the influence of tribal drums and gospel music, blues and field hollers (the shouts of cultivators). Its birth process has demonstrated that jazz was closely related to the life defense and expression of human life.

The interesting thing from jazz music was that the origin of the word “jazz” was derived from a vulgar term used for sexual acts. Most of rhythms in jazz were ever associated with the brothels and the women with an unfortunate reputation.

Then, in the journey of jazz, it eventually became an art form of jazz music, both in the specific composition and improvisation, which reflected the spontaneous melodies. Jazz musicians usually expressed their feelings that were uneasily explained because this music should be felt within the heart.

Jazz legend began in New Orleans and grew into the Mississippi River, Memphis, St. Louis, and finally Chicago. Of course, jazz was influenced by music in New Orleans, African tribal drums and the structure of European-style music. Jazz background could not be separated from the facts in which jazz was influenced by a variety of music such as spiritual music, cakewalks, ragtime and blues.

One of jazz legends who was believed was the legend around 1891. An owner of hair shaving shop in New Orleans, named Buddy Bolden blew his cornet and the time became the beginning of jazz music as a new breakthrough in the music world. Half a century later, American jazz music gave many contributions to the world of music. Jazz was also studied at university, and eventually became a serious music and was calculated by the world of music.

Jazz as a popular art began to spread to almost all of American society in the 1920s (known as the Jazz Age). Jazz was more widespread in the swing era in the late 1930s and it peaked in the late 1950s as a modern jazz. In the early 20s and 30s, “jazz” has become a common word.

The influence and development of blues music could not be left when discussing jazz music in the early years of its development. Expressions that shined when playing the blues were in line with the style of jazz. The ability to play the blues music became the standard for all jazz musicians, especially to be used in improvisation.

Blues music itself, which was originated from the southern region, had a very broad history. Blues players usually used guitar, piano, and harmonica, or played together in a group who played his own musical instruments.

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In the late 19th and early 20th century, African Americans who worked in the fields and work camps created the blues. Although the blues went in many different avenues, the most significant was created in a very special part of the United States, in an area of the Mississippi also known as the Delta. The area near the Mississippi River in between the Yazoo River, Memphis, and Vicksburg, the cotton growing regions are responsible for many of the early blues players. Although the area known as the delta is well known as the area in the Mississippi it is not limited to just that area. Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas also developed important artist as well. These areas helped develop the term know now as the Delta blues.

The blues now over 100 years old has become one of the most successful genres of music today, and as a result still packs night clubs, concert halls, and stadiums. We can all thank current musicians today for keeping the blues alive and active.

The blues is still so popular and considered one of the more important styles of music because the songs deeply touch human feelings in a way no other music can. It captures the sole and essence of people which is missing in today’s pop, rap, rock and digital music. It identifies and touches real people, with real life issues, and talks about real life lessons. No music today will ever come close to providing the kind of emotions and feelings the blues can give.

It is said that the blues is custom made for the guitar so it is a natural progression when learning the theory and development of playing the guitar that the blues is usually one of the first and most important steps in your journey and in the creation of any guitar god. While some music today sounds great without the guitar, it is very rare that you will ever find a successful blues band without one; it truly is the sole and voice of blues music and cannot be replaced by any other instrument.

The blues will never die and is in good hands with today’s generation. There are many young players out there today that are developing the skills and creating new techniques that would pay respects to the blues guitar elders. They are keeping the blues alive and flourishing for the next generation of blues players.

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At the end of the 19th century, one particular style of music emerged from the African-American communities belonging in the Deep South of the United States. It was usually performed by prisoners and slaves.  These were derived from field hollers, work songs, even chants and shouts. This musical style is called Blues. One legend says that William Christopher Handy, a cornet player and bandleader, wrote the first Blues song which was both printed and documented in the year 1912. The song was entitled Yellow Dog Blues.

The Blues musical genre has garnered popularity throughout the years and in different nations around the world, capturing the hearts of many people of all ages, making a lot of music lovers want to try and learn blues guitar. Blues and guitar are like bread and butter to each other.  They work well together.  An acoustic or an electric guitar would be a great instrument to have if you want to play the Blues. Thicker strings may help in getting better tones and sustainability while nylon strings are not recommended.

The majority of Blues songs are played following the 12 bar.  The 12 bar Blues simply means that the song is divided into 12 “bars” or “patterns” with a given chord sequence. If one is really interested in learning blues guitar then one should start by learning this basic beat – which also happens to be the easiest one too. When playing, this form is repeated over and over for every verse of the song until the song ends. While practicing this, it is recommended that it should be started with a single down strum for each beat, until one becomes familiar and comfortable with it before trying to elaborate each strum and trying other variations.

Blues, in most cases, is major in chord structure but there are also different scales that can be used in order to create or add a colorful tone associated with Blues.  Some of these scales are major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, dorian, and mixolydian.  These can be used individually or in combination with each other.

To better learn blues guitar, it is essential to practice the three (3) rhythm feels that are used in Blues, namely, straight feel, shuffle feel, and twelve/eight feel.

In the straight feel, the eighth note rhythm is usually used and are spaced equally apart while the shuffle feel follow a long-short scheme (the second note is placed in every pair of eighth notes.)  The twelve/eight rhythm has twelve beats per bar and each eighth note obtains one beat.

Techniques are also vital in playing Blues on the guitar and one of these is the Vibrato.  It is a musical effect that is created when the pitch of a note is slightly changed to a higher pitch and then back to its original pitch by changing the tension of the string.

In order to fill the chords with melodic figures, turnarounds, intros, and endings – riffs are used.  Turnarounds are usually played on the last two bars, making the solo complete and points the song back to its beginning.  Some turnarounds even make wonderful and interesting intros and endings of songs.

To fully learn blues guitar, there is no one trick, way, method or procedure to master it.  Learning the Blues takes constant and accurate practice.  No matter what the sellers of books, ebooks, and videos promise, nothing beats perseverance and dedication.

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