Playing the acoustic guitar and specifically the blues is one of the most enjoyable and enriching things to do.

As challenging as it may be in learning to play the guitar, once you master just a few chords, you are able to play multiple songs and as you become more comfortable and allow your creative juices start to flow you will find that picking up on some other chords is much easier.

It surprises me that with six little string and some 20 frets the infinite amount of music that can be created is infinitely abundant On top of that, playing blues music has its own subtle note changes that are separate from the conventional scale. This happens by bending the strings to adjust the pitch until it gets to the right sound.

The blues music players from the South had very inadequate means; in fact some had homemade guitars. These instruments were made from just about anything that they could find. Some were made of cigar boxes and wire for strings. One of the most notable blues music player of all time is Chuck Berry whose style was a unique as your personal signature on your check.

The point is this, if you are passionate about blues music and love the guitar. Just pick one up and start strumming a few chords. After some practice and persistence you will be on your way. Just don’t expect to be an overnight sensation or sound like Chuck Berry. Over time your skill will improve and who knows, your friends may actually stick around if you decide to burst out in to a private jam session.

When we hear a banjo, we can’t help but think of the blues.  It also remind us of Dixieland and country music, but most definitely the blues.  The blues and the banjo go hand in hand.  There are many different types of banjos and though they are the same instrument, their sound is unique.  The banjo itself is a unique and wonderful stringed instrument.

African Americans and Caucasians have shared a love and appreciation for the banjo.  African Americans have been playing it for nearly 300 years, and Caucasians since the turn of the century.  And the banjo sounds different in different regions.  If you hear the banjo sound in the Mississippi Delta, it will sound completely different than in Virginia.

The music and style of the banjo was really shaped in the late 1800s by African Americans.  One of the greatest banjo players during that time was Gus Cannon, or better known as “Banjo Joe”.  During 1927 Banjo Joe cut several recordings for Paramount In which his “frailing techniques”, slide playing, and roll patterns became incredibly famous.

The banjo music played back then had such a fluid sound.  It created a nostalgic feeling of friends gathering for a good ole fashioned jam session.  Today it can sound like just about anything, square dance, swing, bluegrass, and everything in between.  What a wonderful instrument and you just can’t miss the banjo sound.