looking for some direction and tips please

[chasintheblues]

Hi my name is josh,

basiclly I am not a beginner per say i can play a guitar (of course i cant play it exactlly how i want thats why im here) i am an aspiring blues artist and i really have the itch to learn i really dig the slow hand stuff t bone walker, clapton, and so on but i like all forms of the blues that said. i practice all the time and my biggest problem now is i have the worst built, highest string action, made of scrap laminate wood particals acoustic guitar ever built but the good news is i have an epiphone (lefty) dot es335 and a 15w vox amp currently on its way (bought it from E-bay) sorry to give you so much unneeded details. but what im after is basiclly any tips you pros or knowledgable fellas can give maybe the best strings for it to acheive a bluesey tone or maybe what pick ups and or other hardware upgrades that would increase my tone or maybe some practice routines like i say i can play some stuff but i can't jam out a blues solo or any kind of help in that direction would be much appreciated thank you very much! :notworthy

[crunk]

The es335 should produce the tone your looking for and I would suggest some ernie ball 10's or 11's for the strings in slinky style so ya can bend...As for the amp don't know nothing about that...They make several types of pedals for blues players also...BTY Welcome to Jam Session!!

[chasintheblues]

thanks so much i will try the strings and for the amp i really dont expect to be mezmerized but its a start as far as learning some blues stuff do you have any suggestions as far as how to learn some of the theroy i am more than prepared to put the time in i am just looking for a starting point what should i begin with? thanks for your reply (what are some of the things you guys play and how do i get to where i can just jam over a track i want that so badly i know it involves alot of practice lol im doing that as we speak trying to learn little wing talk about technical :)

[anthony2]

Here's something to consider. The blues scale A,C,D,Eb,E,G. The notes A and C and the notes E and G are three frets apart. You can hit one with the index and the other with the pinky. The notes D,Eb, and E are three notes in a row.

Makes finding any blues scale in any key relatively quick and painless. Pick just about any fret with your index finger. Three frets up put your pinky down. Move over to the next string. Find a run of three notes. Move over to the next string and use the index and pinky again. The trickiest part is to figure out which fret to start on when switching strings, but it will be close to the fret where you started originally.

Another way to find the notes is pick any fret with the index finger. Go up two frets with the ring finger. Repeat on the next string. On the next string do a run of three notes. It's going to take you through the notes in a different order but it will help you find them all. For example it will result in G,A,C,D,Eb,E instead of A,C,D,Eb,E,G, but it will help you find the notes.

Another way is index, ring, pinky on one string. Then index and pinky on the next string. Then index and pinky on the next string. As an example that would result in C,D,Eb,E,G,A,C.

Or start with a run of three notes. Then index and ring on the next string. Then index and ring on the next string. For example D,Eb,E,G,A,C,D.

[anthony2]

Check this out. I took the idea and went with it. Here it is in the order Eb,E,G,A,C,D,Eb. Start with the middle finger at the sixth fret of the fifth string and all the other fingers will be in place.

------------------------------
------------------------------
-----------------5--7--8-----
----------5--7---------------
--6--7-----------------------
-----------------------------

But I took that idea and added this. "h" for hammer on. Just fret it quickly with the middle finger on your way to fretting the fourth fret with the index, but don't pick at the sixth fret. "b" for bend. "p" for pull off. Have the index finger on the fifth fret already when you pull the middle finger off the sixth fret. There were a lot more variations on the ending. Just experiment.

I couldn't believe the sound.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------5--7--8b---8--7--6h--5-----------------
--------5--7--8--7--5---------------5--7------------------------------5--7---6p--5--
--6--7-----------------7------6--7--------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[chasintheblues]

dude this is exactly the kind of stuff im lookin for and although i dont quite understand how to name and find notes and such im gonna study this and the like and make myself understand thanks a ton for your time and knowledge this is exactly what i need to learn

[THUMPERRRR]

josh,

try this link
http://www.youtube.com/1ftwftw

look in my favorites for some beginning lessons and look at my subscriptions for a bunch more stuff...

heres a couple slow tracks in A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isl1Lk_-yw8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM2G1YMQ6Lk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHokgdOUIbM&feature=related

1 more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vibq0PDhfc0&feature=related

I got more stuff,,, let me know if you need...
this dude had it,,,:LMAO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixJYSEFFHSI

[chasintheblues]

ok im trying this stuff and i dont know whats the sound i see how the sounds cooperate but i know how that helps me or corelates to how to get around the neck i know theres just something im not getting im sorry to keep buggin you guys with such mundayne stuff just fill it in if ya have some time

[chasintheblues]

thumper thanks a ton that is some kewl stuff but im just gonna be honest my knowledge is not up to par at all see the truth is i dont know how to jam in E or A or anything like that i wish i did but when ever i get into that its like spanish to me i dont know how to jam and thats really my goal i just want to be able to put out some blues what does it mean if your gonna play in A i know what an a and e chord and such is i just dont know what it means to be in the "key of" when i started i was just so excited about riffing that i didnt focus on what was important i guess thanks for your replies

[THUMPERRRR]

man I was where your at 2 months ago,,, I had no clue as to the terms and stuff,,, none at all...

my suggestion is look in my favorites for the beginning lessons,,, start on number 1,,, practice them...
and practice the pentatonic sales in a,,, even just in the first(lowest) position till you can remember it...
on my youtube there are instructs for the scales,,, work them...

given some practice time you will be able to fit them scales into them jam tracks,,, soon you will be able to come up with lil riffs using them scales
as a base...

its overwhelming man,,, but all these weird terms and stuff will start falling in place,,, here on this site there is a glossary of terms,,, look stuff up when you dont understand the term...

trust me...

[chasintheblues]

dude thanks a ton i am currently going throught your stuff its like a goldmine there are quite a few things kinda hitting the nail exactly on the head for me. i really appreciate the help i think at le very least its gonna help my musical vocabulary and educate me on the bare essentials that you need to be able to put together to make your own stuff as far as the scales go i have been practicing the a or e im not sure which one it is its the one thats like
5-8
5-7
5-7 is that right ? I just wait for the day i make that sound like music!
5-7 Thanks again!
5-8
5-8

[THUMPERRRR]

lots of info and many really good teachers here,,, just ask them...:D
O yeah that looks like A first position,,, a month ago I would have had no clue...

[chasintheblues]

all right good deal so im gonna do all my home work and gonna watch and play every single one of those lessons tonight XD and i'm gonna progress can't thank ya enough by the way that knopler and clapton tune is really something makes me light headed :D

[stratman50th]

Hey Josh, welcome to the forum! This is the place to be if you really want to learn. I know it sounds cliche, but playing the blues is a lot about feeling. Listen to the music. Pay attention to what the guys are doing, and when.
Learn the scales for the various keys, and practice. Find the backing tracks in different keys and jam along, trying to find the correct notes that go in the correct spot. Listening and "hearing" is the key really. That's the practical application of theory.
Again, pay attention! Listen to the drums/beat, as well as the bass line. Try and identify what the changes are, where, and when. Learn to follow along. Hum or sing the melody to yourself and try and copy the notes you are singing using single strings on the guitar in the scales you've learned. Once you are able to play the melody on songs with different keys, give a shot to playing along on songs with a singer. Practice playing off of the singer, using "fills" during times when the singer, isn't. (Note on the last, too much all the time sounds like noise, but you will learn when less is more by listening).
JonR is our theory guru. He has a lot of great information so go over what he's posted. I know theory intuitively, but I couldn't explain it like the others here so I wouldn't presume to try and teach it. Read and learn.
Everybody who responds to you will offer some kind of advice. Pay attention and use what makes the best sense for you and what you're trying to do.
Thumperrr has posted some gems for you to play with. Hang in there and keep practicing until the bell goes off and you understand what it is you're doing.
Good Luck,
Strat...............

[chasintheblues]

dude thanks so much if anything i feel im where i need to be as far as learning and receiving the right advice and lessons. i know its gonna click for me i have the faith and im puttin in the time and ive heard and read some of what you guys do its absolutley stunning i find myself having alot in common with you dudes most people around me right now that are my age just want to play their guitar as hard, loud, and as fast as they can and i just dont relate to that one bit so thanks again please feel free to post or send anything to me that might come to you that would be benifical. you guys are great teachers and very knowlegable thanks so much i am very excited that i have finally found my niche thanks again!

[stratman50th]

I just reread your original post, and I think I got off track with my advice. Strings, pickups, guitars and amps for blues? If I may, I'd like to suggest you not worry so much about hardware right now and concentrate on playing. Look back in history and you'll find just about any guitar can be used for blues. It depends on the style you end up playing and the sound you make your own. If you lock yourself into one type of guitar/strings/pickups/picks/strap/amp/etc.... you shut the door on other combinations. Save your tone quest for down the road a bit. ;)
Record yourself if you can. Best way to hear what you're doing. Post it, best way for us to hear what you're doing and make suggestions and give advice.

[JonR]

Hi my name is josh,

basiclly I am not a beginner per say i can play a guitar (of course i cant play it exactlly how i want thats why im here) i am an aspiring blues artist and i really have the itch to learn i really dig the slow hand stuff t bone walker, clapton, and so on but i like all forms of the blues that said. i practice all the time and my biggest problem now is i have the worst built, highest string action, made of scrap laminate wood particals acoustic guitar ever built but the good news is i have an epiphone (lefty) dot es335 and a 15w vox amp currently on its way (bought it from E-bay) sorry to give you so much unneeded details. but what im after is basiclly any tips you pros or knowledgable fellas can give maybe the best strings for it to acheive a bluesey tone or maybe what pick ups and or other hardware upgrades that would increase my toneI agree with stratman, hardware is really irrelevant - you can play the blues on anything. But just a couple of points:

For strings, go for 9s or 10s.
Below 9s, they'll be dead easy to bend, but the tone will be crap.
Anything heavier than 10s will have a great tone, but will be harder to bend. Unless you have well-developed bend muscles, that is...;) or unless you tune down - which reduces that tone quality somewhat. (And if you're going to buy heavy strings then tune them down to make them easier to bend... why not get lighter ones to start with?)
Brand is totally irrelevant, btw. (It may matter to some people, but it's not worth worrying about. Any differences are negligible for blues.)

Classic blues tone is a tube amp, overdriven. The only way you can really get that is - er - to overdrive a tube amp. But with any amp, the secret is to not use too much distortion. Keep the tone fairly bright, but just use your ears. I prefer to have both PUs on (on my old Epi Casino) for a more rounded tone (plenty of top and bottom), but try all combinations.

The original guys themselves all had different set-ups, so if there's one player you particularly like, check what gear they used (esp on the recordings you like). Eg Clapton uses a Strat now, but he used to use 335s, SGs and Les Pauls in the 60s.

[chasintheblues]

Kewl thanks for the advice and i see that i should just not worry about gear and play....i read a good quote from kenny burell i think it was and it simply said "play the music not the instrument" i thought ya know what thats right lol im 22 years old but i feel like im 8 again on dec 23 watin on my guitar so im just day dreamin about all the stuff i could potentially do to it i appreciate you guys's to the point advice and helping me keep my head on teh right subject and as soon as im set up ill put something up. which is kinda embarrasing but i need to hear the different things to improve thanks again!