Robben Ford: Playin' the Blues: Guitar TAB Book & Online Audio

Ford teaches blues guitar from the inside out, breaking down his own techniques rather than offering generic patterns. The combination of foundation material (scales, chords, comping patterns) with real licks and complete solos gives students a pathway from theory to application in a single resource.

Conversational and direct. Ford doesn't overcomplicate the blues; he shows you the building blocks he uses, how they fit together, and what happens when you bend a note or voice a chord a certain way. The notation and tab together keep things accessible while the complete solos remind you what authentic blues phrasing sounds like.

Guitar students who want to move beyond beginner patterns and understand how professional blues players actually build their lines and comping. This works equally well for self-taught players filling gaps in foundational knowledge and ensemble guitarists looking to deepen their blues vocabulary.

• Study the fingering positions Ford demonstrates before memorizing the shapes; his hand placement directly affects tone and bending control.
• Work through the lick section slowly and separately from complete solos so you can absorb phrasing and articulation details before connecting them into longer passages.
• Use the online audio to hear Ford's interpretations of vibrato and string bending in context; transcription alone doesn't capture the timing and nuance.

Assign sections of this book during ensemble rehearsals when you're preparing blues-based repertoire or want guitarists to strengthen their comping and solo skills outside of score preparation. It also serves well as summer study material for students ready to take ownership of their improvisational chops.

• Blues scale fingering patterns and their applications across the neck
• String bending technique and vibrato control
• Chord voicings and comping patterns for blues progressions
• Phrasing and articulation in single-note lines
• Transcription and adaptation of complete solos