The Complete Blues Guitar Method: Beginning Blues Guitar: Guitar DVD

Honest and rooted. You begin with the physical fundamentals that anchor every blues guitarist, then gradually discover the bent notes, syncopated rhythms, and harmonic flavors that give blues its emotional signature. The pacing never rushes you past the foundation.

Guitarists picking up the instrument for the first time who want to learn blues specifically, not general guitar. This method assumes no prior music reading ability and progresses logically from setup and basic technique through stylistic vocabulary.

• Watch the DVD demonstrations multiple times before attempting each new technique. Blues guitar rewards muscle memory, and seeing the finger placement and hand position on video eliminates guesswork.
• Use the TAB notation as your primary reference during initial practice, then gradually shift toward reading standard notation as your fluency grows. This hybrid approach matches how blues players actually learn.
• Practice the foundational chord shapes and single-note passages until they feel automatic. The slides, double stops, and tritone patterns later in the book demand solid fundamentals underneath them.
• Play along with the CD accompaniments at reduced speed if needed. Blues is about feel and pocket, and locking into the groove matters more than playing everything perfectly at tempo.

Assign this as independent study material for student guitarists who want to develop blues fluency outside ensemble contexts, or use it as supplementary repertoire for guitarists in jazz combos or blues bands. The DVD component works well for hybrid learning environments where students need flexibility with when and how they practice.

• Guitar setup and maintenance (tuning, string replacement)
• Basic open and movable chord shapes
• Single-note melodic playing in TAB and standard notation
• Blues-specific techniques (slides, double stops, tritone patterns)
• Reading and playing blues rhythm patterns
• Ear training through accompaniment tracks