Ultimate Teach Yourself Classic Blues Guitar: Guitar Book & CD

Authentic and rooted. You're learning the blues not as an academic study but through the language of the players who defined it: John Lee Hooker's menace, B.B. King's phrasing, Cream's raw energy. The recordings anchor every lesson to the sound itself.

Self-directed guitarists who want to move beyond exercises and into real repertoire, as well as teachers looking for a structured entry point into blues for students who are motivated by learning recognizable songs. This works equally well for independent practice and for supplementing group lessons or ensemble playing.

• Use the recorded accompaniments to internalize the groove and timing of each blues standard before isolating specific riffs or passages.
• Pay close attention to how the vocals sit in the mix on the CD; this reveals phrasing nuances that pure notation can miss.
• Practice the riffs and phrases in isolation first, then layer them into the full groove once your left hand and timing feel solid.
• Record yourself playing along with the tracks and listen back to identify where your articulation or timing drifts from the original.

Assign this to intermediate guitarists who are ready to move beyond beginner songbooks but lack formal blues training. The six tunes make excellent recital or informal performance pieces, and the forms and techniques transfer directly to improvisation, arrangements, and original playing. Consider pairing it with ensemble work for guitarists who want to learn the rhythm and lead concepts simultaneously.

• 12-bar blues form recognition and harmonic navigation
• Blues phrasing, bending, and vibrato techniques
• Right-hand rhythmic pocket and swing feel
• Riff-based learning and melodic/rhythmic vocabulary from classic recordings
• Playing to a groove and syncing with accompaniment