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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Walking The Long Hard Road Of The Blues

By Tom Simpson

Interested in learning to play the blues guitar? Here's a bit of history and tips for the aspiring blues musician. Roots Jazz & the Blues ! Jazz, the only sound of its kind, it evokes a lost era in the 20th century. Imagine the gentle sound of a slow piano, the scent of whisky creeps into the room, saxophone, followed by smoke, then soft light. Often melancholic, chilling, softly tapping a nerve you didn't even know was there. Sometimes uppity and playful as if coaxing your inner child to come out -and even then it might succeed in rekindling comfortable yet sad memories or dreams you thought lost and buried. Nothing is like it.

That being said, here are 5 tips to start on the long bumpy road to playing great blues: If you don't already have one, buy a guitar. Some licks sound better in acoustic, some in electric, so both kinds can be used to play. Consider that you can't plug in an acoustic guitar (unless it has a pick up), and that an electric guitar will always require an amplifier to play. If you've picked what you want, consider now the price. Don't be too stingy. A great guitar, if treated right, will outlast you, so go ahead and splurge if you have the cash.

Blues guitar lessons are always a good idea and will go a long way to teaching you everything from the essential basics to nailing serious licks. This may cost you, but if you're serious about learning the blues, then be prepared to spend a bit. Also, the internet offers cheaper alternatives. You can even learn online from the comfort of your own home. Listen to great blues music. Of course the best way to learn is by practicing on a guitar, but listening to the greats: B.B. King, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, of course Robert Johnson, will help you get an idea of how to really shred licks.

There's no shame in getting help if you want to be good. Besides, blues guitar lessons are not just educational, they're a lot of fun -and that's what guitar playing is all about. As much as the blues are about misery, there's no greater satisfaction than perfectly nailing a great blues song.

Play in front of your friends and ask them if you've improved. If they say no, then take that as a signal to practice more. If they say yes, then take that as encouragement. Either way, it's good for your guitar playing.

Soul. Perhaps the most important part of the process. It's the reason the blues exist, heck, it's why music exists. You need soul to bring out some soul in your playing. But don't force this -it should come out naturally. Obviously, any aspiring musician needs a guitar. Acoustic will do, and so will electric -as long as you can play the blues, so can both guitar types. Listening to good blues music and trying to imitate good licks will help. But if it's too difficult to follow the greats, blues backing tracks can be downloaded online and are great instructional tools, useful to both amateurs and pros. Finally, like any other skill, practice makes perfect. Dexterous fingers don't happen overnight. Play until you're tired of playing, and then to relax, play some more -that's the blues guitar, you either love it or leave it. - 18423

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