TRACKS 35-40 3S.Introdvct•on 36. Example I 37. Example 2 38. Example 3 39. Example 4 40. Example 5 <!> 2002 Widdie GT RATING MODERATE III II II W ill improve your: • Dexterity • Rhythm skills • Fingerplcking "The left hand is qui te simple, but t he right-hand techniqu.e may requwe practice ." Acoustic 12-bar need not be perfunctory plunking! Eric Roche offers some kill er tips for making your box'd blues l ess boring ... SPRUCE UP YOUR 12-BAR BLUES! I hope you enjoyed GT's Tommy Emmanuel masterclass last month. Many of the examples were quite challenging so, I've made things a little easier th is month! Rather than look at at another musician, I've designed my own b lues fingerstyle lesson var ious examples of rhythms. You won't need a plectrum for these examples, although you may choose to use a thumbpick. All examples are in the blues-guitar-fri endly key of E. 70 Guitar1ochniques suMMER 2002
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
TRACKS 35-40
3S.Introdvct•on 36. Example I 37. Example 2 38. Example 3 39. Example 4 40. Example 5
<!> 2002 Widdie Mu~c
GT RATING MODERATE
IIIII II W ill improve your: • Dexterity • Rhythm skills • Fingerplcking
"The left hand is quite simple, but
t he right-hand techniqu.e
may requwe practice ."
Acoustic 12-bar need not be perfunctory plunking! Eric Roche offers some killer t ips for making your box'd blues less boring ...
SPRUCE UP YOUR 12-BAR BLUES!
I hope you enjoyed GT's Tommy Emmanuel masterclass last month. Many of the examples were quite challenging so, I've made things a little easier this month! Rather than look at at
another musician, I've designed my own blues fingerstyle lesson \\~th var ious examples of rhythms. You won't need a plectrum for these examples, although you may choose to use a thumbpick. All examples are in the blues-guitar-friendly key of E.
EXAMPLE I is a straightforward 12-bar with a swing/shuffle feel. A 12-bar is just what it says on the tin: a 12-bar chord progression. However, it is not just any I 2-bar chord progression. 8xample I is four bars of E, 2 bars of A, 2 bars of E. These are followed by a single bar of B, a bar of A and 2 bars of E to finish - 12 bars in all. In our example this pattern is played through twice with a final E chord to finish. This is a fairly standard 12-bar. There are some slight variations of this progression that we will discuss in the following examples.
Technically, the left-hand is quite simple, but the right-hand technique may require some practice. By slightly muting the three bass strings with the right hand you can achieve a tighter rhythm and tone - the rhythm becomes more defllled. The tecluuque involves resting the heel of the hand on the strings just slightly past the bridge. Check out the CT CD to hear the correct tone and rhythm.
The feel of the piece is distinctly swing. The recording on the GT CD will give the most useful demonstration. Just tlUnk triplets l+a, 2+a, 3+a, 4+a etc.
EXAMPLE 2 is a more elaborate version of the first example. The pattern is harmonised in si>:ths. The feel is the same as EXAMPLE I. I've included some lefthand fingerings in the standard notation.
-3-With swing feel IJ = J ]I J = 176 II II ~ - r--
EXAMPLE l is a further development of the patterns played in the first two examples. Here I've used some t riads to flesh out the ha1mony. ln this example I've included a variation in the chord progression. In BAR I 0, I've played the B chord for a second bar rather than return to the A chord. Other possible variations would be to play the A chord in BAR 2, and the B chord in BAR 12. Once you are more familiar with the patterns in these examples why not try to include some of these variations?
-3-Wilh swing feel JJ = J )>
e 2-3 2 2 B 2-3 2 G 2-4 2 2 0 A e
5
2-3 2-4 2-4
- 1
2---1- ~---<1 4 2- f-----{2
2-3 2-4 2-4
suMMER 2002 Guitar11rl\niques 73
ACOUSTIC BLUES BLUES 12-BAR EXAMPLE 3 CONTINUED
II II ~ ~ii r-, ~ii r1 - - - II\
~ t .. .. .. .. .. .. .. J ............ ~ ~ .. ~---! i .. ~ ---! i .. ~ ~~
EXAMPLE 4 is not a 12-bar, although it has many of the harmonies and phrases associaLed wiLh a I 2-bar. I've added a few non-standard chords at the end of the pattern (what we call the 'turnaround') to spice it up. This originally appeared in a lesson I wrote for a Guitarist magazine Acoustic Special two years ago, called 'A Little Guitar Yoga'. Again, I've included some left-hand fingerings for you as a guide.
- 3-.J:J = J .P /'Ill ~ - - -
4--Q,:;2
-~ - _ 3 ... ......-Jit - .. , _:ll - .. 1i. - .. ou ~ ou t ut u~
~1 2 1 2~1 2
4 '"--' 2 4 2 4 '"--' 2-4 ()--i)--()-
E
II ll II - .......,,~, -
11 11 a ,___ I - .......,
~ - - .. '"--'Ji. -u 1 u -'""'o E
B G 0 A E
~1
4 _ 2
7.21
74 Guitar'l'echniqua> SUMMER 2002
1"""'-1 - _.., 2~
- - .. ...Ji. -1 u t u ~
2 ~1
4 '"--' 2
4 -<c :;:;-~ 4-()-
- -~~! - .. 1i. - ..
u~ ut 1 2~1 2-o--
2 4------=2 4-
-= = .. u ~
b.H :r _ r-, 2~
ro r r r ..---..
3-2-Q;:::::;{O 3 ~0 4 0
G/A F~m/A Em/A A
ACOUSTIC BLUES 12-BAR EXAMPLE 4 CONTINUED
E B G 0 A E
II ll H .
tJ
10,24
b..l , J I 2,--..,
~
3 2 3 2-G-2 4 2
GIA F#m/A Em/A
-- - .. ~ -u ~ u
2~1
4 ~2
E
- - -.. L--! - .. Ji: - .. ~ u ~ u ~
1 2~1 2
4 '-"' :: 4 ~2 4
II ll H .n b-. r-- )._ r-- 11 n b. r--
E B G D A E
13
tJ :~r 5 4 3
3 G13
~ " 1 2 5 5~t~s 4 4~4 4 3 3 3 3
4
~ 1 ----1-":.._
~ r qr r ~:c:: ~J~~
3 4 2 3
2- 1 3 2
II II H r-- r-1 ..r-, ll r-1 ~
E B G D A E
E B ()
0 A E
t)
28
II II H
tJ
31
TRACK 40
--r ~ 5~5 3 3 '----' 2
2
n
~r 5 5 4 4 3 3
3
G13
r lr 3 8 8 2 7 7 1 . 7
v
I\ ,.....- 1\_ ,....-
~ " ---r ~ 1 ----!-":.._
~ r ~ -5~5l=5 ~::c= ~~s 4 ____.._ ~ ~
4 -2
TRACK 40 on the CD is a combination of EXAMPLES I and 3 played as a duet. Practice playing EXAMPLE 3 alongside EXAMPLE I on the CD and vice versa. IBJ
@ PR011P
USINGTHETE.CHNIQUE$AND PHRASES ecplored In this momhs lesson try co pllt diem In ...... ..,.such a A. G. D llld _,..,.lib C llld F. 1)ils wMI help Ill ilw1lapq ~ 111MIII1t11Mirw of die JU1ar flnaerbovd • Mil It~· FOd ~IMir'clle.