Playing Through The Blues

Playing Through the Blues A Guide For the Lead Guitar Player Griff Hamlin
2006, Griff Hamlin Page 2

About the Author

Hello, my name is Griff Hamlin. I have been a professional
guitarist and guitar teacher for over 20 years. I have t
hundreds, if not over a thousand students how to play the
guitar. Most of those students had never picked up the
instrument even once before starting lessons.
aught

In addition, I have been a performing musician since the
age of 15, and have performed as many as 200 concerts
per year at some points of my career. Ive been fortunate
enough to tour all over the world including Poland and
Eastern Europe, Turkey, Italy, Korea, and of course all
over the United States. I have released 2 albums so far,
and played releases by several other artists.

As for my academic background, I studied music at the
prestigious USC Thornton School of Music, and I have
taken private lessons from some of the best guitarists in the world. I continue to try and
improve and practice every day. I get enormous joy from playing the guitar and making
music, and I hope you will too.

I currently reside in Southern California with my wife and son. I teach and perform
regularly all around Orange, Riverside, and Los Angeles counties. You can find out
more about me, and whats going on with me currently, by visiting my website at
http://www.griffhamlin.com.

Introduction

This book is the culmination of many years of teaching private students how to solo over
blues songs. It was always a challenge for me to figure out the best way to get the
secrets and the tricks into a manageable form. After 25 years of playing the guitar, I
have forgotten many of the ways I got to where I am today. In the process of writing this
book, I was able to rediscover the simple, straightforward approach to blues soloing that
has worked for me.

The title Playing Through The Blues is a nod to the secrets well discuss later. The real
trick to playing good blues is to be aware of the chords going on behind you and change
your approach with them. In this way you play through the blues and not on top of the
blues. You sound more sophisticated, and more confident in your solos.

There are a couple of assumptions Im making about you, as the reader. First, that you
can at least read TAB, if not a little bit of music. If you are good at playing by ear, then
you should be okay with reading the TAB and listening to the audio examples to get the
timing and the feel. If youre not as good by ear, make sure you work with the slower
examples before tackling the faster versions.

Second, Im assuming you have at least basic guitar skills. You should have a grasp of
most basic guitar chords including major, minor, seventh, and barre chord shapes. For
each solo example, Ive included the rhythm parts. The rhythm parts that Ive provided
are good, standard, blues rhythm patterns that could be used for most songs or jam
sessions.

If you find that you need more work on your technique and speed, I use and
recommend a product called Pentatonic Power. It is a book similar to this one, and
includes hundreds of exercises and audio examples all based around the Pentatonic
Scale. The Pentatonic Scale is basically the same as the Blues Scale well use in this
book. The difference is only one note. My private students all learn the examples in this
book along with many of the exercises in Pentatonic Power. I use them concurrently
with good results.

At the end of each chapter there will be a sentence or two telling you what you must be
able to do before moving on. Make sure that you can do what is required. Each chapter
builds upon the one before it. If you try to jump ahead, you will almost surely get lost.

When you practice your scales and the licks in this book, its best to use a metronome if
at all possible. Start slowly with your scales and never increase the speed at the
expense of the notes. Make sure you hear every note perfectly at the given tempo
before moving on. I used to have a rule for myself that I had to be able to play the scale
three times in a row, perfectly, before I would move on. Even if I played it right twice, but
then messed up on the third, I would start over.


Stepping up to take a solo at your first jam session or band rehearsal can be an
extremely unnerving experience. Most everyone gets the jitters and all of a sudden cant
remember how to play anything theyve learned. Some people call that stagefright, I
call it an attack of stupid. The better you learn the examples, and the better you ingrain
these patterns in your fingers, the better off youll be when its your time to step up.

Are you ready? Lets get started!

Chapter 1 The Blues Scale

In this Chapter: By the end of this chapter, you should be able to play the minor blues
scale starting on any note of the sixth string.

The A Minor Blues Scale look like this in TAB:

B
5 8
5 6 7
5 7
5 7 8
5 8
5 8
B
8 5
8 5
8 7 5
7 5
7 6 5
8 5

And here is a fretboard diagram of the scale. I call this fingering of the scale Box 1.
There are other fingerings we will cover later in the book.

EXAMPLE 1-1

Learn this scale and practice it every day. No, wait, practice it ten times a day. No, wait,
practice it 100 times a day! Practice it slowly and evenly. Dont try to speed up until you
can play it without making any mistakes, and remember to use your metronome. This
scale is the sound of the blues. The better you know it, the more confident you will be
the first time you step up to solo.

After you have mastered the A minor blues scale, you can play the minor blues scale
starting on any note of the sixth string. For example, I started the minor blues scale on
an A note in the example above. Starting on A makes it an A minor blues scale. If you
were to start the scale on C, it would be a C minor blues scale. Below, is the C minor
blues scale in TAB:

B
8 11
8 9 10
8 10
8 10 11
8 11
8 11
B
11 8
11 8
11 10 8
10 8
10 9 8
11 8

EXAMPLE 1-2

If I started the scale on G, it would be a G minor blues scale. If I start it on B, its a B
minor blues scale, and so on, and so on. Got it? Good.

Before moving on, make sure you can play the minor blues scale starting on any fret of
the sixth string. Being able to do that is the same as being able to play the minor blues
scale in any key.

Chapter 2 The 12 Bar Blues Format

In this Chapter: By the end of this chapter, you should be able to identify the 3 chords
that make up a 12 bar blues in any key.

A 12 bar blues consists of 3 chords called the I chord, IV chord, and V chord. To explain
this concept further, we have to step away from the blues for a minute. The concept of a
I chord, IV chord, and V chord is simple, but it comes from a major scale, not a blues
scale.

Simply put, if you build a chord off of the first note in the major scale, its called a I
chord. Similarly, if you build a chord off of the 4
th
note in the major scale, its called the
IV chord, and if you build a chord off of the 5
th
note in the major scale, its called the V
chord.

To find the I, IV, and V chords in any key on your guitar:

I chord: Find the note on the 6
th
string that matches the key youre in. In the key
of A, you would find the A on the 5
th
fret of the 6
th
string.

IV chord: Use the same fret as the I chord, but on the 5
th
string. In the key of A,
the IV chord would be D on the 5
th
fret of the 5
th
string.

V chord: Go up 2 frets from the IV chord. In the key of A, the V chord is E on the
7
th
fret of the 5
th
string.

This trick will work for any key, but Ill make it even easier. Heres a chart of every key
with its corresponding IV and V chords

Key A Bb B C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab
I Chord A Bb B C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab
IV Chord D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B C Db
V Chord E F F# G G# A Bb B C C# D Eb

Check out the music below for a 12 bar blues in the key of A. Heres what to remember:

Bars 1 4 use the I chord.
Bars 5 and 6 use the IV chord.
Bars 7 and 8 return to the I chord.
Bars 9 and 10 are the V chord, and IV chord.
Bars 11 and 12 are called the turnaround. The simplest turnaround is to use
the I chord for both bars 11 and 12.


_
A7
(I)

5
_
D7
(IV)

A7
(I)

9
_
E7
(V)

D7 (IV)

A7
(I)

The most common variation of this pattern is called a Quick Change Blues, where bar 2
uses the IV chord and all other bars are the same. It is also common to go to the V
chord on bar 12.

Before you move on, you should be able to play the I, IV, and V chords in any key.


Chapter 3 Blues Bends

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play several standard
blues licks which contain bends.

One of the most distinguishing elements of blues soloing is the use of string bending.
Guitar players are lucky because the guitar, with its ability to bend notes as much as 2
steps, is arguably one of the most expressive instruments on the planet.

Typically, bends are done with more than one finger. I usually use one finger to play the
note, and another to help bend it skyward. The trick is to always bend towards the
center of the guitar neck. Since most bends occur on the top 3 strings, well bend up
towards the ceiling to create the effect.

Lets look at the following lick:

B
7
full
5
7
full
5
7
full
5

EXAMPLE 3-1

I use my third finger on the 7
th
fret note, and my middle finger to help bend it up to
match the pitch of the second note, which I hit with my first finger. The note on the 7
th

fret of the 3
rd
string is a D. However, once you grab it and bend it up a full step as
indicated, its an E, not a D anymore. Bending is just another way to get to a new note,
much like sliding or hammering on. If you bend a note a half step, it should sound like
the note one fret up from where you start. If you bend a note a full step (or whole step,)
it should sound like the note 2 frets up from where you start. In the case of the previous
lick, the second note should sound the same as the first once it is bent. Heres a picture
of my hand doing this bend:


Below is a half step bend lick. Notice that the note is not only bent up step, it is then
released back to pitch. The TAB note in parentheses should not be played, it indicates
that the note should still be ringing.

B
7
1/2
7 5 7
1/2
7 5 7
1/2
7 5

EXAMPLE 3-2

Heres another common whole step bend. Once again, the second note should sound
like the first note after its bent.

B
8
full
5
8
full
5
8
full
5

EXAMPLE 3-3


Heres a couple of common blues licks that use bends.

5
B
7
5 8 5
8 7 5
7
,
.
full

EXAMPLE 3-4

B
7
5 8 5
7 7 5
-
.....
full full

EXAMPLE 3-5

Before you move on, be able to play along with the recorded examples.

Chapter 4 Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Tweedlies

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play several blues licks
which contain hammer-ons, pull-offs, and tweedlies.

One of the easiest ways to speed up your playing, and add a little variety to your
phrases, is to articulate your notes in different ways. Instead of picking every single
note, try using some slurs. A slur is a generic term for a note that is not articulated with
a pick, but is still played. On a guitar this can be done by hammering-on a note, or
pulling-off a note.

A Hammer-on is quite simply where you push down with your finger very quickly and
hard, so as to hammer it onto the note. Hammer-ons can only go from a lower note to
a higher note.

A hammer-on is notated with an arc (slur mark) like this in TAB:

B
5 7 5 7

EXAMPLE 4-1

Pull-offs are basically the opposite of hammer-ons. Pull-offs go from a higher note to a
lower note. The nice thing about a pull-off is that you can give the note a little flick to the
side with your finger as you pull it off. This technique will keep the volume consistent.

A pull-off is notated with a slur mark like this in TAB:

B
7 5 7 5

EXAMPLE 4-2

Some of my students get confused when looking at the TAB as to whether to do a
hammer-on or a pull-off. Make sure you understand the difference. Hammer-ons can
only go from lower notes to higher notes, and pull-offs can only go from higher notes to
lower notes.


If you combine a hammer-on and a pull-off, you get what I call a tweedly, so named
because of what it sounds like to me. Youll pick the first note, then quickly hammer-on
the second and pull-off to the third. Usually these are pretty quick, and add some
coolness factor to your solos.

B
5 7 5 5 7 5

EXAMPLE 4-3

Heres a couple of licks that use hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, and tweedlies all
together.

_
_
.
_
_
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,

B
7
5
5
8 5
7
f f

EXAMPLE 4-4

_
_
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
3
B
5 8 5
8
5
8 5 8
f


EXAMPLE 4-5

_
_
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
8 5
8 5
8 5
8
f

EXAMPLE 4-6

_
_
.
_
_ ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
5 7
5
7
5 7
5 8
f

EXAMPLE 4-7

_
_
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
3 3
3
3
B
5 8 5
8 5 8 5
7 5 7 5
7 5 7 5
7



EXAMPLE 4-8

As with most licks, the key is to play these slowly and perfectly many times before you
try to increase the speed. Most people try to do hammer-ons and pull-offs too fast which
will make them out of time. Keep them evenly spaced just like they were picked notes.
Use the audio examples to help you stay on track.

Before you move on, be able to play along with the recorded examples of all of the licks.

Chapter 5 Example Solo 1

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play a 12 bar blues solo
in the key of A.

This solo example is a blues in the key of A with a straight feel. Heres the rhythm guitar
part notated in TAB.

_
_
.
_
_
A7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
D7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2 0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
.
_
_
A7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
E7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2


.
_
_
D7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
A7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2

SOLO EXAMPLE 1, RHYTHM ONLY

Now here is the solo in TAB:

_
_
.
_
_
A7
,
,,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
.
,
, , ,
,
,
B
7
5
5
5 8
7 7 5
7
5 5
7 5
7
7 8
5 8
f
f
f
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
D7
, ,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
3
B
5 8 5
8
5 8 8
f
8 8 5 8 5
8
5
8 5 8
f f
f


.
_
_
A7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
E7
,
,
, , ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
8
7 7 5
7 5 7 7
5 6 7
5
7
5 7
5
7
f
.
_
_
D7
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
A7
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
, ,

B
7
5
5
7 7 5
7
5
5 8
5 8 5 5
f f f

SOLO EXAMPLE 1

Solo Analysis and Tips
1. Dont worry too much about getting the bends up to pitch right now. When you
practice your bends, always try to get them up to pitch .When you practice solos,
dont worry about it, there are too many other things to focus on.
2. Notes in parenthesis are NOT to be played. They are simply held from being
played already.
3. While Ive notated when I chose to use hammer-ons and pull-offs, dont be afraid
to insert some of your own, or not use the ones Ive described.

Before you move on be able to play along with the recorded example. From this point
on I will assume that you can execute hammer-ons, pull-offs, and tweedlies. The licks
and solos are only going to get faster and more difficult from here.

Chapter 6 The Swing of the Blues

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you should be able to play the blues scale
in triplets and swinging eighth notes.

Normally, eighth notes break each beat into 2 equal pieces. They create the familiar
one & two & three & four & feel that were used to in rock music. In a swing feel, each
beat is divided into 3 pieces. Instead of one & two &, we get one & a two & a three &
a four & a. Dividing each beat into 3 pieces creates what are called eighth note triplets.

Below is the A minor blues scale written in eighth note triplets. Listen to it first, then play
along.

B
5 8
5 6 7
5 7
5 7 8
5 8
5 8
B
8 5
8 5

8 7 5
7 5
7 6 5
8 5

EXAMPLE 6-1

You will use triplets A LOT in your solos, so get used to practicing your scales in triplets
as well as eighth notes.

Once you can do triplets, its not too hard to turn them into swing eighth notes. Simply
remove the & from one & a and youve got it.

I know thats not the easiest thing to explain in words. The next example is of the A
minor blues scale played in swing eighth notes. Listen to it a few times first, then play
along.

EXAMPLE 6-2

Before you move on be able to play along with the recorded examples.

Chapter 7 Moving On Up

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play a different fingering
of the A minor blues scale. You will also learn how to combine it with the fingering you
already know.

The notes in the A minor blues scale are A, C, D, D#/Eb, E, and G. As you probably
already know, theres more than one way to play those notes on a guitar. Theres
actually five different ways to finger the blues scale on the guitar. Box 1 was shown at
the beginning of chapter 1. Here is the next fingering up the guitar neck - I call it Box 2.

Here is the TAB for the A minor blues scale, Box 2:

B
8 10 11
7 10
7 10
7 8 9
8 10
8 10 11 10
B
8
10 8
9 8 7
10 7
10 7
11 10 8

Heres a fretboard diagram of Box 2.

EXAMPLE 7-1

Practice this one as much as you practice Box 1. Once you get Box 2 under your
fingers, play it starting on every fret. You should also practice Boxes 1 and 2
consecutively. Notice how the two boxes share many notes and fit together. The better

you can see this on your fretboard, the less likely you are to get lost in the middle of
your solos.

Here is a picture of your fretboard with the notes of the two boxes. Notice how they
share several notes.

Try playing the following pattern, which combines Boxes 1 and 2. This is a really
important pattern to master. Many great blues legends have used this in nearly every
solo they play.

B
5 8
5 6 7
5 7
5 7 8 9
8 10
8 10 11
B
10 8
10 8
9 8 7 5
7 5
7 6 5
8 5

EXAMPLE 7-2


Chapter 8 Example Solo 2

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play a 24 bar blues solo
in the key of A. This example is in a shuffle feel, and contains triplets, hammer-ons, pull-
offs, Boxes 1 and 2, and a lot of great blues licks.

Heres the rhythm guitar part written out in TAB for you. As always, take the time to
learn it well. In this rhythm example, Ive taken the opportunity to demonstrate a cool
way to play a blues as part of the rhythm section. These chords have just two notes,
and move only one or two frets in either direction. This is really effective because it
keeps the chords going, but doesnt get in the way.

_
_
.
_
_
A7
,
,
,
,

D7
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

A7
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
B
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
.
_
_

,
,
,
,

D7
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
B
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5


.
_
_
A7
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

E7
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
B
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
6
7
6
7
6
7
6
7
.
_
_
D7
,
,
,
,

A7
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

E7
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

A7
,
,
,
,

B
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
6
7
6
7
6
7
6
7
5
6


Heres the solo which utilizes triplets, swing eighth notes, and both Boxes 1 and 2.
Enjoy!

_
_
.
_
_
A7
,
,
,
,
D7
,
,
,
,
,
A7
,
,
.
B
5
8
5 8 10 10 8
10 10
8
f
4
.
_
_
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,,
,
,
D7
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
, ,,
,
,
,
,
,
3
3
3
3
3 3
3
B
5
8 5
7
5
5
5
8 5 5
8
7 7 5
7
7
5
8 5 5
5
8
7 7
f f f f
7
.
_
_
A7
,
. ,
,
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3
B
5 5 9
8 10
8
10
8 10 10 10 8 10
f f f


10
.
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3 3
B
10 10
.
10 8
10 10 10
.
10
.
10
.
10
5
8 5
7
5
5
8
7 7
f
f f

13
.
_
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A7
,
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,

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A7
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3 3 3
B
5
7 5
5 6 7
5
6 7
5
6 7
5 7
5
7
5
5
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16
.
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3
B
5
8 5
7 7 5
7
5
7
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9
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9
8 10 10
8 8
f f
19
.
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,

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3 3 3
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10
10 10 10 8 10 8 8
10 8 10
10 11 10 8 10 8
10 8
f f


22
.
_
_
D7
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,
,
A7 ,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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3 3
3
B
10
10 11 10 8 10 8
10 8 10
8 5
8 5
7 5 7

24
.
_
_
E7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
A7
,
.
3
3
3
B
7 7 5
7
5
7 5
7
5 7 5 7
f

SOLO EXAMPLE 2

1. Notice in bar 1 Ive used box 1, and then box 2 in the second bar. This is a
common technique used by many famous blues players throughout history.
2. Its a little tricky to start the lick in bar 4 on the second half of beat 1. It is common
in blues to NOT start your licks on a downbeat, so get used to that. Listen
carefully to the audio example and try to really lock in on that.
3. The lick in bar 21 is a pianistic lick I hear a lot. I use my third finger and pinky to
do the opening slurs.
4. Dont worry about the vibrato that is notated. If you cant do it now, you will later.
It will come in its own time all by itself, so dont force it.


Chapter 9 Other Keys

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play the blues scale in
both major and minor keys.

At this point, you should be able to play Boxes 1 and 2 in any minor key easily on your
guitar. If you cant, take the time to go back and review the previous chapters or what
follows will be nothing short of bewildering.

You may have wondered what to do if you need a major blues scale. The good news is,
nothing! Every minor key has what is called a relative major key that contains the exact
same notes. The relative major key is always 3 frets up from the minor key. For
example, A minor is relative to C major. E minor is relative to G major.

You may have heard the trick that you can move your blues scale down 3 frets and you
will be playing the relative major key. That is true, but I find that most people have a
hard time with this because of the extra step involved. Its faster to start Box 2 on the
root note youre working with instead of Box 1. Theres no extra step, and you can focus
on the actual root note, not a different and seemingly unrelated note 3 frets down.

To be more specific, lets say you want G minor blues. You would put Box 1 starting on
the 3
rd
fret, G, which makes Box 2 start at the 6
th
fret, Bb. Now if you want G major
blues, you would put Box 2 starting on the 3
rd
fret, G, which makes Box 1 start on the
open string.

During your solos, you should be able to switch between the major and minor blues
sounds whenever you want. Practice the following exercise, which goes up using the
major blues scale (Box 2) and then back down using the minor blues scale (Box 1.) The
second exercise is the opposite, it uses the minor blues scale (Box 1) going up and the
major blues scale (Box 2) coming back down. These are in the key of G to get ready for
the next solo example.


Example 1
B
G Maj Blues Box 2
3 5 6
2 5
2 5
2 3 4
3 5
3 5 3 5
B
G Min Blues Box 1
6 3
6 3
6 5 3
5 3
5 4 3
6 3 6
3

EXAMPLE 9-1

Example 2

B
G Min Blues Box 1
3 6
3 4 5
3 5
3 5 6
3 6
3 6 3
6
B
G Maj Blues Box 2
3
5 3
4 3 2
5 2
5 2
6 5 3 5 6
2

EXAMPLE 9-2

Chapter 10 The Secret to Playing Like the Masters

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will understand how the blues masters
play through the chord changes, not over them. This is truly the secret to making the
most of your blues and really sounding great!

This is my favorite part, where I really get to show you the secret of playing the blues
like your heroes. The secret lies in knowing when to use the minor blues scale, and
when to use the major blues scale. It turns out that you can use both, at different times
within a blues tune, to show off the different chord changes.

Remember a 12 bar blues pattern and when each chord occurs. Since this works for
any key, dont think about chord names, think about their number. We want to know
when the I chord happens (bars 1-4, bars 7,8, and bar 11,) when the IV chord happens
(bar 2 in a quick change blues, also bars 5,6 and 10,) and when the V chord happens
(bar 9 and sometimes bar 12.)

_
A7
(I)

5
_
D7
(IV)

A7
(I)

9
_
E7
(V)

D7 (IV)

A7
(I)

The secret, quite simply, is to play the major blues scale (Box 2) over the I chord, and
the minor blues scale (Box 1) over the IV and V chords. Its so simple! But just wait until
you hear how cool it sounds.

Heres the 12 bar blues again with labels for when to use the major (Box 2) sounds and
the minor (Box 1) sounds.


_
A7
(I)
Box 2

5
_
D7
(IV)
Box 1

A7
(I)
Box 2

9
_
E7
(V)
Box 1

D7 (IV)

Box 1
A7
(I)
Box 2

As you get more comfortable, you can actually try using the major (Box 2) or minor
blues scale (Box 1) over the I chord. However, you must always use the minor blues
scale (Box 1) over the IV and V chords.

When soloing, in order to play through the chord changes, you have to really listen
carefully to whats going on behind you. Its not that hard to learn the scales and play
them as needed. Whats hard is to notice that the chord has changed, and more
importantly, to anticipate that chord change. As you gain experience, the chord changes
will become so natural that your lines will flow from major to minor and back with little
thought on your part. You will simply imagine which of the major or minor sounds you
want to hear, and it will come from your fingers automatically.

Earlier I mentioned that playing over a minor blues is the easiest because theres
nothing to think about. If you have a blues in a minor key, meaning the I chord is a
minor or some minor type of chord, youll play a minor blues scale throughout the entire
tune no matter what happens in the chord changes.

Chapter 11 Use It Or Lose It Example

In This Chapter: In this chapter you will learn a 24 bar solo in the key of G. This
example will use the blues licks and secrets we have talked about so far, including the
use of the major blues scale over the I chord, and the minor blues scale over the IV and
V chords.

This next solo example is a shuffle blues in G. Well go back and forth between the
major and minor blues sounds. Notice that when the I chord is begin played there will be
notes from the major blues scale. During the other chords there will be notes from the
minor blues scale.

As always, first learn the rhythm part. The reason should now be obvious. If you cant
play the rhythm part, you wont know when the chords change, and you wont know
when to change scales. If you play the wrong scale over the wrong chord, it can sound
really bad.


_
_
.
_
_
G7
,
,
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C9
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G7
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B
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
.
_
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B
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
.
_
_
G7
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,
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B
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
.
_
_
C9
,
,
,
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G7
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B
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
4
3


.
_
_
D9
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,
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G7
,
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B
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
3
4
3


Heres the solo transcription. Theres a lot of really good standard blues licks here, so
try and soak them all up. When you have this memorized, try playing it in different keys.
Its a simple matter of changing frets, your hands shouldnt know the difference. If you
can close your eyes and play it in G, then you can play it in B by simply moving your
hand up the neck a little bit and playing the exact same thing.


_
_
.
_
_
. , , ,
,
G7
,
,
,
, , ,
C9
,
,

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,
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, ,
,
3
B
3 4
3 5
3 3 3 5 8 8 6
8
f f
.
_
_
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,
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C9
,
,
,
.
3
3
B
8
6
3 5
3
3
6 3 5 3
5
3
6
f
1 2 1 2
.
_
_

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G7
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,

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3
3
3 3
3
B
3
6 3
5 6 5 3
5
5
5
3
5
3 4
5 3 5
3
5 3
4
1 2 1 2
.
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G7
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3
3 3
B
8 8 6 8 6
8 6 8
6 8 8 6
8 8 8 8 8
f f f

.
_
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D9
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G7
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C9
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B
8 8 8
8 8 8 8 8 6
8 6
5 3
f f f
.
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3
3
3
B
4
5
5 7
5
7
7 8 7 5 7 5 5
7
5 8 8 5 3 5 8 5
.
_
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hold bend
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3
3
3
3 3 3
B
5
3
3
3 6 3
5
3
3
3 6
3
hold bend
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
f f f f
.
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3
3
3
3
3
B
6
3
6 3
5 5 5 3 4 3
6
3
6 3
5 5 3
5
5
5
3
5 3 5
f
f

.
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3
3
3
3
B
5
3 7
6 6
7
6 6 6
5 3
5 5 5
3 4 5 5
5

SOLO EXAMPLE 3

1. Bar 1 actually looks like the 2
nd
bar because of the pick-up notes.
2. The lead in is a great standard lick using the G major blues scale (Box 2.) From
there, I use Box 1 on bar 2 because its the IV chord.
3. The step bend in bar 7 takes us from minor to major sound over the I chord
there. The subtle use of bends can make dramatic changes in the sound of your
solos.
4. The quick slide in bar 16 is fun. You could do it with hammer-ons or pull-offs if
you prefer, but I like the sound of the slide. The notes are actually a peek into
Box 3.
5. Theres a really common trick at the end of bar 21. You might wonder where that
4
th
fret note comes from. Its hard to explain, and its really just one of those
things you do in blues.

Dont move on until youve got it. The next ones a killer!

Chapter 12 Finishing up the Neck

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play the blues scale in
any key throughout the length of your fretboard.

There are 5 boxes in total. This turns out to be the magic number on the guitar for a lot
of things. There are 5 ways to play nearly every chord and every scale because of the
way the octave is divided into 12 frets. Here is the TAB for the remaining 3 boxes. For
each Box, once you have it memorized, play it in straight eighth notes, swing eighth
notes, and triplets.

B
10 11 12
10 12
10 12 13
9 12
10 13
10 11 12 11
B
10
13 10
12 9
13 12 10
12 10
12 11 10

EXAMPLE 12-1


B
12 15
12 15
12 13 14
12 14
13 15 16
12 15 12
16
B
15 13
14 12
14 13 12
15 12
15 12

EXAMPLE 12-2

B
15 17
15 17 18
14 17
14 17
15 16 17
15 17 15
17
B
16 15
17 14
17 14
18 17 15
17 15



EXAMPLE 12-3

Heres a diagram of all five boxes on the fretboard

Notice in the picture above how the sequence of 5 Boxes repeats. After Box 5 comes
Box 1 again. This is helpful in keys where Box 1 would naturally fall somewhere above
the 7
th
or 8
th
fret. By the time you get up to Box 5, you may run out of room on your
guitar neck. If youre practicing the Boxes and run out of room, just drop the Box by 12
frets (an octave) and continue.

As an example, lets say youre in the key of D minor. Box 4 starts on the 17
th
fret, which
might feel awkward. As an option, go down 12 frets to the 5
th
fret, and all of the notes
will be the same, just one octave lower.

Here are a few licks that use Boxes 3, 4, and 5, and in some cases more than one.


_
_
.
_
_
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
3 3 3
B
10 11 10
13 10
12
10 13 10
f

Box 3

EXAMPLE 12-4

_
_
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
, .
3
B
12
10 12 14
12 14
13 15
15
15
f f

Box 4

EXAMPLE 12-5
_
_
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, , ,
,
,
,
, .
3 3
3
3
B
4 5
3
4 5
3 5 3
5 3 4 3
5 2
Box 5 down an octave

EXAMPLE 12-6


_
_
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
3
3
3
3 3 3 3
B
12 10 12
10
12
10 12 13 14
12
14
12 14 12 14
13 15 16 17
15 17
20
f
Boxes 3 through 1

EXAMPLE 12-7

Chapter 13 Final Solo Example

In This Chapter: By the end of this chapter you will be able to play a great 24 bar blues
solo in the key of E using all of the concepts in the book!

This final solo example is in the key of E. You might recognize the feel as being similar
to a famous Texas Shuffle. This solo uses all of the concepts discussed so far, and
throws in a few blues tricks that dont really fit into any particular category. As with all
the solos, take it slow and be patient. Once you can play it, try changing keys.

The key of E can be difficult for some people because of the open position. For that
reason Ive written out the E minor blues scale Box 1 below:

B
0 3
0 1 2
0 2
0 2 3
0 3
0 3
B
3 0
3 0
3 2 0
2 0
2 1 0
3 0

Now on to the example. Heres the rhythm part in TAB:


_
_
.
_
_
E
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
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,
,
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,
,
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,
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,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
.
_
_
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,
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,
A7
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,
,
,
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,
,
B
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
.
_
_
E
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
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,
,
,
,
,

,
,
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,
,
,
,
,
,
,
B7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
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_
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A7
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.
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, . .
-
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2
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3



Here is the solo in TAB. Take your time with this one. It covers everything we have done
in the whole book, and then some.


_
_
.
_
_
E7
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
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B
5 5
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5 7 7 7
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7 5
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7 5
f f
f
3
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3
3
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5 5 5 7
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3
3 3
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f
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20
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17 15
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3 3
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17 15
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14 13 12 10
12 12 0
f

SOLO EXAMPLE 4

Solo Analysis and Tricks
1. I started this one off in Box 4 specifically to show you that a lot of solos dont start
in Box 1 and stay there. Be able to start the major or minor sounds any place,
any time.
2. Notice the open position E minor lick (Box 1) in bar 4 that leads in to the A7
chord in Bar 5. At this point I didnt even think about boxes but actually used
notes from the chord. Chord tones ALWAYS work and can save you from having
to worry about whether or not youre in the right place.
3. Pay close attention to the double stops in bar 13 as theyre another common
move.
4. The climb in bars 18 through 20 demonstrates a good way to work on getting
through Boxes within your solo. Its a good example of how to work your way up
to a new area on the neck.
5. The last few bars take all of the basic boxes and move them up an octave. Its
always a good idea to get used to working in the high frets. The guitar cuts
through the band better up there and it takes some practice to get used to
working in the smaller frets.

Chapter 14 Breaking Boundaries of the Blues

The ideas introduced in this book are, for the most part, straight-ahead traditional blues
ideas. Many modern guitarists have ventured into jazz and rock territory. Its funny to
think that when Stevie Ray Vaughan started touring he was often shunned for being too
modern and non-traditional. The blues, as well as most other styles of music, must and
does evolve. Current guitarists like Scott Henderson, Robben Ford, and J oe
Bonamassa are changing what the blues can be.

While not the topic for this book, those of you interested in pushing the envelope a little
can try experimenting with modal scales such as the Dorian and Mixolydian Scale. The
Mixolydian Scale is a perfect fit over any 7
th
chord, and by adding a flatted 3
rd
and 5
th

tone, you actually get the same set of notes as the major and minor blues scales put
together. The Dorian scale is a really good choice over any minor chord in a blues,
particularly when the I chord is minor and the IV chord is a 7
th
type of chord.

One of my favorite tricks is to use whats called a half-whole diminished scale during bar
4, right before the I chord changes to the IV chord. It creates a kind of odd sound, but I
like it. There are also uses for whole-tone, and altered dominant scales.

Above all, experiment, and find your own voice. Dont be afraid to bring other elements
into your blues.

Playing Through The Blues

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Playing Through the Blues A Guide For the Lead Guitar Player Griff Hamlin

2006, Griff Hamlin Page 2

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