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Topic: looking for fresh ideas for blues lines. |
Don McClellan
From:
California/Thailand
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Posted 22 Nov 2010 8:50 pm |
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| Hi, I'm in Thailand on vacation with an 8 string lap steel and I've been jamming with a blues band here. I know most of us play blues at least from time to time and, as the title says, I could use some new ideas. I'm mainly interested in single note ideas because single note ideas should be adaptable to just about any tuning. Hopefully, other players will benefit from whatever information we can gather on this thread. Thanks, Don |
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Billy Wilson
From:
El Cerrito, California, USA
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Posted 22 Nov 2010 8:53 pm
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Get yerself a distortion pedal. That'll make it all good.  |
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Bob Simons
From:
Kansas City, Mo, USA
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Posted 23 Nov 2010 7:09 am
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Go have a drink and play your guitar! Stop asking silly questions. Blues improvisation is an assembly of tiny, passionate, 1 to 3 or 4 note "words" that are assembled into phrases and longer statements.
Find a pentatonic and a major 6 scale and have at it.
Blues comes from the heart, not the head!
_________________
Zumsteel U12 8-5, MSA M3 U12 9-7, MSA SS 10-string, 1930 National Resonophonic, Telonics Combo, Webb 614e, Fender Steel King, Mesa Boogie T-Verb. |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 23 Nov 2010 7:18 am
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Exactly. If the ideas were fresh, would it still be blues?  |
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Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 23 Nov 2010 8:20 am
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Don -
Bob Simons has pointed you in a very good direction. If you need an example of "less is more" then you might listen to folks like B.B. King. His approach is quite sparse yet the "heart" is obvious. He doesn't assault your senses with interminable lines of gobbledygook like some of the younger players might. Although I, personally, drown in the imagination of people like Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Pat Martino when playing modern jazz blues changes, this doesn't appear to be setting in which you find yourself. Don't try to go there.
Pick three notes. How many ways can you play those three notes in any order and using timing and repetition as additional factors? It might surprise you.
Respectfully,
Richard |
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Dick Sexton
From:
Greenville, Ohio
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Bob Simons
From:
Kansas City, Mo, USA
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Posted 23 Nov 2010 8:41 am
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If you want some good material to practice spare, vocal-phrasing type improvisation get the basic Jimmy Reed album- "Baby What You Want Me To DO?" "Bright Lights, Big City" etc. THey are all lazy shuffles with simple to grasp themes.
For more elaborate improv - Guitar Center sponsors a blues guitar contest each year. On their website they provide 15 or 20 different tracks without a lead guitar in all sorts of blues styles with good notes to help you identify the style, Key etc you are going for. THey can be downloaded for great practice material.....
Just PLEASE do not consider a slow song a license to play every chord variation you ever learned. Make a statement!
_________________
Zumsteel U12 8-5, MSA M3 U12 9-7, MSA SS 10-string, 1930 National Resonophonic, Telonics Combo, Webb 614e, Fender Steel King, Mesa Boogie T-Verb. |
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Don McClellan
From:
California/Thailand
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Posted 23 Nov 2010 7:26 pm
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| Thanks folks, very helpful. Don |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2010 6:32 am
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| I've been goofin' around playing bottleneck in E minor tuning. It works well for Blues. Think I'll try it on my lap steel. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 24 Nov 2010 2:32 pm
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Here is a template that I use for the blues in the key of A or Am on the front neck of a National Double 8 non-pedal with a Jr Brown C13 tuning.
This just shows the straight across and slant positions of the various A chords and the notes in between to visualize where the single notes or harmony can be found in relation to the mode or scale chosen to play the blues.
Stuart has written some blues tab licks in this tuning.
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Joe Goldmark
From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 24 Nov 2010 6:38 pm
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Bo, that looks interesting. This is the kind of thing that Don is looking for. For those who don't know him, Don's a very good blues player, who many years ago showed me E9 blues positions and pockets of passing notes that i never considered (and i already knew both of the "two frets down" positions). I'm just saying this because some of the responses bordered on being condescending.
Joe |
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Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted 24 Nov 2010 8:43 pm
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Some of the most tasteful stuff is done on one string.
You can squeeze a lot of emotion out of a sustained string with that tonebar.
Clete |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 24 Nov 2010 8:50 pm
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Don, listen to some Charlie Parker. Much of what he played was blues reharmonized, but not in an outrageously difficult way. Here's one called "Cool Blues": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pVxWdnInWY
Enjoy!
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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J Fletcher
From:
London,Ont,Canada
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Posted 25 Nov 2010 6:02 am
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For the past couple of months I've been listening to Grant Green, jazz guitar player. Some really cool ideas on "Blues for Jaunita", and on an early LP called "Grant's First Stand."
As most people know there are many different blues styles, and what works in one context doesn't sound right in another.
Muddy Water's "Rolling Stone" is also killer, been listening to that one lately too. Just Muddy and his elecric guitar. Nasty! |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2010 6:08 am
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J F,
search youtube for "Hobo Blues." John Lee |
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J Fletcher
From:
London,Ont,Canada
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Posted 25 Nov 2010 7:01 am
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Hi John
Hobo Blues is pretty cool. YouTube is a bottomless well of material.
Some of the blues things that lay out real easy on guitar don't translate to steel. You have to work so hard to get them. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2010 7:10 am
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Try Danny Gatton's "Funky Momma." I play it on bottleneck. Gotta try on steel!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUpP7CnW4yA
Probably would be better on extended E9th. Think I'll set my Kline Uni back up. It's got the low notes. |
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Mike Poholsky
From:
Kansas, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2010 7:59 am
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About 3 min. of single note blues!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw-wdrlkoBA
_________________
Zumsteel 12 Universal
SGBB
ShoBud VP
'64 Fender Twin Reverb/Fox Rehab
Fender Steel King w/BW 1501-4
FX to Taste |
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 25 Nov 2010 8:58 am
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Two words--ALBERT KING. The most powerful blues, out of the fewest notes in recorded history. The tension created by letting the band "churn" and then hitting "that note" (with the requisite vibrato and sustain) is the blues incarnate.
I had the pleasure of meeting Albert and his advice was this--"Play from here (huge hand/finger pointing to my heart) and NOT from here (huge finger to the forehead)."
From reading this thread it seems clear you "know" how to play the blues...just go with your feeling(s) in moment, no thinking, straight from the heart. |
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Pete Conklin
From:
Austin, TX
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Joe Rogers
From:
Lake Charles, LA USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2010 9:25 am
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I tend to gravitate toward Robben Ford or Eric Clapton. I am also a recent convert to Joey DeFrancesco.  All 3 are fabulous players!! Robben's "Talk To Your Daughter" album should be required listening by all musicians. It is also a known fact that many a road band watch Clapton's "24 Nights" DVD before taking the stage....really sets the mood for playing.
Joe Rogers |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 27 Nov 2010 10:33 am
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I've said this before, and will undoubtedly say it again.
LISTEN TO FRED MCDOWELL.
In my opinion, McDowell was the greatest of all the Mississippi Delta bottleneck guitarists. Fortunately much of his career was well documented and there are a bunch of You Tube videos of him.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Bob Simons
From:
Kansas City, Mo, USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2010 10:36 am
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Fred McDowell! Amen Brother Mike!
_________________
Zumsteel U12 8-5, MSA M3 U12 9-7, MSA SS 10-string, 1930 National Resonophonic, Telonics Combo, Webb 614e, Fender Steel King, Mesa Boogie T-Verb. |
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 27 Nov 2010 4:02 pm
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| Mike Perlowin wrote: |
I've said this before, and will undoubtedly say it again.
LISTEN TO FRED MCDOWELL.
In my opinion, McDowell was the greatest of all the Mississippi Delta bottleneck guitarists. Fortunately much of his career was well documented and there are a bunch of You Tube videos of him. |
YEP. |
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