Advanced Blues In 6 Weeks - Week 3

In Week 3 of the "Advanced Blues In 6 Weeks" course, guitar enthusiasts are introduced to the intricate world of Robben Ford Style traditional blues. This week focuses on enhancing your blues guitar playing through a deep dive into specific techniques that Robben Ford, one of the blues guitar greats, made famous. Each lesson from Stuart Bull is carefully crafted to not only introduce these techniques but also to demonstrate their practical application, offering a comprehensive learning experience.

Key Techniques Covered

Robben Ford Style Traditional Blues

Exploring Robben Ford's traditional blues style offers insights into his unique approach to blues guitar. This section breaks down his distinctive phrasing, timing, and emotional depth, teaching students how to incorporate these elements into their own playing for a more expressive blues performance.

Open Position Licks

Open position licks are foundational in blues guitar, offering a raw and resonant sound that's instantly recognizable. This course teaches you how to master these licks, adding a versatile tool to your blues arsenal that works well in both solo and ensemble contexts.

Off Note Grouping Phrases

Off note grouping phrases add complexity and interest to your playing, challenging traditional rhythmic patterns. This technique, heavily utilized by Robben Ford, helps in creating a more dynamic and engaging blues sound.

Open String Motifs

Open string motifs leverage the natural resonance of open strings to create memorable and melodious lines. This week's lessons focus on integrating these motifs into your playing, enriching your musical phrases with texture and depth.

Scale Connecting Positions

Connecting scale positions fluidly is crucial for seamless soloing over blues progressions. This course segment teaches the art of navigating the fretboard with ease, linking scale patterns in a way that feels both natural and musically coherent.

Robben Ford Style String Bending

String bending, a hallmark of blues guitar, is explored through the lens of Robben Ford's technique. This lesson emphasizes the nuances of bending strings to achieve the expressive, vocal-like quality that Ford's solos are known for.

The Benefits of Learning These Techniques

By mastering these techniques, guitarists expand their expressive capabilities, enabling them to convey deeper emotion and sophistication in their blues playing. Each lesson is designed not just to teach a technique, but to show how it can be applied to create more compelling and rich musical expressions.

Performance by the Tutor

Seeing these techniques in action during a tutor's performance is invaluable. It provides a real-world context, demonstrating how each technique can be woven into a cohesive and expressive solo. These performances serve as both inspiration and a practical guide, offering students a model to aspire to and learn from.

Practicing with a Backing Track

The inclusion of a backing track is a significant advantage for learners. Practicing with a backing track simulates a live playing environment, allowing students to apply what they've learned in a context that mirrors real-world performance scenarios. This not only improves timing and improvisational skills but also builds confidence in one's ability to play with other musicians.

Conclusion

"Advanced Blues In 6 Weeks - Week 3" is a gateway to mastering the nuanced blues style of Robben Ford. This comprehensive course is designed to elevate your blues playing by introducing sophisticated techniques that add depth, emotion, and flair to your performances. Whether you're aiming to enrich your blues vocabulary or seeking to infuse your playing with the soulful nuances of Robben Ford's style, this course is an essential step on your musical journey.

Guitar Techniques Used in This Course

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• String Bending
• Open String Riffs
• Chromaticism

By incorporating these techniques into your playing, you'll not only capture the essence of Robben Ford's blues style but also develop a more versatile and expressive guitar skillset.