In week three of Steve Trovato's American Blues Guitar in 6 weeks we look at the techniques that go into the style played by the great blues master of the Fender Telecaster Albert Collins.
We will play to a funky 12 bar blues backing track in the key of C and learn to interchangeably use either a blues, major or minor or all of the above pentatonic scale over a blues complete with position shift points to aid us.
This works, I tried it and its a great lesson. If you have been reading the previous reviews in this 6 week guitar series you see that they are all similar: He teaches us the major, minor, pentatonic and blues scales in different positions.
The Key E of was week one. The Key of A was week two and here in week three we are in the Key of C. For instructional purposes C in the best scale with no incidental notes i.e.. flats or sharps to contend with also there is enough room on either side of the C note on the low E string to switch the scale pattern to play scales major or minor.
I already knew intellectually what he teaches us here but have never seen it explained so well that I thoroughly understood it and gained the ability right there and then to use it in practice.
Plus position switch points make all the difference and are worth the cost of admission right there!
In my opinion we aspiring guitar players out there need to know this technique and what's more you need to use it too if you are going to play blues solos and not be boring. Thank you Steve!
I do know my scale patterns. Perhaps you don't know them quite so well yet. They aren't that hard but having them charted out would be a big help. Buy this guitar lesson by all means but also buy a good guitar reference book!
Another thing similar to the previous weeks is the introduction of the embellishment techniques such as hammer-ons, pull-offs and sequencing. You see these in action in the style of the various performers of the week and their application seems to be getting more understandable the further we progress. I cant wait for week 4. B.B. King!
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. – Pablo Picasso