Just curious how many beginners or more advanced p_layer_s here play the blues. For me I mainly play blues tunes. When I really get in the groove it is when I play along with a blues song and play my own solos. I've always found it difficult to play rythm along with a song on CD but my Strat sings when it comes to soloing. Lately I've been trying to expand my knowledge of the blues and I've been noticing that some blues p_layer_s like Albert King have a second guitarist who play rythm and it seems with King anyway that he would play the solo and signature licks throughout the song and not play much rhythm. At least that's how it is transcribed in the Albert King book I have. The rythm guitar is mostly played by a second guitarist. BB King seems to play this way as well. Singing and adding signiature licks throughout the song and not playing chords throughout the song. Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn always seemed to be playing rhythm and solos while on stage. Simply put some guitarists seem to be constantly doing something with their guitar while others only play certain stand out parts of a song. Is any of this making sense or does it sound like I am out of my mind? It probably goes to the particular artists _style_, type of music, song, and perhaps ability. When I was younger I wanted to play like Eddie Van Halen and all the other fast p_layer_s but as I get older (I'm 34 now) it's like I want to put more feeling into each note instead of running up and down the fretboard as fast as I can. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy listening to VH sometimes but it's not what I want to play. I've been practicing some contemporary Clapton tunes lately like the slower blues tunes from Journeyman and they are a good fit for me. I love that Strat sound in a slow blues tune. Am I rambling at this point or is anyone still with me? Anyway, summing up maybe it is the quality not quantity arguement for what appeals to me at this point in my playing and it seems like the blues is perfect for that. Ray

Anyway, summing up maybe it is the quality not quantity arguement for what appeals to me at this point in my playing and it seems like the blues is perfect for that.     Yeah.  And while the Strat, as you point out, works great for the blues, any guitar works great for the blues if you can play 'em.  Blues is in the guitarist, not the guitar. The Old Guy

I'm actually more of a jazz-influenced blues p_layer_. I hate playing with people who only play blues because it's all they can play. That usually translates to I'm too lazy to learn anything complex . HOWEVER, that said, the good blues p_layer_s are exactly that: good p_layer_s. Tony mentioned Keb Mo. He's a great p_layer_ who chooses to research the blues and play it well, as well as very authentically. Corey Harris is another guy like that. I love B.B. King and Albert King, although they don't play chords to speak of. B.B. can play some chords but he really just doesn't get into that. He is more of a blues singer, in part. His _style_ is to play with a big band and that's just what he's used to doing. I think it's very important to learn the whole bag. You should learn to be a great rhythm p_layer_ as well as a soloist. I actually enjoy playing rhythm, and try to make sure that my rhythm playing has a lot of character as well as my soloing. Where to punch in chords, what the dynamics should be for those chords, when to lay out, when to add different inversions of the chords, when to play higher and when to play lower, etc. There is a whole type of art in being a good accompanist, and if you can do that well and then switch to being a great soloist, you're a goldmine. Blues can be pretty fast, as well. I think it's a lot more musical than the thrash '80's _meta_l that pervades the guitarist image to most people. Playing blues is about listening, dynamics, listening, improvisation, listening, working with the rhythmic section, listening, and playing with soul and feeling. Oh, and it's about listening, too. There's a lot of variety in the blues. Listen to Larry Carlton or Robben Ford play blues. They both can and do certainly play authentic traditional blues, but they can also step it up a notch and add more complex changes into what the play, not to mention amazing rhythms and dynamics. Both Larry and Robben have great lesson videos that address all of this stuff. Check out Larry Carlton's Last Nite CD for a taste of his blues playing, in a slow blues, a fast shuffle, a more jazzy 3/4 time blues, etc. He's also got a new CD out that's supposed to be pretty good for blues. Robben Ford has a Blues Collection CD that is definitely all that. What did you want to discuss about blues? Oh, and don't let LaRoc hear you talking about quality over quantity . He'll be all over you like flies around a, um, construction worker...

Anyway, summing up maybe it is the quality not quantity arguement for what appeals to me at this point in my playing and it seems like the blues is perfect for that. Ray I agree with you Ray.  Stevie Ray Vaughan spoke of musicians trying to emulate sounds they heard in every day life.  And Hendrix once remarked that he tried to replicate the fast-sounding rush of the wind when as a paratrooper he stood in the door of a C-130.  Music is art, and every note you play says something. Randy remove nospam to reply

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