Blues Guitar

The Blues seems to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence here in Scotland. Of course, it never really goes away as it is at the root of so much contemporary and popular music but there are events and gigs and little clubs around now partly or wholly dedicated to the genre which have sprung up fairly recently. Examples that spring to mind are: Rhythm and Blues Revue in Colinsburgh which features various artists; Cupar Bluesandbeyond Club, and The Powderhall Arms in Edinburgh. They all promote Blues in various forms and seem to be thriving. The guitar has always been at the heart of Blues, from Robert Johnston to Joe Bonamassa and there is no one classic way to play it. My own favourites over the whole spectrum include: Scrapper Blackwell, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Willie McTell, Peter Green (in the sixties), Bonnie Raitt and Duane Allman but there are simply too many to name.

Everybody and his brother on You Tube and elsewhere will "teach" you how to play the Blues and there is certainly a lot to be learned about technique that way. I will not presume to join in as I don't believe that playing the Blues can be taught like that. You must find your own "voice" eventually and, while you will take a lot from listening to the greats, you must beware of taking too much. What I am happy to share with you are a few rules that I try to make myself follow as far as possible. These are more about mental attitude than technique and, if they seem obvious to you, I apologise in advance. 

1. Don't try to sound like your influence(s). They will come though without any effort on your part.

2. Don't try to play fast - ever! This doesn't mean you will never play anything fast - it means that your primary aim should never be speed. Paradoxically you will find that impressive technique occurs when you are not thinking about technique at all.

3. Don't be afraid to pause as you would if you were singing.

4. Don't think about impressing your audience when playing live. In my experience that is when you are most likely to balls it up.

5. No matter how impressive it sounds, if you don't feel it, don't play it.

6. Vibrato happens naturally - don't force it.

7. Take advice about playing - not instructions or orders.

8. Remember Blues, like all music, is an expressive art NOT a competitive sport. "Cutting Heads is for assholes." (to slightly misquote Frank Zappa).

I try to follow these rules but don't always succeed. It is hard, for example, not to be competitive about playing and professional jealousy can be difficult to avoid. If you are cooking up a storm at a gig it is easy to start to feel a bit big-headed. When you hear someone play something new and exciting, it is only natural to want to try it yourself. But I think it is worth keeping these rules in mind and making the effort, as being true to yourself and being emotionally honest are paramount in playing blues guitar as far as I am concerned.

Finally, although it may seem contradictory, don't think too much.