Stevie Ray Vaughan's First Guitar Lesson (From A Rare Stevie Ray Vaughan Interview)

Stevie Ray Vaughan was one hell of a player!

Trying to play some of his music can be FRUSTRATING…

In fact, anytime I’ve actually come close to getting it right.  

I’ve only been able to maintain playing for about 30 seconds before my hand feels like it’s gonna fall off…

From the outside, the majority of people place a wall around such levels of mastery… 

Chalk it up to natural talent or being born an innate genius…

They typically think of it as inaccessible…

But this isn’t true…

There is actually latent power within us all…

The right process and the right effort bring it out… 

That’s what SRV did… 

In fact, he didn’t start much different than you and I…

Today, I want to show you an example of this…

Ever wondered how SRV got started? 

What did he practice?

What was his first lesson?...

Was it the riff to Scuttle Buttin’?

Nope…

He started with a simple blues shuffle…

You see I dug up this old interview with him talking about the first thing he learned…

He said “The first thing I learned was the blues thing [that goes like this as he demonstrates and chuckles]”

He just plays it for a brief moment in the interview…

But I want to dive deeper into this shuffle groove…

Show you how to stretch out this little pattern into a full 12-bar jam…

So grab your guitar and let’s go back in time to SRV’s first lesson and follow the path to mastery…

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Guitar Tuning:

Stevie Ray Vaughan was known for tuning his guitar a half-step down. This is where each string was lowered one half step from standard tuning.  

This tuning is often referred to as Eb tuning because the open strings, from low to high, are tuned to Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.

By tuning down a half step, Stevie Ray Vaughan achieved a deeper and more resonant sound, which is a hallmark of his signature blues tone. 

This tuning allowed him to bend strings more easily, produce a fatter tone, and execute his distinctive vibrato style. 

It's worth noting that many of his songs, like "Pride and Joy" and "Texas Flood," are played in this Eb tuning.

In this lesson, I will be tuned down to Eb standard.

From there I will refer to the chords as just E, A, and B.  

Blues Chords

As mentioned above we are going to take the core riff Stevie Ray Vaughan played in the interview and expand it out into a full 12-bar blues. 

This will be based on three chords E7, A7, and B7. 

To do this we must first know the order of the progression and how long to stay on each chord.

The basic chord structure is as follows:

E7 (four bars)

A7 (two bars)

E7 (two bars)

B7 (one bar)

A7 (one bar)

E7 (two bars)

Let's break it down: 

The first four bars are played using an E7 chord. This is your "home" or tonic chord in the key of E. It's often played in a shuffle rhythm and sets the bluesy mood. 

The next two bars shift to an A7 chord. This is the IV (fourth) chord in the key of E, introducing a bit of tension and variety into the progression.

You return to E7 for the next two bars, bringing back the main chord for resolution. 

Then, there's a quick B7 chord played for one bar. The B7 is the V (fifth) chord in the key of E, and it adds a strong sense of anticipation, preparing for the final resolution.

You follow the B7 with one bar of A7, providing a transitional step back to the E7 chord. 

Finally, you return to E7 for the last two bars, completing the 12-bar cycle and giving a sense of resolution.

Vaughan elaborates on this progression by combining a blues shuffle pattern and also some bluesy chord embellishments. 

Here is an example of how he combined these elements into a fun groove:

Conclusion

Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar mastery continues to inspire guitarists worldwide. While his playing may seem daunting to many, it's essential to remember that he began much like any other guitarist, starting with the basics. And then building everything else out from there.

The journey from the first blues shuffle to becoming a legendary figure in the world of blues guitar was marked by dedication and the right process.

So, whether you're just starting or looking to expand your blues guitar skills, remember that mastery is a journey. Stevie Ray Vaughan's path shows us this…

Keep practicing and for more great Stevie Ray Vaughan style guitar lessons check out this rare Stevie Ray Vaughan Acoustic guitar lesson, or this Cold Shot guitar lesson next!