If you want to play any popular American music from the past 150 years… then you’re going to want to be familiar with the blues. 

When you do this makes learning your favorite songs so much EASIER.

You’ll start to identify the fundamental patterns beneath the surface of the music. And you won’t feel like you have to start back at square one, every time you go to learn a new song. In this post, I want to share with you 3 simple ways to play the 12 bar blues progression. 

These examples are going to be in the key of A major. However, the blues can be played in any key – major or minor. So let’s start with the…

12 Bar Blues Progression Chords

There are 3 main chords to a simple blues progression. These are called the I, IV, and V chords. The I, IV, and V chords are the most common chords in Western music and are essential for understanding harmony. They come from the major scale of a given key and are built on the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes (or degrees) of that scale.

In the key of ...

If you want to improve as a guitarist, one of the most important areas to focus on is technique.

Techniques are the keys to being able to unlock the sounds created on your favorite recordings.

But if a player is lacking the skills or understanding of the techniques required. Then their music is going to come up short.

Below I share 10 must-know guitar techniques for beginner and intermediate players. These are in no particular order, and there are many more than what I list here. But let’s get started with…

1) Slides

Slides are a versatile and expressive technique that can add a smooth, fluid sound to your playing. They can be added to single-note lines, chords, or even the beginning and ends of phrases or solos.

However, a lot of guitarists feel like they don’t have enough strength to slide. They can’t glide up or down the neck without the note dying off. This can be tough and annoying. 

2) Hammer-ons and Pull-offs 

These are technically two different techniques. Howe...

You might get a kick out of this…

In 2006, I went to Borders bookstore and bought John Mayer’s new album Continuum.

I came home, popped the CD into my player, opened up the jewel case to look at the liner notes, and got lost in the music. The first track is “Waiting On The World To Change”. 

Shortly after this, I played “Waiting On The World To Change” to my friend who was the bass player in my band at that time. He said, “Oh… these are some gospel changes.”

My ear wasn’t as developed as it is now. But his comment got me thinking.

I later learned the chord progression to “Waiting On The World To Change”, and noticed it was (almost) exactly the same as “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield.

But then something else happened…

I figured out the solo too. It's all played on one string… it just slides up and down the neck and uses bluesy bends. Then later, I learned the solo on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s, “Lenny” and discovered John Mayer’s solo on “Waiting On The World To Change” is ...

Would you like to start something up?

A new relationship?

A new skill?

An exciting night out on the town?

Well, here’s an iconic rock song to get you going. 

Below I’m going to break down the guitar style behind it. You only need 4 chords and a couple of blues guitar moves to make it all happen.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Start Me Up” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Start Me Up?

“Start Me Up” was originally written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the two primary songwriters for the Rolling Stones. Their collaborations produced some of the band's biggest hits, and this song is no exception.

The lyrics for “Start Me Up” sing about energy, confidence, and the excitement of getting going — both literally and metaphorically. "Start Me Up" is one of the Rolling Stones’ most iconic songs. It was released in 1981 and was a part of their Tattoo You album. 

The song had an interesting journey before it become the version we hear now. It all started as a slo...

Have you ever wondered how to actually learn your blues scales?

What order you should go in?

And what’s a good way to structure scales in your practice sessions?

I’ve talked to many campfire guitar players over the years who want to learn how to add more depth, versatility, and skill to my playing in general with the blues scale. But many practice for years and never get it down.

They can’t navigate the neck, and they can’t improvise blues licks.

So today, you’re ole’ pal Johnny is going to reveal 3 powerful tips for mastering the blues scale on guitar. Starting with one, not a single online fake guitar goo-roo is going to tell you and that is…

1) Sing It

No, you don’t have to be a singer. You don’t have to sing onstage or sing loud. Just in the privacy of your own home. In fact, you can even lightly hum or whistle it. 

My old guitar teacher Kenny Burrell (I was in a band and he was the leader), used to whistle notes at me – and the other musicians in the band all the time. ...

Just like you, I used to suffer from not being able to play killer blues guitar solos.

I was constantly hitting notes out of key. I didn’t know where to go on the neck. And, I was confused by all the different scale patterns, and music theory I thought I had to know.

It was miserable.

And I feel for anyone in this place.

But I’ve helped so many older retired students play the blues like they’ve never thought possible, inside my programs on my site. I specialize in blues guitar.

So today, I wanted to share an easy blues guitar solo that lets you sound like a pro with just 4 notes.

And this relies on an almost ancient method used by the old-school blues masters. They did this on countless songs. It’s so simple that many of today’s players would just laugh at it.

But this is to their own detriment. Because it’s been used on more recordings and hits than you can count.

So let’s get started with this easy blues guitar solo lesson.

The first thing you need to know is that this so...

Behold… one of the first true rock-and-roll songs.

This one is all about coolness, swagger, and the rebellious spirit of rock.

There are only 3 chords you need to know to play it. Below I’m going to break down the guitar style in the original Carl Perkins version, as well as the Elvis Presley version.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Blue Suede Shoes” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Blue Suede Shoes?

“Blues Suede Shoes” was written by Carl Perkins, a pioneering figure in rock and roll and rockabilly. The inspiration for the tune came about from a casual remark Perkins overheard at a dance in Jackson, Tennessee. 

A young man told his date… 

Don’t Step On My Suede Shoes!

Perkins was struck by the phrase and that was the start of the simple yet evocative message behind the song of: protecting a prized possession—one's blue suede shoes. From there, the tune ended up being crafted around humor, swagger, and the rebellious spirit of early rock and roll. 

“Blue Su...

If you want to learn to play rhythm and lead guitar like the greatest old-school blues masters… then you’re going to need to know some epic blues guitar chords. 

Why chords?

Because chords are the foundation. You can use them to play rhythm but also to unlock leads. You see, there are countless iconic blues solos that use chords in them. And when you understand the connection between chords and lead -- like what I teach in my program Essential CAGED Guitar System. LEAD and RHYTHM guitar up and down the neck get a lot easier.

So grab your 6-stringer and let’s dive into this lesson on 12 epic (major) blues guitar chords every guitarist should know.

The first few examples focus on chords played in the open position. Later we’ll cover some moveable shapes as well. So let’s get started with…

1. Open E7

Blues in the key of E is awesome on guitar. From Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton, the old-school blues masters loved playing in this key. This blues chord uses all 6 strings. It looks l...

Do you have fretboard hopper syndrome?

Let me explain…

Let’s say you wanted to have a blast jamming along to jam tracks. So you pull one up and it’s called, "JAM TRACK IN A MINOR".

You’ve played the pentatonic box before and so you start winging it over the track. You’re randomly playing notes from the scale and trying to solo.

But after a few minutes you realize you’re stuck in one little spot on the neck. It starts to feel stale and dull.

Maybe you can zoom up the octave (12 frets higher) and try that scale to mix it up, but the notes in between are a mystery.

I see this all the time.

Players can’t connect ALL the areas of the fretboard.

They are stuck hopping around from one little box to the next. This is fretboard hopper syndrome. 

But wouldn’t it be great if there were no dusty areas on the neck for you? 

And what if you could get there using just 5 each chords – you probably already know?

With this imagine now you walk into your music room, and grab your guitar off...

Many guitar players get stuck playing the blues in keys like E and A.

Which are great guitar keys. But they are not as popular as keys like F and Bb are for piano players and horn players. This means if you don’t know your scales and notes in these other keys. Jamming with different musicians can be tough.

In this post, I want to show you a great scale to know whether you are a beginner or an advanced player. I’m going to share ways to play the F blues scale on guitar, how to practice the F blues scale, and even songs that use the F blues scale. This all ties in with music theory as well. But it’s important to realize the blues scale is a Western interpretation of a style that is tough to pinpoint.

But let’s get straight into it, starting with…

What notes are in the F blues scale?

The notes in the F minor blues scale are: 

F - Ab - Bb - Cb - C - Eb - F 

Now, it’s important to point out, that when guitarist say “Blues Scale” 9 times out of 10 they mean the minor blues scale. W...