This course looks at the core elements of both Country and Blues guitar and knits them together as Country Blues. The two genres have their own unique sounds, chord choices, techniques, scale selections, grooves, approaches to lead playing and lots more. Think Robert Johnson and Blind Blake to Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan; we’re talking about merging two amazing deep south roots genres.
Important – you’re about to reserve a place on a course that is officially FULL
Country and Blues music have their own distinctive sounds. The guitar techniques and underlying know-how used to create them cover strumming, rhythms, chord choices, flat-picking, fingerpicking, approaches to lead guitar and much more.
This course looks at a number of songs which fuse together country and blues. As part of learning these songs we’ll explore and dissect the techniques for each genre and delve into how they blend together.
At a glance
Country guitar covers driving rhythms, Bluegrass, Western swing licks, chicken pickin’, flat-picking, banjo rolls, double stops, play-the-changes lead approaches and much more. If you’re new to country guitar, think: Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Elizabeth Cotton, Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, James Burton, Jerry Reed, Brad Paisley and many, many more (check them out).
By contrast, Blues guitar focuses on: 12 bar format(s) of major and minor Blues, use of dominant 7 chords, shuffle and straight rhythm patterns, strumming and finger-picking, use of static scales throughout as well as introducing some modes and fills to spice things up. Think BB King, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the like.
Merging country’s driving groove with the blues’ melancholy tinge takes us into the areas of country folk, ragtime and maybe even bluegrass and slide guitar. It’s an expansive genre and there are many songs that can be explored and learned; we’ll cover songs from legendary artists and more modern exponents alike.
It’s important to emphasise that a lot of the skills learned can be transferred to other songs in other genres. The songs will probably be based on guitar-friendly keys using open chords but barre chords will undoubtedly come into play as well.
It goes without saying, our tutor might need to tweak the contents and/or flow of the course to reflect the overall standard and objectives of the group.
Beginner+ to intermediate acoustic, electric and bass players
The course will start off with the basics and gradually layer the complexities of techniques to allow Beginner+ and Intermediate levels to be able to play along together comfortably.
There’ll be lots of open chords and strumming covered for rhythm guitarists mixed in with lead guitar techniques and maybe some fingerstyle solo pieces.
Beginner+ Can strum most open chords with a plectrum and be able to change between them reasonably well.
Intermediate Can play basic barre chords and have some knowledge of using major and minor pentatonic scales.
In any case, there’ll be enough in this course to stretch one and all. Acoustic and electric guitar players are welcome, as are bass players.
Bass players should know a few essential basic arpeggios and be able to attempt to play them over chord changes.
There’s something for everyone in all our courses and the materials really help – see below.
For more information:
There are a number of ways of attending our courses: residential, non-residential and sharing with a spouse/partner.
Our price for players is all-inclusive:
Our prices for:
Check out the venue by clicking on the name in the sidebar above. If you have any specific requirements about staying at the venue click ENQUIRE and we’ll see if we can help.
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Our weekend courses are teaching/playing guitar-fests but they’re paced to suit the group so they’re as much about having fun and enjoying a sociable time with fellow hobby players.
Playing together as a group is the best, and most enjoyable, way of learning and experiencing music. The courses have limited numbers to ensure the correct tutor-to-group ratio – book early to avoid disappointment.
Make a weekend of it!