Expanding Blues Guitar

Group guitar class taught by Jamey Arent

1 hour per week · intermediate

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Tired of the same cliche blues licks? Feeling stuck in that old pentatonic box? Need some fresh new chord voicings for your blues progressions? Want your solos to actually reflect the sound of the chord changes? In this 6-week course, we will explore ways to make the sound of the blues changes come out in your playing. We will look at voice-leading through blues progressions, methods for outlining chord changes in your single note lines, more organic soloing, enhancing your vocabulary with jazz-influenced sounds, chord substitutions, modes, and more! We will examine how blues players like B.B. King, Albert King, Robben Ford, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, approach making the changes when improvising over a blues progression. The course includes PDF handouts and opportunities for Q&A and live feedback!

What's included

Video chat lessons

Learn and ask questions with Jamey Arent every week.

Lesson replays

Unlimited access to recordings from class.

Private community

Practice with people who share your love of guitar.

Taught by Jamey Arent

Teaching on Til since 2022

4.75 · 31 students · 11 lessons

I'm a Los Angeles-based touring/session guitarist, solo artist, and music educator. I've toured/recorded with Frankie Valli, Smokey Robinson, Matthew Morrison, B. Slade, Spencer Day, Nigel Hall, and Raquel Rodriguez. I am an adjunct professor of guitar at Los Angeles City College.

What you'll do

Voice Leading The Blues

We will break down the most important notes in each chord of the blues, and use them to build great-sounding voicings closely connected to other chords in the progression all over the guitar neck. We will also look at some useful substitutions in the blues progression, and learn how altered chords work. This type of chord knowledge will enhance your single note blues improvising too!

Voice Leading The Blues

We will break down the most important notes in each chord of the blues, and use them to build great-sounding voicings closely connected to other chords in the progression all over the guitar neck. We will also look at some useful substitutions in the blues progression, and learn how altered chords work. This type of chord knowledge will enhance your single note blues improvising too!

Making The Changes

A good soloist can make their improvised solos reflect the sound of the chord progression within their lines. We will examine different ways to bring out the sound of the chord changes in the blues by hitting different chord tones, utilizing different pentatonic scales, and analyzing some classic blues licks from T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, Albert King, Robben Ford, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Making The Changes

A good soloist can make their improvised solos reflect the sound of the chord progression within their lines. We will examine different ways to bring out the sound of the chord changes in the blues by hitting different chord tones, utilizing different pentatonic scales, and analyzing some classic blues licks from T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, Albert King, Robben Ford, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Organic Blues

As guitarists, we have a tendency to get stuck in guitar cliches and overplay when we solo. Utilizing rhythmic phrasing, motivic development, and horn player-influenced breathing, we can make our solos more interesting for the listener and the band by actually saying something!

Organic Blues

As guitarists, we have a tendency to get stuck in guitar cliches and overplay when we solo. Utilizing rhythmic phrasing, motivic development, and horn player-influenced breathing, we can make our solos more interesting for the listener and the band by actually saying something!

Modes, Advanced Scales, Jazz Blues, Minor Blues and more!

We will look at how to utilize modes of the major scale, melodic minor scale, diminished scale, and harmonic minor scale in a blues context. We will also look at common jazz blues and minor blues chord progressions and substitutions to enhance your knowledge of what is possible within a 12-bar blues form.

Modes, Advanced Scales, Jazz Blues, Minor Blues and more!

We will look at how to utilize modes of the major scale, melodic minor scale, diminished scale, and harmonic minor scale in a blues context. We will also look at common jazz blues and minor blues chord progressions and substitutions to enhance your knowledge of what is possible within a 12-bar blues form.

Expanding The Pentatonic Scale

We will look at how to not only utilize all 5 boxes of the pentatonic scale, but also how to connect them across the neck, gain fretboard fluency, and not feel confined to geometric shapes.

Expanding The Pentatonic Scale

We will look at how to not only utilize all 5 boxes of the pentatonic scale, but also how to connect them across the neck, gain fretboard fluency, and not feel confined to geometric shapes.

Blues as a Language

We will approach the language of blues and the broader topic of improvisation as a language by studying its historical context and understanding how masters of the blues put their own unique spin on soloing. I'll show you some of my favorite lines from the players who have influenced me the most.

Blues as a Language

We will approach the language of blues and the broader topic of improvisation as a language by studying its historical context and understanding how masters of the blues put their own unique spin on soloing. I'll show you some of my favorite lines from the players who have influenced me the most.

Who you are

Though this class is open to players of all skill levels, it will probably be most useful for intermediate to advanced players looking to expand the possibilities of what can be played over a blues progression. It is recommended that you know the basic 12-bar blues progression and feel comfortable talking a solo.

What to bring

Your guitar and whatever you'd like to take additional notes! A looper is recommended for demonstrating your own playing over a blues progression, but it's not required.