Rhythm

Rhythm is what defines the style of music. It creates an atmosphere, sets a mood, tempo and groove. It can inspire musicians to play above their abilities, sing and make people get up and dance!

• Establish the groove where is the 1?

• Define the 2 and 4 feel

• Walking bass line

• Bass line in a boogie groove

• What makes a swing groove move?

• The heavy beat of Delta blues

Chords

• Open position chords: major, minor, dim, 7th

• Bar chords: 3-4 note chords, major, minor, dim, 6th, 7th, 9th

• Sliding 9th chords

Structure

• 1 chord vamp, 1-4-5; 1-6-2-5

• 12 bars, 13 1/2 bars...

Turnarounds

• Descending and ascending

• Upper register and lower register

Melody

Melody gives the song its voice; it gives the instrument a vocal quality. The melody can be the head to a song, an inspiring solo, a mournful cry or a call and response.

• Establish a melody; head arrangement, response to the vocal

• Giving a singing quality to it

• How to use the blues box to find melodies and licks and transpose it to other keys

• Hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, slides, slurs and false harmonics

  Picking Techniques

• Straight Pick

• Hybrid Picking

• Finger Picking (thumb pick and/or bare fingers)

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