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Learn to play blues guitar.

(Part 2) Muddy Waters Style Blues Guitar Lesson – Solo Composition – EP214

Description

This week’s guitar lesson is a follow-up to last week’s Muddy Waters style acoustic blues guitar lesson (EP213). I received so many requests for a Part 2, that I decided to go ahead and create an additional 24 bars that you can combine with EP213.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through

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Comments

    • sunburst says

      Agree Johan,, Brian this I must do with part one for the whole composition! Going to them together for July challenge! ty for teaching us members ..after almost two years premium member, you inspire me to learn a great deal more with the coolest lessons online! no joking! ty!

    • john p says

      Well said. Me too. I really liked his Claptons birthday tribute unplugged style lesson as well. I think it’s primarily clapton because of the one lick clapton uses in many of his acoustic blues. But a hard lesson and lots of skills I was able to use and understand in muddy 1 and 2. Brian has taught me and all of us very well.

  6. JohnStrat says

    Brian just as the others say particularly Johan.

    We have got more thank you. Every bit is dynamite and the combination is such a cool combo piece its a dream one for me to learn.

    Best regards

    JohnStrat

  13. sunburst says

    I just am amazed with this part two and you certainly have great ability to turn out part 2s..I mean following the sound slice twice already and see how advanced a player you truly are..man you deserve a purple medal of blues honor! lol// this really is fun stuff,,i’ll be busy here for days! lol

  15. Michael J says

    G/day Brian,
    Where were you when I was 14? What you’ve taught me over the last couple of years has been so good. Just a pity it’s taken a lifetime to get here. Thank you so much for your knowledge, your talent and the inspiration to want to do this.
    M.J.

    • sunburst says

      lol yeah right!!! wish I did it seriously back when but still feel blissed doing it rolling down the mountain!.. Just did a few runs ep213 and starting this now.. cool turnarounds and all bends trills hammer-on etc.. so much here to appreciate 12 bar blues ! Brian is spot on explaining about the tempo too!

  16. justin N says

    Brian, Fantastic composition and great idea to extend the previous one. I hope you consider doing more “extended” lessons in the future. Not just for all the great takeaways but having a longer composition is nice to showcase to others when you want to as well. Cheers

  19. Biker13 says

    I’m obviously the odd man out here but I find it really disappointing that there are now so few lessons that involve Jam Tracks. The lessons are now overwhelmingly for solo guitar which I find far less interesting. Even if the lessons are equally complex it is more challenging to play along with a jam track. You have to be much more disciplined with your timing. Lately I find myself going back to old lessons that required jam tracks or looking elsewhere for lessons online. Can we please shift the balance so that its not so heavily sided to solo composition? Please.

      • JDStout says

        Just a short note. There is many sides to playing guitar as brian has taught/teaches. I have found that keeping time yourself is just as improtant as playing along. Just keep at both and it gets easier each time.
        Jim S.

    • sunjamr says

      When I’m sitting around with friends in my house and someone says “play something for me”, I don’t stop and put on a jamtrack. Instead, I delve into my repertoire of solo acoustic lessons. It seems to go over better that way. I mainly use the jamtracks when I’m playing by myself. There are over 200 lessons to choose from, and most of them have jamtracks. Often I just pick a random jamtrack and try to improv along with it, which I’m getting better and better at.

  22. Robert J says

    Fantastic! So happy you decided to follow up on last weeks lesson. great stuff. I utilized quite a bit of last weeks lesson at last night’s gig. this stuff is gold. Thank you so much.

  23. JDStout says

    Hey Brian, you out-do yourself each week! You are truly blessed and thank you for your dtermination to shake it up every week. If you dont consider yorself a master of the arts, you should, because I/we do.
    God is good.
    Jim S.

  27. Marty V says

    I’m really enjoying #213 and #214, really nice to have these licks all laid out. Each 12-bar section is like a little journey.

    But I’m frustrated. This is NOT the way Muddy Waters would lay them out — he’s a singer, after all. I started a thread in the forum about how to work this material up as an accompaniment for vocals. I really hope you address this. I think it’s essential information for those of us who play guitar AND sing.

    Maybe it would at least make a good micro-lesson topic?

    • Brian says

      Hey Marty, this isn’t a vocal site. I understand you’re wanting to know how to sing and then play licks in-between vocal phrases the way you might hear Muddy do it, but that’s not what these particular compositions are about. I’ve intentionally structured them to be stand-alone guitar compositions with no vocal in mind. Also, I noticed you just posted this request in the forum a few days ago, it takes me some time to create a lesson on a topic so you’ll have to be patient. As for this being a micro-lesson, it’s a bit more involved. It also depends on the style of vocal, Muddy Waters is one thing, folk is another. To really cover this topic effectively I’d need to cover more than just the way Muddy Waters would do it, which then means planning out more of a course or mini-course. Keep in mind I’d be hiring a vocalist and writing lyrics (I don’t teach copywritten material), so you hopefully can see why this is a bigger deal that flipping on a camera and jumping into vocal comping.

      • Marty V says

        Hi Brian,
        Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to change your program or rush you along. And I’m just getting started digging through the lessons, so I’ve got plenty to keep me busy!

        This is just an idea that occurred to me while I’ve been working on the last couple of lessons. It’s a long time frustration for me, trying to work out an interesting guitar accompaniment while I’m singing, that’s also not so complicated I can’t focus on singing.

        I can say that I’m definitely NOT asking you to teach us how to sing. I do appreciate that this is a guitar site — and your approach to the lessons is why I signed up. I’m making some great progress on my blues playing, thanks to your lessons.

        Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of something more simple, like you taking a moment during an “artist showcase” piece like these Muddy Waters lessons to show us typical guitar parts the artist might be playing while he’s singing. Something along the lines of : “Here’s what Muddy/Elmore/Lightnin’ etc. might play while he’s singing a verse” .

        But of course, I can imagine how much work you already have to put in on constructing these lessons, I’m not trying to pile more on you. No need to hire a vocalist!

        I do realize this issue isn’t important for a lot of AM members, who are only trying to be guitarists. But I’m sure there are a few of us who are singers trying to accompany themselves on guitar.

        Anyway, back to work on #213-214!

  28. jimbostrat says

    I say: Third time’s a charm and Brian should take this entire EP213-214 track……….(is that 48 bars???)….and do EP215 showing his interpretation on how a second soloing acoustic blues guitarist would accompany this great acoustic blues example in E. Not bragging but I did see Muddy twice (the first time I admit it was because my friends told me that the Rolling Stones who were in town (NYC) at the same time would definitely show up at the Stanhope House in northern NJ to listen in and possibly have at least Keith sit in with Muddy Waters……….so a Keith Richards ‘imitation’ here…….even a straight shooter meaning not necessarily slide guitar playing Keith Richards but a Keith Richards inspired lead over both tracks……together with careful explanation of what Mr. Sherrill’s playing and why……..would 100% cap off this great study in Blues in E (MW-style)!! Anyone else vote for this?? My guess here is at minimum Bryce would join me here!!! Jim C.

  29. Dory says

    Brain, no fluffy stuff from me, but this is just great teaching on your part! and I love the lesson and respect your honesty to just play with no ego for those of us ‘still trying after 50 or more years. . ( I think I did notice a few asking were you where a few years back, not all teachers I would call intimidating, but many did carry a gun slingers edge… So with that said, I’m having way to much fun with this lesson, I decided to put the acoustic back in the rack and picked up my cheap Austin Resonator, working on a little slide to slide in-between the picking blues, and yeah it’s real tasty fun, great lesson!

  33. riteus1 says

    Your lessons are always great and I learned so much from them. These last two lessons have been very enjoyable and informative. I can spend hours playing incorporating these licks and creating my own songs. Thank you so much and keep on doing what you do!

    Keith J

  34. mjf1 says

    OK, I give up! I have cancelled all of my other guitar lesson subscriptions on the web and am trying to keep up with the great stuff from Brian. Thanks for providing just what I was looking for!

  36. Peter C says

    Brian – I’ve enjoyed an awful lot of your lessons, but these two are the bomb! I was stretched to the max, and enjoyed them the most. The extended play follow-on lesson is a really valuable benefit to me, as it provides much more material to pull together for improvising.

    Please do more Part 2 lessons as you are making me sound, and become more credible!!

    Thanks

    Peter

  37. Seven_Grand says

    Hey Brian! I’m sorry if you’ve already mentioned this somewhere, and I missed it… But I was curious what strings you have your CEO-7. I have one right now, and needed to change strings, and now it just doesn’t sound like it used to… hahaha.. could need some extra breaking in, but was just curious as to want strings you went with. Thanks!
    Chris

  38. Dennis O says

    Dig this lesson lots. A+

    I’m sure at some point you’ve told the community via a Q&A in another lesson what the model # of your Martin is but if you wouldn’t mind, could you list it again?

    Thx

  42. Darcy M says

    These two lessons really challenged me and are definitely upping my game. Its super fun to be playing Muddy Waters riffs that I recognize from his recordings. I agree with others, more like this please!

  46. john p says

    This one has been one of the most challenging for me. Brian, from all the lessons of learned from you, and theres a whole lot, its taking me some time to get this down but Im enjoying it. Loved muddy 1 and your last Clapton lesson for his birthday. I dont seem to play the finger style as much anymore other than what ive learned and really on the flat picking. I have been complimented by musicians on my playing and its 95% learning from you. I recently joined for a full year. How can I not? I’ve surpassed the guitar player i wanted to be. Thank you.

  47. David K says

    Now, just for fun, how about another lesson tune in Open G ala Muddy?
    Don’t fear the slide. It just takes a little practice. In the beggining, use heavy gauge strings and raise the action. You can actually use a POS guitar because most players want the low tonal quality dirty Bayou sound.

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