Complete Acoustic Blues Guitarist 2010

…presenting the Acoustic Blues guitar course 2010 with Richard Perkins

The Blues and Beyond

Dig up the roots of jazz, soul and rock and you’ll find the blues.

The guitar was there at the birth of the blues and has been the machine that has driven the development of the genre from its folk roots to contemporary funk, rock, jazz and fusion styles.

Aims of the course

The aims and objectives of this five day residential course are to:

• Develop and improve your guitar playing techniques
• Develop knowledge and understanding of common blues progressions
• Expand knowledge of chord voicing
• Encourage playing with others, in duos, trios and bands
• Experiment with a variety of tempos and rhythms, boogie, shuffles, swing etc
• Provide the opportunity to work on and develop on an individual or small group blues project
• Experience performing and recording musical projects
• Develop solo and improvisation skills

Course structure

The five day course will consist of four one hour group sessions per day
and will follow the development of blues music in a loose historic structure.
Examples of ‘standards’ and blues players from each period will be used to illustrate the development of the genre.

• Early roots; use of the thumb pick, fingerstyle, open tunings and bottleneck and slide styles
• Jazz influences; jazzin’ the blues, swing, boogie
• Urban blues; Chicago, deep south, shuffles
• Rhythm & blues; blues riffs and more blues riffs
• Blues ballads; 32 bar structures, more complex chord voicing

Teaching Methods

Participants will be given individual and group tuition in a relaxed and supportive environment. Group members will be encouraged to learn from each other’s experience by exchanging riffs, licks and other musical ideas. The evenings will form an important part of the week and there will be plemty of time to jam and work on blues projects with other course members.

This course will include practical demonstration throughout with supporting handout materials written in standard tablature, music notation and chord slash sheetes.You are not required to read music.

Who’s it For?

Perhaps you’re returning to the guitar now the children have grown up or reached retirement and looking for a new challenge. Maybe you’re a keen enthusiast or a more accomplished player and want a new experience. Whoever you are, the Acoustic Blues Course will cater for you.

What do I bring?

Guitar, (acoustic or electro-acoustic and/or electric).
Bottleneck slide (metal or glass)
Plectrums (standard & thumb pick)
Spare strings
Dictaphone
Note pad and pen