Fingerstyle Blues and Ragtime
Eric Madis covers a uniquely American style of music, the Blues. In this series he tackles the subject from the acoustic fingerstyle perspective and even throws in a bit of ragtime for good measure.
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Eric Madis covers a uniquely American style of music, the Blues. In this series he tackles the subject from the acoustic fingerstyle perspective and even throws in a bit of ragtime for good measure.
Lessons in this Series:
Lesson 1
The Rolling E Blues
Eric Madis introduces his Fingerstyle Blues and Ragtime lesson series. After the introduction, he starts things off with a bang by teaching "The Rolling E Blues".
Length: 14:13 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
The Rolling E Blues Phase 2
Eric Madis expands on "The Rolling E Blues," which he taught in the last lesson. This time around he adds information to make the arrangement more complex.
Length: 8:35 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
Monotonic Bass
Eric Madis introduces the concept of monotonic bass lines and gives an excellent exercise for practicing the technique.
Length: 7:24 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
The Rolling E Blues Phase 3
Eric Madis returns to the wonderful world of "The Rolling E Blues" and demonstrates how the arrangement can be made a bit more complex.
Length: 6:23 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
The Rolling E Blues Phase 4
Eric Madis returns to "The Rolling E Blues" and teaches an even more complex variation.
Length: 5:33 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Robert Johnson Style Blues
In this lesson Eric teaches a Robert Johnson style blues.
Length: 9:56 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Robert Johnson Style Blues Part 2
Eric Madis returns with the second part of his lesson on the Robert Johnson style blues.
Length: 10:51 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Blind Willie McTell and the Piedmont Style
In this lesson, Eric Madis talks about the Piedmont blues and the musical stylings of Blind Willie McTell.
Length: 12:54 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Blind Willie McTell and the Piedmont Style Part 2
Eric Madis returns with the second part of his lesson on the Piedmont style and Blind Willie McTell. This time around he makes the arrangement a bit more complex.
Length: 8:52 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Improvisation Oppurtunities
Eric Madis demonstrates some opportunities for improvisation within the Blind Willie McTell/Piedmont style arrangement he taught in previous lessons.
Length: 11:59 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
The Memphis Diads
Eric Madis introduces a series of diad patterns he calls "The Memphis Diads" and shows how they can be used as chord substitutions.
Length: 11:06 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Idea Application
This time around, Eric takes the ideas from the past few lessons and ties them together effectively within a blues progression.
Length: 8:23 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
The Style of Mississippi John Hurt
In this lesson, Eric Madis begins teaching the style of Mississippi John Hurt. He talks about the signature syncopation technique Mississippi John Hurt used and discusses playing with the G chord.
Length: 12:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
The Style of Mississippi John Hurt Part 2
Eric Madis takes the ideas taught in the last lesson and expands upon them. He talks about taking these ideas and playing melodies similar to what Mississippi John Hurt would have played.
Length: 9:59 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Robert Johnson Theme
Eric Madis begins teaching a common theme in the style of Robert Johnson. This theme will span several lessons. This time, Eric teaches a signature turnaround that gives the theme its flair.
Length: 5:29 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Robert Johnson Style Blues Part 2
Eric Madis continues with the Robert Johnson theme. This time, he finishes up the first variation of this 12 bar blues arrangement.
Length: 8:20 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Robert Johnson Theme Part 3
In this lesson, Eric teaches a brilliant variation to the Robert Johnson theme taught in the last lesson.
Length: 6:39 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
Robert Johnson Theme Improvisation
In this lesson Eric talks about improvising using the Robert Johnson theme he has been teaching in the past few lessons.
Length: 11:04 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
The Rolling E Blues Phase 5
Eric Madis takes knowledge he has taught in past lessons and applies it to an update of "The Rolling E Blues" that features exciting improvisational variations.
Length: 4:48 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
The 7th and 9th Chords
In this lesson, Eric Madis talks about using the 7th and 9th chords in blues progressions. He uses "The Rolling E Blues" to demonstrate these chord options.
Length: 9:12 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Big Bill and the Reverend
Eric teaches a Piedmont blues number inspired by Big Bill Broonzy and the Reverend Gary Davis.
Length: 14:59 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Big Bill and the Reverend Part 2
In this lesson, Eric Madis returns to a piece he calls "Big Bill and the Reverend". This time around, he teaches ways you can embellish the song to make it more interesting.
Length: 9:57 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Big Bill and the Reverend Part 3
In this lesson, Eric returns to the tune "Big Bill and the Reverend" and talks about D chord substitutions.
Length: 12:25 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Big Bill and the Reverend Part 4
In this lesson, Eric shows several interesting improvisational techniques you can use with the E chord and shows how they can be applied to "Big Bill and the Reverend".
Length: 11:17 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Baby Please Don't Go
Eric Madis teaches a traditional blues tune entitled "Baby Please Don't Go".
Length: 9:29 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Baby Please Don't Go Part 2
In this lesson Eric discusses variations that can be used when playing "Baby Please Don't Go".
Length: 10:36 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
RJ's Lament
Eric Madis will have you sounding like Robert Johnson in no time with this amazing blues progression entitled "RJ's Lament".
Length: 10:44 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
RJ's Lament Part 2
In this lesson Eric Madis teaches a version of "RJ's Lament" that contains Robert Johnson's signature musical flair.
Length: 8:10 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Mississippi John Hurt Tribute
In this lesson, Eric teaches a 16 bar blues progression that honors blues musician Mississippi John Hurt.
Length: 8:02 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Mississippi John Hurt Tribute Part 2
In the second part of his "Mississippi John Hurt Tribute," Eric Madis teaches several interesting variations on this 16 bar progression.
Length: 9:41 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
The Americana Rag
Eric Madis teaches a traditional blues and ragtime theme he likes to call "The Americana Rag".
Length: 9:35 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
The Americana Rag Part 2
Eric Madis returns to "The Americana Rag". He teaches the melody portion of the song and how to add it into the basic arrangement taught in lesson 31.
Length: 7:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Walking Bass Lines
Eric Madis teaches the concept of walking bass lines within a new blues chord progression.
Length: 11:11 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah
Eric starts teaching his blues/ragtime rendition of the classic song "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah". This version he teaches is in G6 tuning. He explains this tuning and the first section of the song.
Length: 12:26 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Part 2
Eric Madis returns to this song and teaches the second part of the melody.
Length: 5:52 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Part 3
In this lesson, Eric teaches another melody that can be used with this song. This time the melody features a bit of Hawaiian slack key flair.
Length: 8:02 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Part 4
In this lesson, Eric teaches a version of this tune that is inspired by Mississippi John Hurt. Mixing this variation in with the others will have you sounding like a blues god in no time!
Length: 9:00 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Part 5
Eric Madis teaches you how to incorporate some Memphis lead ideas into the arrangement of "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" that he has been teaching.
Length: 6:36 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Part 6
Eric teaches another way to play this song that includes arpeggio techniques often employed by Chet Atkins.
Length: 5:45 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Part 7
Eric Madis teaches what he calls the "Blind Blake and Merle Travis" section of the song. Basically this is a version of the song taught in their styles.
Length: 7:28 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Part 8
In the final lesson on this song, Eric teaches the ending and then demonstrates the entire song using all of the different arrangements from previous lessons. These may have seemed like small and easy variations, but when combined, they create an epic masterpiece of fingerstyle playing.
Length: 8:35 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Maple Leaf Rag
Eric Madis teaches a fingerstyle version of the classic ragtime tune "Maple Leaf Rag". He begins with this simple introduction arrangement and moves on to teach more difficult portions in later lessons.
Length: 8:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Maple Leaf Rag Part 2
In the second part of his series on "Maple Leaf Rag," Eric teaches a basic version of the melody for the A section of the song.
Length: 6:43 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Maple Leaf Rag Part 3
Eric Madis teaches the next major portion of the melody for "Maple Leaf Rag". This melody is a bit more difficult to play, but the sound is worth it.
Length: 11:23 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Maple Leaf Rag Part 4
In this lesson, Eric teaches the third part of the melody to "Maple Leaf Rag". When combined with the intro, these three parts form a nearly complete arrangement of this classic ragtime tune.
Length: 8:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Maple Leaf Rag Part 5
Eric wraps up his rendition of "Maple Leaf Rag" by teaching the ending segment of the song. Afterwards, he puts the entire song together and talks about performing it.
Length: 8:02 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
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