How to Play Minor Blues by Stuart Ziff (Guitar Lesson)
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Minor Blues
Even though they are less common than major keys, minor keys play a huge part in blues music. Stuart discusses and demonstrates minor blues concepts.
Taught by Stuart Ziff in Blues Guitar with Stuart Ziff seriesLength: 13:13Difficulty: 2.5 of 5
Video Subtitles / Captions
Supplemental Learning Material
Blues Guitar with Stuart Ziff
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsStuart will demonstrate his own unique style of Blues guitar. He will talk about the genre and demonstrate why this unique style is a staple of American music.
Lesson 1
Flat Tire Shuffle
Stuart doesn't waste an ytime diving into blues as he starts his series off by demonstrating one of the most iconic and recognizable blues rhythm patterns, the "flat tire" shuffle.
Length: 13:34 Difficulty: 1.5 FREELesson 2
Rhythmic Foundation
Rhythm in blues is essential, and Stuart provides some tips on how the foundation for blues rhythm can be built.
Length: 11:44 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Complementary Rhythm Techniques
In this lesson, Stuart demonstrates how to create complementary rhythms that accompany the rest of the band or layer in while a soloists takes over.
Length: 11:39 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Supportive Single Note Lines
Stuart demonstrates how simple single note lines can really influence rhythm within blues music.
Length: 17:24 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Minor Pentatonic Scales
Stuart moves forward in his blues series by demonstrating the minor pentatonic scale. He explains how some major artists have influenced its use within blues music.
Length: 17:02 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Minor Blues
Even though they are less common than major keys, minor keys play a huge part in blues music. Stuart discusses and demonstrates minor blues concepts.
Length: 13:13 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Soloing over Minor Blues
This lesson provide tips on soloing over minor blues progressions. Stuart uses a backing track to help demonstrate some basic fundamentals to keep in mind while soloing.
Length: 20:06 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Adding Swing to Blues
Adding a "swing" to eighth note groupings is the subject of this lesson. Stuart demonstrates how this simple rhythmic technique gives blues music part of its signature feel.
Length: 11:17 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Uptown Blues
Stuart utilizes the swing technique to help demonstrate how "uptown blues" has its own unique sound that stems from larger, urban east coast cities.
Length: 15:15 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Blues with ii-V Change
Stuart demonstrates what a ii-V change is and explains how it is such a widely used turnaround within blues music.
Length: 16:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Pentatonic Scale Theory
Stuart takes an in depth look at pentatonic scale theory and demonstrates many different ways it can be applied within blues music.
Length: 34:05 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
2 Bar Phrase
Stuart will demonstrate what a 2 bar phrase is and how it can be used within the blues genre.
Length: 15:43 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Slide Blues Guitar
Stuart will now demonstrate what bottleneck slide blues guitar is, some of his favorite artists, and the techniques on how to achieve that unique twang sound.
Length: 7:24 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Slide Blues Part 2
Stuart will now dive much deeper into the many different techniques that are needed to create a Bottleneck Slide Blues sound.
Length: 14:14 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Intervals for Open Tuning
Stuart will continue his slide blues techniques by demonstrating how to find intervals within an open tuning.
Length: 9:54 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About Stuart Ziff
View Full Biography
A veteran guitarist fluent in, Blues, R&B, Funk, Rock, Reggae and everything in between. As a Studio Musician playing guitar on numerous commercials, demos for singer-songwriters and records.
A career as a songwriter that began with Warner Bros recording artist David Ball’s first Nashville CD in 1994 “ Thinking Problem .“ Stuart was co writer on the hit song “ Thinking Problem.” Also playing on the record supplying acoustic and electric guitar. Since 2000, He’s been living in Los Angles.
Presently the Guitarist for the band WAR, touring and recording with them. As a songwriter for Film & TV: “ National Lampoons Cattle Call ,“ Americas Funniest Home Videos and Bad Girls. Songs on recordings by Eric Burden, Johnny Adams, Gary Hoey and Theresa James. Since 2005, a member of the faculty at Musician’s Institute in Hollywood.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.The combination of Stuart and the supp content does not work to make this a workable lesson. Stuart takes us through some easy chord changes, then suddenly shifts to an application that is 9x more difficult, without giving the tools for you to tackle it. I know the idea is that you improvise your own riffs based on the template, but a little bit more hand holding would be very helpful
To everyone asking for the supplemental material. DON'T COMPLAIN IN THE COMMENTS SECTION!!!!! USE THE "CONTACT" OR "BUG" LINKS AT THE TOP OF THE MAIN PAGE!!!! No one in a position to fix the problem reads these comments. Most the time the instructor doesn't check in here either. So if you have a question for the instructor either attend the live chat (if they have one) or contact them through their instructor forum or contact them via private email. LEARN IT! LIVE IT! AND YOU'LL ENJOY JAMPLAY A LOT MORE! To everyone using this lesson now; YOU'RE WELCOME!
I love the lesson but I need chord diagrams.
the supp. content please
ya really need the chords on supplemental
Would like more supplemental content that shows arpeggios, double-stops, hammer ons and pull offs. Thx.
I once saw this guy get in an argument with Jack Nicholson... it was awesome...