DJ begins a discussion of colorful dominant chord voicings. He demonstrates how to build dominant 7th, 9th, and 13th chords from a root note on the 6th string.
Taught by DJ Phillips in Blues Guitar with DJ seriesLength: 9:38Difficulty: 2.0 of 5
DJ Phillips will teach you everything you need to know to become a master of the blues with an emphasis on fast-paced techniques & playing.
Lesson 1
Meet Mr. DJ Phillips & learn what he's going to teach you throughout this series.
Length: 2:30 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 2
Learn what makes a chord progression a blues progression as well as the basics to the famous 12 bar blues.
Length: 13:18 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 3
Time to take the 12 bar blues progression you've learned and add in some rhythmic variations.
Length: 8:48 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 4
Now that you've learned the 12 bar blues and some rhythmic variations, it's time to throw in some chord variations.
Length: 6:22 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 5
Time to take a break from the 12 bar blues and start mastering some lead techniques. This all starts with the minor pentatonic scale.
Length: 8:13 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 6
Now that you've learned the minor pentatonic scale, it's time to learn how to move it around.
Length: 11:10 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 7
Learn a handful of new blues techniques while learning to play Stevie Ray Vaughn's "The House Is Rockin'".
Length: 49:58 Difficulty: 3.0 FREELesson 8
Now that you've mastered some SRV, DJ is going to show you some funky blues rhythms that use the 9th chords.
Length: 8:44 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 9
DJ begins a discussion of the minor pentatonic scale patterns. He demonstrates the A minor pentatonic scale in first or "open" position.
Length: 12:16 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 10
Continuing on with the minor pentatonic scale, DJ covers the second position. As with lesson 9, he provides a few exercises and riffs along the way.
Length: 10:11 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 11
Continuing with the A minor pentatonic scale, DJ returns with a lesson on the fifth position pattern.
Length: 7:09 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 12
In this lesson, DJ covers the A minor pentatonic scale in 7th position. He includes licks and riffs to help with skill building.
Length: 8:49 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 13
This lesson covers the 9th position of the A minor pentatonic scale. DJ provides licks, riffs, and a string skipping exercise.
Length: 15:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 14
Now that DJ has covered all five patterns of the minor pentatonic scale, he explains how to shift from one pattern to the next.
Length: 6:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 15
Now that DJ has covered the minor pentatonic positions, he shifts gears to the major pentatonic scale.
Length: 17:34 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 16
In this lesson, DJ demonstrates a number of major pentatonic licks that feature position shifts.
Length: 5:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 17
DJ demonstrates how to combine the major and minor pentatonic scales. He provides a number of combined scale licks for you to learn.
Length: 12:54 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 18
In this lesson, DJ demonstrates how to build an effective guitar solo.
Length: 9:13 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 19
This lesson details the importance of rhythm within solos and lead lines.
Length: 6:10 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 20
DJ talks about the art of improvising in this lesson. Always begin with a grand entrance and end with a big finish.
Length: 7:59 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 21
DJ begins a discussion of colorful dominant chord voicings. He demonstrates how to build chords from a root note on the 6th string.
Length: 9:38 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 22
Continuing on from lesson 21, DJ explains how to build dominant chords from root notes on the 4th and 5th strings.
Length: 8:26 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 23
In lesson 23, DJ demonstrates how various chord voicings can be used while playing rhythm or lead over a 12 bar blues progression.
Length: 4:49 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 24
With lesson 24, DJ begins a short segment on tricks of the trade. First, he discusses and demonstrates string rakes.
Length: 5:08 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 25
DJ explains how B3 organ licks can be played on guitar.
Length: 4:11 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 26
In this lesson, DJ talks about volume swells and how they can be used.
Length: 4:37 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 27
Continuing with his "tricks of the trade" lessons, DJ demonstrates a walking bass line and the upstroke shuffle.
Length: 6:51 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 28
In this lesson, DJ discusses and demonstrates the basics of slide technique.
Length: 5:28 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 29
DJ demonstrates some of the subtleties of using a wah pedal in the blues style.
Length: 3:50 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 30
DJ discusses and demonstrates natural, artificial (harp), and pinch harmonics in the blues style.
Length: 8:37 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 31
DJ delves into tone in lesson 31. He discusses how and why certain tones are achieved.
Length: 21:41 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 32
With lesson 32, DJ introduces the minor form of the 12 bar blues progression.
Length: 4:57 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 33
Building on his minor blues set, DJ discusses how to utilize the dominant V7 chord to spice up the standard progression.
Length: 4:14 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 34
DJ demonstrates a couple turnaround techniques that can be applied to the 12 bar minor blues progression.
Length: 6:13 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 35
In this lesson, DJ discusses some minor 7 voicings with roots on the 6th, 5th, and 4th strings.
Length: 9:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 36
Much like lesson 35, DJ discusses minor 6th chord voicings with roots on the 6th, 5th, and 4th strings.
Length: 8:53 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 37
DJ explains how altered extensions such as the b9 and #9 can be added to the V7 chord within the context of a minor blues progression.
Length: 8:35 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 38
DJ discusses the scale options that can be used over a minor blues progression.
Length: 2:21 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 39
In this lesson, DJ builds upon lesson 38 and covers the minor scale positions across the entire fretboard.
Length: 5:11 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 40
DJ profiles blues guitarist T-Bone Walker in lesson 40.
Length: 31:23 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 41
Profiling T-Bone walker, DJ will demonstrate the T-Bone Shuffle.
Length: 29:26 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 42
DJ discusses and demonstrates skills acquired from learning T-Bone Walker's material.
Length: 17:42 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 43
DJ will take a look at Blues guitarist Bo Diddley and teach you the "Bo Diddley beat."
Length: 13:26 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 44
Dj is back yet again with more on the style of Bo Diddley. Here is will dive more into his style of solos as well as an in depth explanation of how the songs are played out. Get comfortable everyone and...
Length: 22:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 45
Dj brings a kicking finish to the style of Bo Diddley by teaching you how to implement his style of playing to your's. With a quick review of what he has taught so far, Dj will play the backing track as...
Length: 10:59 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 46
DJ returns to his blues guitar series with the introduction of a complete blues solo. Through the next 12 lessons, DJ will provide a phrase-by-phrase breakdown of the solo. By the end of this mini-series,...
Length: 3:38 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 47
DJ is back with Phrase #2 of the Swing Blues Solo. This lick is designed to outline the IV chord.
Length: 3:10 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 48
DJ is back with another phrase of his swing blues solo. The third phrase of the first solo is also your first turnaround. In this lick, you'll outline the chords that bring us back to the top of the form.
Length: 3:22 Difficulty: 0.0 Members OnlyLesson 49
The fourth phrase of your first solo has a lot of pentatonic influence in it. You've also climbed the neck to the upper register to help build your solo.
Length: 2:29 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 50
We're back to the second phrase in the long form blues again. This lick picks up where the last left off and continues to build suspense in the upper register.
Length: 3:11 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 51
DJ is back with the sixth phrase of his Swing Blues Solo. We're now at the second turnaround of the long form. This lick incorporates chromaticism to build tension.
Length: 4:26 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 52
We're back to the top in the 3rd chorus of the blues solo. This lick starts to amp up the solo by adding more bends and a few double stops.
Length: 3:47 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 53
DJ is back with the eighth phrase in the swing blues solo. The second phrase of the 3rd chorus incorporates hammer-ons.
Length: 3:14 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 54
DJ is back with the ninth phrase in the swing blues solo. For the third time, we find ourselves at the turnaround. This lick plays on the idea of a repeating figure followed up by a scale run.
Length: 4:46 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 55
We really start to add some gusto to the solo for our final three phrases. This lick uses open stringed double stops and position shifting to create a long build up towards the solo's climax.
Length: 3:40 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 56
The eleventh phrase of our long form blues solo continues to build on the previous phrase. This time you'll be using a repeated but slightly varied figure along with double stops to create more build-up.
Length: 3:34 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 57
DJ is back with the final phrase of the swing blues solo. This turnaround lick uses quick bends, repeated figures, and a chromatic walk down to twist your ear before finally resolving back to E.
Length: 5:42 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 58
Now that you've completed the first solo of a long form blues, it's time to tackle the second solo. This next blues is played in straight eighths and starts off with some chromatic notes, bending, and...
Length: 3:13 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 59
Dig into the second phrase of our straight blues solo! This one uses double stops, bends, and vibrato to kick the solo into high gear!
Length: 3:10 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 60
The first turnaround in our straight blues solo uses a low walking melody along with a scale run that brings us back up to the top.
Length: 2:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 61
As we return to the top for the second round of our long form, we hear a familiar melody. This one is stolen right from the last phrase, only it's been transposed up into a higher register.
Length: 2:36 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 62
We're getting into the meat of this solo and it's time we started rocking! We amp up the energy by using some down picking and scale lines.
Length: 2:59 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 63
We've now reached the second turnaround of our long form blues. This phrase gets a little funky with some position shifting and double stops.
Length: 4:08 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 64
Here, we return to the top and continue the funky feel from the turnaround. This lick features chromatic runs with vibrato and a repeated figure.
Length: 3:41 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 65
The next lick in our long form straight blues is all about syncopation and getting that dirty tone from the amp. Careful rhythmic placement of rests and the use of double stops help us accomplish this.
Length: 1:59 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About DJ Phillips
View Full Biography
Like many guitar players who began playing around the same time, DJ began plunking out Nirvana and Soundgarden tunes when he first picked up the guitar in the mid-nineties. While these grunge-y roots certainly have their merit, it wasn't until DJ's eldest sister took him to a Led Zeppelin laser light show that the full potential of the guitar began to come into focus.
With Jimmy Page's Les Paul pyrotechnics as his inspiration, DJ began fervently practicing for hours on end in the suburban jungle of Southwestern Ohio. This newfound passion (combined with his complete lack of athletic prowess and physical coordination thus completely ruling out all sports) led him to form rock bands in junior high and high school. He grew to love the performance aspect of music and soon decided on it as a career path.
College led him to Nashville, Tennessee where he began to pursue a degree in Commercial Music at Belmont University. He also started another band and got his first professional theater gig the following summer. Since that summer, DJ has spent nearly every waking hour finding ways to play music and avoiding a real contribution to society in any other way.
He moved to Minneapolis after college, rocking out between theater gigs with his current rock band Brother Big Bad. He has now convinced the band to move to Nashville where music flows like water.
DJ is elated to be a part of JamPlay and is thankful for everyone's warm welcome and says "Now, let's ROCK, people."
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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.If you know your basic music scale it makes sense, for example here is the G scale G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 the flat seventh is the 7 note taken back half a step, so in this case the flat seventh = F
Video is freezing!!!
I think it is also useful to add the tabs from scene 2 and 3. And I also think this lessons comes too early. For me it makes no sense at this time.