Blues Guitar Lick #1: The Essential Blues Turnaround

If you are going to play the blues, there are a few standard licks you have to know, and this is one of them. You’ve heard this turnaround a million times. Go to a blues gig without this one in your bag of tricks and people are going to look at you funny.

Hell, a lot of people might look at you funny anyway, but don’t worry about them. Just flash them a smile and say it with your guitar.

Of all the blues turnarounds this is probably the most standard, recognizable lick of them all. I can’t even imagine “Sweet Home Chicago” without it. It’s not exactly what Robert Johnson played, but it’s close enough.

Here is the video guitar lesson:

                            |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|   |3-| |3|
                         Q  E E E E E E E E E   Q  E Q E +Q.
                       |------4-----3-----2---|-0------2-(2)----|
                       |----------------------|--------0-(0)----|
                       |----4---4-3---3-2---2-|-1------2-(2)----|
                       |----------------------|--------1-(1)----|
                       |----------------------|----0-1-2-(2)----|
                       |----------------------|-----------------|

In part 2 of the lesson I go over a variation of the same thing. It’s a little more difficult, but I think it sounds really cool. Grab your guitar and take a look. It’s okay if you laugh at my goofy face on the frame YouTube set for the still, I can take it.

                            |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|   |3| |3|
                         Q  E E E E E E E E E   Q E Q E +Q.
                       |----------------------|-------2-(2)----|
                       |------5-----5-----5---|-------0-(0)----|
                       |----4---4-3---3-2---2-|-1-----2-(2)----|
                       |----------------------|-------1-(1)----|
                       |----5-----4-----3-----|-2-0-1-2-(2)----|
                       |----------------------|----------------|

So this is the first lick of the website…only 99 more to go. Of course there’s a lot more than just licks coming on 100blueslicks.com, and there are going to be many more free video guitar lessons. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.

And I look forward to your comments. Don’t hold back!