Acoustic blues guitar lessons are partially a study in history. That’s because acoustic blues goes back as far as the early 1900’s with players like Robert Johnson (the granddaddy of acoustic blues), Lead Belly, and Big Bill Broonzy. It doesn’t stop there, though.
There’s a legion of other players that have defined the genre; folks like Blind Blake, Muddy Waters, and Mississippi John Hurt. And, of course, many modern players have carried on the tradition: Eric Clapton, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Taj Mahal.
Playing acoustic blues remains so much fun today because it has a distinctive sound that instantly grabs listeners. It incorporates both rhythm and lead playing. And it sounds great both as a solo player or in a group.
You can get started in just a a few lessons, and then take years to explore the possibilities.
So let’s get started. How do you learn this style of playing? Here’s some options:
1. Jim Bruce on Teachable
Jim Bruce will teach you some old school acoustic blues in the style of Big Bill Broonzy, Willie McTell, and more. His courses on Teachable.com have been viewed extensively with good review.
2. Orville Johnson on JamPlay
JamPlay is a solid, go-to option for online guitar lessons and they have several video series that focus on acoustic blues. This series by Orville Johnson will first get you’re fingerpicking chops in order, then walk you through acoustic blues riffs, including chords, turnarounds, and song tutorials.
3. TrueFire
TrueFire has a large number of guitar lessons, with many dedicated to acoustic blues.
Get $30 off your first purchase by clicking here, then searching “acoustic blues guitar” to find a daunting selection of course options.
4. Blues Guitar Institute
John Hatcher offers the Blues Guitar Institute, a dedicated site for blues guitar lessons. He has a variety of lessons that address not only blues guitar specifics, but general fretboard knowledge, musicality, and performance. His lessons could do with a bit more “meat” and bit less talking, but overall there’s good stuff here.
5. Blues Guitar Unleashed
The Blues Guitar Unleashed site has a host of blues guitar lessons available – electric and acoustic. To check out the acoustic blues guitar lessons, go to the course catalog page and scroll down. You’ll see options for Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed, Delta Blues, Front Porch Blues, etc.
BONUS: Orville Johnson with Bottleneck Blues
If you’re looking for acoustic slide blues guitar, JamPlay has a specific video series covering that by the same Orville Johnson:
Further Reading:
5 Places to Get Modern Fingerstyle Guitar Lessons Online
Top 25 Contemporary Acoustic Blues Guitarists
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