101 Razor Sharp Slide Guitar Blues Licks in Open E Tuning
101 Razor Sharp Slide Guitar Blues Licks in Open E Tuning
This superb Red Dog Music Book and CD allows you to learn/play slide guitar fill-ins while sitting in with a crisply recorded blues band and singer. The licks are clearly written in standard notation and tablature, and the companion CD contains all 101 licks, which are applicable to countless blues songs. A guide to symbols and several helpful fretboard diagrams are included. The licks are recorded on electric guitar but can also be played on acoustic. Overall, a very fine book that will provide unlimited learning and enjoyment. Many slide guitar books are confusing because they try to cover too many tunings. Everything here is in open E. Songs include standards such as Joe Turner Blues, St. Louis Blues, Sportin Life Blues, House of the Rising Sun, Midnight Special, along with several new songs written to standard blues changes. Like Hound Dog Taylor, J.B. Hutton, and Elmore James? Then you will like this book.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Like Sitting in With a Chicago Blues Band
I have been wanting to learn slide guitar for a long time. My teacher suggested this book and it is as helpful as he said it would be. The material is well-organized and includes everything a beginning slide player needs, including diagrams that serve as valuable roadmaps for open E tuning.
The slide licks sound just like the ones played by Elmore James, Hound Dog Taylor, Robert Nighthawk, and others on the classic blues records of the 1950s to mid 1960s. Some of the licks sound like Taj Mahal. The great thing is that a good blues band with a singer is playing model blues songs on the CD, so you are learning licks that you will actually be able to use in the blues songs you play. The singer on this CD is amazing-he sounds like Ray Charles.
I love that the entire book is arranged in the key of E. And the licks are smooth, tasteful, and accessible. The book gave me immediate confidence and familiarity with open E tuning. It is a lot of fun to play along with the CD – I feel like I’m sitting in with a blues band in a smoky bar on the Southside of Chicago. Very highly recommended.
5 Stars back in print
This author had a similar book out with another publisher, but it is out of print, and quite expensive used. I understand that the author owns this publishing company, so I doubt if it will disappear. Good thing too. I have gone through three copies of the old book. They keep “disappearing”.
I teach people how to play slide, although I’m not at all scary doing it. This book is my secret weapon. It’s simple and all in one tuning, but not too simple. They (the licks) are what musicians call “solid”. By the time you work your way through the book, you hopefully have an ear, and trust me, that’s what slide requires. Then you play with the licks and make them your own. Most people have figured out where to go by the time they finish. I always recommend stealing solos from harmonica players when they get through this book. I’m glad it’s back.
5 Stars Good licks for real songs
I am a guitarist who has played in blues and rock bands and I have been working on slide guitar technique. I am very pleased with this book. Everything is here for anyone who wants to learn how to play blues slide guitar licks in the context of a blues band.
The licks are played in actual blues songs that follow standard chord progressions. I have already found ways to work the licks into songs by Muddy Waters, Elmore James, etc. Great book and I recommend it to others.
