What You'll Learn
The complete four-level Certificate Course in Blues Guitar will teach you the essential skills and concepts you need to play classic blues, including fundamental picking and fretting techniques, chords and rhythm styles every blues guitarist uses, classic chord progressions, blues phrasing concepts, how to create effective solos and more. Extras include backing tracks plus lessons in theory, ear training, improvisation and sight-reading. Tests every four weeks measure your skills and understanding, and you’ll receive a score for each specific technique along with video tips offering suggestions for improvement.
How To Qualify for a Certificate of Achievement
- Successfully complete 12 weekly assignments according to stated Learning Outcomes
- Earn minimum of 75% of all possible points on three Video Submission according to stated Learning Outcomes
- Earn minimum of 75% on three multiple choice, audio and video quizzes covering:
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- Content taught in blues guitar lessons
- Ear Training Lessons
- Improvisation Lessons
- Music Theory
Academic Accreditation
ArtistWorks is recognized by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) as a supplemental education provider. We are committed to meeting all established national music standards while providing exceptional performance opportunities. ArtistWorks offers comprehensive music instruction by master musicians to anyone who wants to learn and improve their skills. The goal of the ArtistWorks Online Music Certificate Program is to educate and challenge you, fill in gaps in your learning, and provide nationally-recognized validation of your skills and knowledge.
About Keith Wyatt
Keith Wyatt had his blues epiphany when he first heard Albert King's "The Sky Is Crying" and has been deeply passionate about the genre ever since. Keith taught guitar for 35 years at Los Angeles’ Musicians Institute, where he also served as Director of the Guitar Program (GIT) and VP of Programs. Since 1988, Keith has created more than 20 instructional video courses and books for Warner Brothers, Hal Leonard and other publishers on topics ranging from electric, acoustic and slide blues guitar to roots guitar styles and beginning guitar methods. He has toured and recorded with renowned LA roots-rock band The Blasters since 1996 and has also performed with iconic musicians including Albert Collins, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker. In 2015, Keith debuted the Electric Blues Guitar program at ArtistWorks.
Blues Guitar Certification
– Blues Guitar Level 1
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Prerequisites:
This level is intended for guitar players that have at least one year of experience playing. Correct playing posture, knowledge of open & barred chords and the ability to play in tune and on time are necessary to excel at this course. The method and techniques are taught for application on electric blues guitar so we highly recommend you use electric guitar for this course.
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Learning Outcome:
This level will build a strong foundation in blues guitar with a focus on understanding the rhythmic framework and becoming familiar with the blues form. Learn fundamental blues rhythm skills, including locating notes on the neck, shuffle rhythm phrasing, 12-bar form, standard chords and playing techniques.
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Start by learning essential chords and the types of chords used in the blues genre. Learn how to navigate the neck, understand note relationships using the cycle of fourths, and how to find and name any note on the neck. From there you’ll learn basic blues chord changes and the framework of the blues sound, which leads right into developing the 12 bar blues progression. Learn the iconic shuffle rhythm, electric blues rhythm and the history of how this style developed. Learn the classic boogie shuffle pattern in both open position and moveable shapes that allow you to play in all 12 keys. From there you’ll learn to expand the blues sound by integrating turnarounds and endings, syncopation by accenting upbeats, and a riffs that mimic a horn section. From there you’ll learn the “quick change” variation of the 12 bar progression and tie it all together. By the end of this course you’ll have a solid foundation in blues rhythm playing.
+ Blues Guitar Level 2
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Prerequisites:
This level is intended for guitar players that have either just completed the Level 1 Blues Guitar Certification program or have at least 2 years of guitar playing experience. You should have a solid rhythmic playing foundation including working well with a metronome and being able to transition smoothly between chords around the neck. A general understanding of the degrees of the scale in relation to how chord progressions are built is recommended. This level will deal primarily with single note melodic playing and the ability to play a scale and cross strings comfortably is recommended.
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Learning Outcome:
This level focuses on developing the essential techniques to start phrasing and developing your own melodic lines and solos over the blues form. Learn fundamental blues soloing skills, including single-note performing techniques, melodic and rhythmic organization, and stylistic phrasing techniques.
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Start by getting familiar with the minor pentatonic scale and its role in blues as the scaffolding to start constructing solos. Keith then breaks down technical skills and techniques to develop your touch and feel. Learn how to use clever fingering tricks and legato techniques to smooth out your melodic lines. Learn to integrate hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, string bending and vibrato to expand your musical options and control the dynamics of your playing. From there the focus is in putting this to work by learning how to phrase lines in the blues form appropriately. Starting with developing rhythm and dynamics and arranging melodic lines you’ll build up to phrasing over the 12 bar blues form. You’ll also learn about note relationships and their emotional qualities, exploring each “blue note” individually to get familiar with their unique flavors and how they work in combination. Practice integrating these ideas and techniques through call & response play-along exercises, where Keith trades licks with you to get you started constructing your own two bar phrases. By the end of this course you’ll have the technical skills needed to phrase melodic solos in the blues form.
+ Blues Guitar Level 3
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Prerequisites:
This level is intended for guitar players that have either just completed the Level 2 Blues Guitar Certification program or have at least 2-3 years of guitar playing experience. You should meet the skill expectations of all previous levels of the Blues Guitar Certification courses. Other techniques integrated in the teaching but not taught from scratch at this level include hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, string bends and vibrato.
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Learning Outcome:
This level focuses on expanding the depth and vocabulary of your phrasing skills by exploring a variety of ways to vary your melodic approach throughout the blues form. Learn more advanced blues rhythm skills, including different rhythmic textures, standard blues arrangements, and variations in tempo and form.
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Start by exploring the bottom of the range working with walking bass lines and bass riffs that make use of the lower register. From there you’ll learn rhythmic fills and compound rhythm patterns as you work up to the higher registers. Keith will break down the concept of riff chords as a way to expand your toolbox of go-to phrases. Learn the components of blues arranging including multiple styles of turnarounds, and how to construct intros & endings. From there Keith breaks down his approach to playing over a slow blues as well as variations of the boogie shuffle. He’ll then get you putting all these concepts to practice by exploring the 8 bar and 16 bar blues progressions and the tricks and rules to know when phrasing in those forms.
+ Blues Guitar Level 4
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Prerequisites:
This level is intended for guitar players that have either just completed the Level 3 Blues Guitar Certification program or have at least 3-4 years of guitar playing experience. You should meet the skill expectations of all previous levels of the Blues Guitar Certification courses. This level will deal with playing melodic solos in various locations around the neck using various different patterns.
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Learning Outcome:
This level explores deeper understanding of note relationships and the blues tonality to help you unlock and convey the emotional qualities you want to express in your melodic phrasing. Learn more advanced soloing skills, including chord-tone phrasing, melodic arranging techniques, expanded melodic range, phrasing in different fingering patterns, and unlocking the neck with the CAGED system.
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Start by exploring chord tones and the relationship of the 3rd and 7th to connect chord changes by phrasing over the 12 bar form. Learn how to effectively integrate pickup phrases into your arranging. From there Keith explores how to give a “sweet” or “salty” flavor to your phrases by teaching how and when to integrate the 6th and 9th scale degree sounds and how to intuit and think about blues tonality. Then you’ll dive into learning the CAGED system. This method is a way to unlock and navigate the entire neck so that you can find the note collections you need in any key and any location on the neck. Keith gives context to familiar licks and insight to the styles of blues guitar legends that famously worked out of the specific shapes contained within this system.
Select A Program
Course prerequisites are in the level descriptions at the bottom of the page.
What's In This Course
Lessons for 12 weeks on these subjects:
- Blues Guitar Lessons Level 1
- Ear Training Lessons Level 1
- Technique Building Exercises
- Daily Sight Reading Exercises
- Blues Guitar Lessons Level 2
- Improvisation Lessons Level 2
- Ear Training Lessons Level 2
- Technique Building Exercises
- Daily Sight Reading Exercises
- Blues Guitar Lessons Level 3
- Improvisation Lessons Level 3
- Ear Training Lessons Level 3
- Technique Building Exercises
- Daily Sight Reading Exercises
- Blues Guitar Lessons Level 4
- Improvisation Lessons Level 4
- Ear Training Lessons Level 4
- Technique Building Exercises
- Daily Sight Reading Exercises
Reference Topics: Blues Guitar Fundamentals, Music Theory, Improvisation, Ear Training, Performance Anxiety, How to Read Music, Using Guitar Tab & the Nashville Numbers System
