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Blues Rhythms & Riffs – Inspired by Smokestack Lightning

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Rhythms & Riffs of Classic Electric Blues

Checkout this fun electric blues riff inspired by Howling Wolf (from Smokestack Lightning). It comes out of the E pentatonic minor scale, both the first and second positions. First we'll look at the scales the riff comes from, then we'll learn the riff, then we'll add it into a fun boogie woogie blues shuffle.

Here is the tab for the basic version of the riff, at 6:15 on the video. If you're not familiar with reading standard notation, don't worry about it, just use the TAB portion at the bottom to see where your fingers go, and use the video to learn the timing.

Do you like this lesson? Let us know what you learned in the comments below. 

Blues Rhythms & Riffs – Inspired by Back Door Man

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Rhythms & Riffs of Classic Electric Blues

Checkout this fun electric blues riff inspired by Howling Wolf (from Back Door Man). It comes out of the E pentatonic minor scale, both the first and second positions. First we'll look briefly at the scale the riff comes from, then we'll learn the riff along with some variations, then we'll start using it as a rhythm riff, and begin playing around with some call and answer!

Here is the tab for the basic version of the rhythm riff, at 4:20 on the video. If you're not familiar with reading standard notation, don't worry about it, just use the TAB portion at the bottom to see where your fingers go, and use the video to learn the timing.

Do you like this lesson? Let us know what you learned in the comments below.

Blues Rhythms & Riffs – Inspired by Killing Floor

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Rhythms & Riffs of Classic Electric Blues

Checkout this fun electric blues riff inspired by Howling Wolf (from Killing Floor). It comes out of the A pentatonic major scale. First we'll look briefly at the scale the riff comes from, then we'll learn the riff along with some variations, then we'll start using it as a rhythm riff, and begin playing around with some call and answer!

Here is the tab for the basic version of the rhythm riff, at 5:22 on the video. Keep in mind that this just shows the A position; you will have to move this around to the D position and the E position as well. However, once you connect with the pattern it is very easy to move.

Did you like this lesson? Let us know what you learned in the comments below. 

Blues Rhythms: A Good Starting Point

This rhythm is a great starting point - get this foundation down pat, and we can build on it and do lots more cool things soon after. For today, we'll be playing double stops (which is simply two notes played at the same time), on the I and the V notes of the chords in our progression. Then, to make things a little bit more interesting, we'll add in a major 6th to give it some extra character.

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Ultimate Blues 3: Rhythms

Checkout This Weird E Minor Chord

In this short lesson, we'll look at a different place to play that standard Em chord we've all used for eons. The secret to finding chords like these is knowing how the notes in a chord work. Understand chord construction, and learn a few off these lesser-used chords, and you'll have tons of great ideas ready to slip into your rhythm or solos!

To learn more of these unusual chords, please visit the following link:

Guitar Player's Bag of Trick Chords

3 Famous Examples of Guitar Chords in Solos

Guitar chords are a really good place to start if you're looking for some great-sounding notes to put together into a solo or an intro riff. In the video above, you'll see three famous examples of triads used in this way. A triad is simply a three note chord. Understand chord construction, and learn a few off these lesser-used chords, and you'll have tons of great ideas ready to slip into your rhythm or solos!

To learn more of these unusual chords, please visit the following link:

Guitar Player's Bag of Trick Chords

Blues Scales: The Most Important Note In A Scale

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In the last lesson, we covered how to play the ultimate blues solo scale. If you need a refresher, you can check it out here.

In today's lesson we're going to take a look at the most important note in any guitar scale - the tonic. The tonic is the anchor point that you can use to transpose that scale pattern into any key you choose... talk about powerful! That note also happens to be the single best choice for starting or ending a solo. In our ultimate blues solo scale, the tonic shows up three times, so you'd do well to learn each of the positions and practice ending at each one.

Below you'll find the tab again for this scale. If you've got questions or comments, I'd love to see them at the bottom of the page!

Blues Scales: Adding a Chromatic Passing Note

In a previous lesson, we covered how to play the ultimate blues solo scale. If you need a refresher, you can check it out here.

In today's lesson, we're going to cover how to add a chromatic passing note between the IV and V notes in the scale. Sounds pretty technical, but once you hear it in action, you'll probably recognize it pretty quick. This particular note is the most common modification you'll find, and is super common in the blues - in fact, it is often referred to as the blues note. Check it out, and see how you can work it into your solos!

Below you'll find the tab again for this scale. If you've got questions or comments, I'd love to see them at the bottom of the page!

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Blues Chords: Understanding I IV V

Here's a quick introduction to one way you can use I IV V, although there is a TON more to say on this topic. The guitar is tuned to 4ths, except for the G to B string, which is a major third. That means that every time you switch strings, staying on the same fret, you're moving up (or down) a fourth.

For example, on 6th string, 5th fret, you have an A. Move up one string to the 5th string, and you have the D. Now, move up two frets, and you find the E, and there's your I IV V in the key of A, the three most important chords in that key. This works in both major and minor keys.

Learning a bit about I IV V can really help you reduce how much you need to memorize your fretboard, because you'll already know the relationships of the notes nearby. Cool stuff!

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Ultimate Blues Chords

More Chuck Berry Licks

In this lesson, we'll add some more licks to the rhythm & lick that we learned in part 1 of this mini-series on Chuck Berry licks. By combining what you learn in this lesson, you should have a pretty sweet progression with a few lick options to jam with! Also, if you haven't had a chance yet, checkout the other lesson in this series here.

Learning how to mix your rhythms and riffs is a tremendously rewarding skill on the guitar, and the lesson above is just a tiny sample of what you'll learn in Rhythms & Riffs of Early Rock & Roll. If that style of playing appeals to you, I'd recommend checking out the course!

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The Most Important Scale For Improvising

You probably already know the pentatonic scale. Or at least, you think you do.

But if you're stuck playing the same licks over and over, something's missing. This free lesson shows you the one thing most guitarists overlook—and it's the key to unlocking the entire fretboard.

What You Just Learned:

In this free lesson, Colin showed you the foundation. How to play the pentatonic scale properly. Down-up picking. One finger per fret. The two overlapping positions that give you more options.

But here's the thing... This is just Step 1 of three.

Here's what happens when you get all three steps:

You stop freezing when someone says "take a solo." No more panic moments. No more hunting for notes. You just know where to go on the neck. You can jump in.

Your solos start sounding like music instead of exercises. You're creating phrases. Bending notes. Adding space. Playing things that breathe and flow.

You finally understand what you're doing. You know why certain notes work. You know how the chords and scales fit together. You feel like a real musician, not just someone who memorized some patterns.

And maybe the biggest thing? You stop feeling like you're faking it.

When someone hands you a guitar and says "play something," you'll be able to do it with confidence.

That's what's on the other side of this course. You'll also get:

  • Colin's "mind trick" for staying locked into the groove (instead of getting lost thinking about what lick to play next)
  • Why playing A minor pentatonic over an E minor song sounds terrible—and the 3-second fix
  • When to land on chord tones versus "tension notes" (this is what separates noodling from music)
  • The chord roadmap that tells you exactly which notes will sound best at any given moment
  • 60-day guarantee—get every penny back if it doesn't click
Get The Complete System

Step 2: Working With A Progression

The scale is right. Your notes are right. So why does your solo sound so... off? This lesson reveals what most guitarists miss—and it's hiding in plain sight in the chord progression underneath you.

In this video, Colin shows you the foundation - why chord progressions matter, how to find the tonic, why a progression starting on C can actually be in A minor.

And if you watch the third free video (it's in the sidebar), you'll see how to add riffs and techniques to make it all sound musical.

But here's the truth...

These three free videos are just the overview. The 30,000-foot view. Enough to show you what's possible.

The full course goes deep.

Multiple examples at different tempos. Detailed breakdowns you can watch five times until it clicks. Close-ups of exactly what Colin's doing. Three professional jam tracks so you can actually practice this stuff with a real groove.

The PDF book so you can review concepts without scrubbing through video. Riley playing rhythm so you see how the solo fits with the chords in real time.

But most importantly - you get the reps. The practice. The repetition from different angles that makes it stick.

Look, Colin designed this course to be watched multiple times. First time you get the basics. Second time you notice things you missed. Third time it really clicks.

That's how real learning happens. Not from watching three overview videos once. From going deep with material that's built for actual transformation.

If you're serious about finally breaking through with improvisation, this is how you do it.

Get the full System here

Adding Color To Your Riffs

You know the scale. You understand the chords. You've even practiced both.

But when you try to solo, it still sounds like... a scale exercise. Just running up and down notes robotically. This free lesson shows you the one riff that changes everything—the string bend that adds personality and makes you sound musical.

Colin showed you the string stretch riff—one of the most important riffs in blues and rock. How to add personality. How timing matters more than speed.

Now here's the truth about these three free videos...

They give you the overview. Enough to show you what's possible.

But here's what they DON'T give you:

The confidence that comes from real repetition.

You know that feeling when someone says "take a solo" and you freeze? That doesn't go away from watching three videos once. It goes away when you've practiced this stuff so many times your fingers just KNOW where to go.

The understanding that comes from seeing the same concept five different ways.

Right now you're probably thinking "okay, I kind of get it." The full course takes you from "I kind of get it" to "I actually understand what I'm doing." That's when you stop feeling like you're faking it.

The ability to just... play.

Not think. Not hunt for notes. Not pray you land somewhere that sounds okay. Just play. Like the guitar players you admire who make it look effortless.

That transformation doesn't happen from an overview. It happens from going deep. Practicing with real backing tracks. Watching the same riff broken down slow, then faster, then in context. Getting the reps until it's second nature.

If you're serious about finally breaking through, this is how you do it.

Click Here For the Full System
  • Why this one string stretch shows up in countless blues and rock solos (and how to make it your own)
  • The "personality injection" technique that turns mechanical scale runs into phrases that breathe
  • When to repeat a bend versus when to move on (this is what separates noodling from music)
  • Why slow practice with perfect timing beats fast sloppy playing every time
  • How to morph between riffs and scales without it sounding like two separate things
  • 60-day guarantee—get every penny back if it doesn't click
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