Classic 8-Bar Blues Solos in First Position
The following solos show how to play unaccompanied, solo blues in first position. All five solos make use of the
8-bar blues format. In true country blues fashion, they involve
some fingerpicking:
•; The;thumb;thumps;out;bass;notes,;playing;a;low;root;note;on;
most;of;the;downbeats;(there;are;four;per;bar.);This;is;basic;
“Texas;style”;fingerpicking.
•; The;fingers;play;licks;on;the;treble;strings.;Some;pickers;use;the;
index;finger,;others;play;the;1st;string;with;the;middle;finger;and;
the;2nd,;3rd;and;4th;strings;with;the;index.
; •; ; Most;of;the;licks;come;from;the;first;position;major;scale;of;your;
I chord, but you finger the chords that are indicated as well (I, IV
and V). In this style of blues picking, you play lead, rhythm and
bass all at once!
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
