Blues Guitar Workshop

For guitarists interested in any form of contemporary music—whether it be r&b, funk, jazz, or pop—a knowledge of the blues is essential. Blues is a highly expressive form of music, and instructor Mike Williams, a longtime Berklee professor and active performing musician, has created a way to teach it with personality and soul online.

“The goal of the course is to get players functioning and playing over real blues, learning elements of rhythm guitar, about the music itself, and about soloing,” said Williams. “We also learn more detailed and subtle aspects of playing, such as how to put dynamic power and expression in the music.” Through extensive listening examples from blues pioneers, to personalized feedback, Williams shows guitarists what to play on specific styles of music—and, just as important, what not to play. “I emphasize how important it is to play what you’re hearing and to play honestly. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to spend so much time learning about the blues, and in the course, I bring in musical examples that are the real blues.” Williams stresses that students are hearing and learning music by the stylists who have defined blues guitar playing.

In his online course, Williams covers much of the history of electric blues guitar, with music from masters like Robert Lockwood Jr., T-Bone Walker, BB King, Freddy King, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Rogers, and Magic Sam, along with contemporary players such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, and his brother, Jimmy Vaughan. Williams carefully arranges these examples to show how blues styles have evolved. “When you listen to classic stylists back through time, you can hear Son House’s connection to Robert Johnson, and Muddy Waters, who in turn, connected to modern-day players such as Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, John Hammond, Keb Mo, and so many others . . . you can hear the lineage from generation to generation.”

Interactive Practice Activities

Learn more about Blues Guitar Workshop online course at Berkleemusic

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