Blues Guitar Technique

Learn classic blues rhythm guitar and soloing techniques, in the style of the greats, such as T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, Freddy King, Albert Collins, Robert Lockwood Jr., Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, and others. This book is the more technique-oriented companion to Michael Williams’s book Berklee Blues Guitar Songbook. You’ll gain access to 69 audio tracks online, for download or streaming, using the unique code inside this book. These recordings feature a world-class blues rhythm section, and demonstration and play-along backing tracks (with and without guitar).

You’ll learn to:

• Shape, pace, and “colorize” your soloing vocabulary by adapting techniques from the great blues guitarists of the past, as well as from today
• Strengthen your sense of timing and ability to lock in with the backbeat
• Develop your facility and fretboard skills by practicing and combining pentatonic and blues scales and phrases up and down along the neck.

Michael Williams has been active as a blues and jazz guitarist around New England since 1987. He has performed extensively throughout the United States and Canada as a member of GRAMMY®-winner James Cotton’s blues band, and with many other artists including David “Fathead” Newman, Mighty Sam McClain, and as a leader with the Michael Williams Band. Williams is a professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he has taught guitar since 1987. Williams is the author and instructor of the online course Blues Workshop at Berklee Online, the continuing education division of Berklee College of Music. He is also the author of Berklee Blues Guitar Songbook (Berklee Press, 2010).

“Mike demonstrates rhythm parts and soloing techniques that have been handed down from the masters—so they're well worth getting under you fingers!"

—James Cotton, GRAMMY® Award Winning Blues Harmonica Player

“Blues Guitar Technique is very thorough and highly detailed. Drawing from his decades of experiences as a player, composer, arranger, and teacher of the blues, Mike has come up with wonderful material: clear and compelling text, examples and exercises presented in both standard notation as well as tablature, and killer recordings!”

—Mick Goodrick, Professor of Guitar, Berklee College of Music

Also by Michael Williams

Berklee Blues Guitar Songbook