{"id":6169,"date":"2018-02-28T19:03:57","date_gmt":"2018-02-28T18:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jazzguitar.be\/blog\/?p=6169"},"modified":"2020-12-07T22:15:43","modified_gmt":"2020-12-07T21:15:43","slug":"blues-rhythm-guitar-chords-riffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jazzguitar.be\/blog\/blues-rhythm-guitar-chords-riffs\/","title":{"rendered":"Blues Rhythm Guitar – Chords and Riffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

A<\/span>s guitarists we love to solo over the blues, it\u2019s exciting, creative, and there\u2019s something about digging into a blues solo that just feels right. But, the reality is that we spend most of our time playing rhythm guitar when jamming with fellow blues musicians. Because of this, you need to make sure you\u2019re prepared with enough riffs and chords to be creative and interactive with your rhythm blues playing.<\/p>\n

This lesson helps you move beyond open and barre chords, as well as teaches you an essential blues rhythm riff to add to your blues playing.<\/p>\n

Have fun with these riffs and chords, then take them to your next blues jam to take your rhythm playing to the next level.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/span>\n

Blues Riff Shapes<\/h2>\n

To begin, you learn the shapes used to create the rhythm riff in the G blues study below. Start by playing up and down these shapes in each key to become familiar with how they sit on the fretboard.<\/p>\n

Use only your index and ring fingers to play these notes, no need to use your pinky here, as it\u2019s your weakest finger.<\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve played through these shapes, move on to the chords<\/a> in the next section.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

G7 Blues Riff Shape<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"G7<\/p>\n

C7 Blues Riff Shape<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"C7<\/p>\n

D7 Blues Riff Shape<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"D7<\/p>\n

Blues Chord Shapes<\/h2>\n

Here are all three chord shapes from the G blues used in the two studies later in this lesson. Play through each one to become familiar with these shapes, and notice that they don\u2019t contain a root note (<\/strong>or the root isn\u2019t the lowest note).<\/p>\n

You can visualize the root, although you don’t play it in the chord shape:<\/strong><\/p>\n