Blues and classic rock

Start your journey to improving your solos with some essential blues basics

1 Quarter-tone bend

If there is a technique that will immediately give your lead playing some blues and rock authenticity, this is it! There simply isn’t a blues player out there who doesn’t use this device all the time. Often, it is the second note of the minor pentatonic scale (aka the minor 3rd) that is pulled or pushed slightly sharp, blurring the lines between major and minor moods.

2 Two-fret bend

The two-fret bend is another almost universal technique that can take a while to master. As a general rule, most players push up on the three treble strings and pull down on the fourth, fifth and sixth strings, so you don’t end up pushing/pulling off the edge of the fretboard. Bracing two or three fingers together can really help with strength and accuracy.

3 Vibrato

Another way of manipulating pitch, vibrato can be slow and shallow, fast and wide, or a combination of these. Stevie Ray Vaughan used a medium speed wide vibrato; Paul Kossoff and Angus Young combine speed and depth for a striking effect. Eric Clapton and BB King lift the thumb away from the back of the neck, allowing the fretting hand to rock to and fro.