Stevie Ray Vaughan style - Jazz/Blues/R & B Style

Michael Johnson >> Stevie Ray Vaughan style >>

Lesson Subject: Stevie Ray Vaughan Style

What you learn: Jazz/Blues/R & B Style

Michael: Michael Johnson

Michael: Welcome class to the lesson on the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan! This lesson will cover more of Stevie's jazz, minor blues and rhythm & blues groove patterns. Morphing these styles are what makes Stevie style so unique. Check out the lesson sample of what you will learn.

Michael: Let's get started! This first section starts off with a jazz type intro. Here's the first lick.

Michael: This is a really cool intro! You start off playing a Am7, then to a Maj 6 and 9th interval, and back to the Am7. The interval pattern repeats as you ascend 1 1/2 steps each time, which brings you to Cm, then D#m, then F#m. You end by playing an Em add9. Then ending of that chord uses D Major triad. It sounds like one continuous chord.

Michael: Here's the next section.

Michael: This portion rakes the Am chord and descends the A Dorian mode. You resolve by playing a Abm. Here's the jam track for the entire intro.

Michael: OK, in our next section we'll play over a minor blues progression in Am. Here's the rhythm chords.

Michael: Notice the chords are not a standard minor blues. You start with the Am7, Dm9, back to Am7, then Dm7 where you descend using min9 chords. You end by playing the Em9. Here's the jam track.

Drew: Dm9 is a tuff chord.

Michael: Drew yes, that chord can be a challenge. Work on stretching your 1st finger while barring the 3rd finger on the 1st - 3rd strings. You can make a practice out of it by moving your 1st finger back and forth on the lower frets. Here's the first lick.

Michael: This is a cool, melodic lick. You start by using box 1 of the A Minor Pentatonic scale for the 1-4th bars. Bars 5 & 6 use the 2nd box pattern of the A Minor Pentatonic. Here's the scale patterns.

Kewlpack: Having hard time with that 7 -1/2-7 trick.

Michael: Yes Kewlpack, most people are use to playing whole-step bends. The half-step bend sounds more bluesy, this note bends into the b5 of the scale, which is the note used in the A Minor Blues scale. Notice in bar 4 how you use a chromatic run that leads you into the 2nd box pattern of the minor pentatonic. This is a great transitional phrase! Here's the next lick.

Michael: I really like this lick! You start with a rake on the A Minor scale, based on the 12th fret.

Jim: Fingerpicking for the big intervals, I presume?

Michael: Jim correct! This section sounds very melodic as you use the additional notes in the Minor scale versus the Minor Pentatonic. The difference between using a 5-note scale and 7-note scale can make quite a difference in the sound. That section jumps into the octave pattern of the A Minor Pentatonic, using double-stops that skip strings. Notice how double-stops slide into the b5 of the A Minor Blues.

Michael: Here's the octave A Minor Blues scale.

Michael: Here's the next lick.

Michael: This lick uses the octave A Minor Blues scale as well. In this example you start with the ascending run on the 2nd string. Bar 2 descend the A Minor Blues before you end by playing the higher notes of the scale. Let's jump to another part. In this section you have single line rhythm groove.

Michael: This riff is in the C# Minor Blues scale. The guitar basically doubles the bass. Here's the jam track.

Michael: OK, you can play a funky counter rhythm to the bass, guitar and drum track. Here's the lick. Notice how use the C# Minor Blues scale. You start by playing the 9th fret/6th string, then jump to the b3 & b7 intervals on the 12th fret/1st and 2nd strings. Stevie used this combination often. Next you use the middle strings of the scale playing a funky groove, that includes a hammer-on to the Major 3rd on the 10th fret/3rd string. The video of the lick will give you a better idea of how the strumming and lick work together.

Michael: Now you can alter playing licks in between this rhythm groove. Here's the first option.

Michael: This is a common triple-stop where you slide into the chords. You can also play licks in the C# Minor Blues as well.

Michael: This is a common lick used by Stevie, the trick is to play the lick in between the rhythm groove lick.

Michael: Well it's time to go, see you next lesson!

Jim: Another one chock full of musical goodness... Thanks.

Kewlpack: Nice work

Michael: Thanks!

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