Want to play blues guitar but feel overwhelmed by all the techniques and theory? Good news – you can get that authentic blues sound using just ONE finger.
This one finger blues guitar lesson walks you through a complete 12-bar blues using simple two-note “power chord” shapes that require nothing more than your first finger. It’s the perfect way to start playing real blues right away, even if you’re brand new to guitar.
What You’ll Learn
This one finger blues guitar approach covers three essential chord changes – A, D, and E – all played with the same simple technique. Colin breaks down:
- How to play two-note harmonies (intervals) that sound full and bluesy
- The proper pick technique for a short, controlled throw
- How to mute unwanted strings with both hands
- The shuffle rhythm that makes blues sound like blues
- The complete 12-bar blues form so you can jam along with any blues track
The Three Chord Shapes
A chord: Open 5th string + open 4th string (no fretting required)
D chord: Open 4th string + 2nd fret on 3rd string
E chord: Open 6th string + 2nd fret on 5th string
That’s it. Three shapes, one finger, real blues.
The 12-Bar Form
Once you’ve got the shapes down, here’s how they fit together:
- 4 bars of A
- 2 bars of D
- 2 bars of A
- 1 bar of E
- 1 bar of D
- 2 bars of A (or A-E turnaround)
This is the foundation of countless blues songs. Master this one finger blues guitar technique and you can jam along with everything from Robert Johnson to Stevie Ray Vaughan.
This lesson is the first in a three-part series. Once you’ve got this down, you’ll be ready to add more fingers and expand your blues vocabulary.
Ready to Go Deeper?
This lesson is just the beginning. If you want the complete system for playing authentic electric blues – the riffs, the rhythms, the techniques that make it all click – check out Electric Blues Kickstart.
