Premium
VIP
Beta Tester
2-string blues riffs for beginners (step by step)
Lesson #271 • Dec 14, 2019
Video lesson
Instructional PDF 2 pages
Editor’s notes
Hey friends! In this lesson I’ll show you how to use 2-string fretboard patterns to play blues-flavored bass lines using the chords A, D, and E. The best part is, these patterns are repeatable: learn them once, use them in any of the three chords listed above. Whether you want to incorporate this into your strumming or only focus on the bass lines, there’s tons of fun to be had. In the end, this makes for a pretty great warm-up exercise to work into your casual guitar playing.
Tabs of some of the riffs I play
In my video, I show several different riffs using the variations on the prior page. Here are those same riffs in tab form, in case that helps. The main thing I want you to understand here is that the pattern being used in each riff works the same for all three chords. All that changes is the strings you are playing. But the pattern itself is always the same.
Variation 1: just started with the power chords. Use your index finger to play the 2nd fret note on each of these chords.
E –––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––
G ––––––2––––––
D ––2–––0––––––
A ––0–––––––2––
E ––––––––––0––
A D E
Variation 2: adding the left ring finger (on and off) to the 4th fret of each chord.
E ––––––––––– ––––––––––– –––––––––––
B ––––––––––– ––––––––––– –––––––––––
G ––––––––––– ––2–2–4–2–– –––––––––––
D ––2–2–4–2–– ––0–0–0–0–– –––––––––––
A ––0–0–0–0–– ––––––––––– ––2–2–4–2––
E ––––––––––– ––––––––––– ––0–0–0–0––
A D E
Variation 3: bringing in the 4th fret of the thickest string, played with left ring finger.
E ––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––
B ––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––
G ––––––––––––––– ––––––––2–4–2–– –––––––––––––––
D ––––––––2–4–2–– ––0––4––––––––– –––––––––––––––
A ––0––4––––––––– ––––––––––––––– ––––––––2–4–2––
E ––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––– ––0––4–––––––––
A D E
Variation 4 & 5: adding the left pinky to the mix (5th fret of 2nd-thickest string).
E ––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––
B ––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––
G ––––––––––––––––– ––––––2–4–5–4–2–– –––––––––––––––––
D ––––––2–4–5–4–2–– ––0–4–––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––
A ––0–4–––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––– ––––––2–4–5–4–2––
E ––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––– ––0–4––––––––––––
A D E
The songs that inspired this lesson
I should note, this lesson is inspired by these two Bruce Springsteen song, which feature the riffs I bake into this lesson.
Johnny 99:
Open All Night:
Browse Related Lessons
Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:
Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!
If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!
Recent Lessons
-
April 18, 2024
"Moonshadow" by Cat Stevens
-
April 9, 2024
Chords & Music Theory... 9 New Lessons!
-
March 30, 2024
Gordon Lightfoot's "Carefree Highway"
-
March 22, 2024
Lead Guitar & the F1 Theme Song
-
March 15, 2023
Pink Floyd's "Breathe" - with Simpler Chords Included
-
March 6, 2024
Q&A: 8 Tips to Avoid Muting Strings
-
March 1, 2024
Blues Shuffle Riffs - Using Just 2 Strings!
-
February 16, 2024
Soulful Lead Guitar with "America the Beautiful"
-
February 8, 2024
Country Honk by The Rolling Stones
-
January 31, 2024
Beginner Blues - New Course Sneak Peek!