Jon MacLennan

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3 Magic Tips for Mastering The Blues Scale On Guitar

blues Jan 26, 2025

Have you ever wondered how to actually learn your blues scales?

What order you should go in?

And what’s a good way to structure scales in your practice sessions?

I’ve talked to many campfire guitar players over the years who want to learn how to add more depth, versatility, and skill to my playing in general with the blues scale. But many practice for years and never get it down.

They can’t navigate the neck, and they can’t improvise blues licks.

So today, you’re ole’ pal Johnny is going to reveal 3 powerful tips for mastering the blues scale on guitar. Starting with one, not a single online fake guitar goo-roo is going to tell you and that is…

1) Sing It

No, you don’t have to be a singer. You don’t have to sing onstage or sing loud. Just in the privacy of your own home. In fact, you can even lightly hum or whistle it. 

My old guitar teacher Kenny Burrell (I was in a band and he was the leader), used to whistle notes at me...

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How To Play A Blues Guitar Solo And Sound Pro (With Just 4 Notes!)

blues Jan 07, 2025

Just like you, I used to suffer from not being able to play killer blues guitar solos.

I was constantly hitting notes out of key. I didn’t know where to go on the neck. And, I was confused by all the different scale patterns, and music theory I thought I had to know.

It was miserable.

And I feel for anyone in this place.

But I’ve helped so many older retired students play the blues like they’ve never thought possible, inside my programs on my site. I specialize in blues guitar.

So today, I wanted to share an easy blues guitar solo that lets you sound like a pro with just 4 notes.

And this relies on an almost ancient method used by the old-school blues masters. They did this on countless songs. It’s so simple that many of today’s players would just laugh at it.

But this is to their own detriment. Because it’s been used on more recordings and hits than you can count.

So let’s get started with this easy blues guitar solo lesson.

The first...

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Easy Blue Suede Shoes Chords & Guitar Lesson

blues Jan 06, 2025

Behold… one of the first true rock-and-roll songs.

This one is all about coolness, swagger, and the rebellious spirit of rock.

There are only 3 chords you need to know to play it. Below I’m going to break down the guitar style in the original Carl Perkins version, as well as the Elvis Presley version.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Blue Suede Shoes” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Blue Suede Shoes?

“Blues Suede Shoes” was written by Carl Perkins, a pioneering figure in rock and roll and rockabilly. The inspiration for the tune came about from a casual remark Perkins overheard at a dance in Jackson, Tennessee. 

A young man told his date… 

Don’t Step On My Suede Shoes!

Perkins was struck by the phrase and that was the start of the simple yet evocative message behind the song of: protecting a prized possession—one's blue suede shoes. From there, the tune ended up being crafted around humor,...

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12 Epic (Major) Blues Guitar Chords Every Guitarist Should Know

blues Dec 10, 2024

If you want to learn to play rhythm and lead guitar like the greatest old-school blues masters… then you’re going to need to know some epic blues guitar chords. 

Why chords?

Because chords are the foundation. You can use them to play rhythm but also to unlock leads. You see, there are countless iconic blues solos that use chords in them. And when you understand the connection between chords and lead -- like what I teach in my program Essential CAGED Guitar System. LEAD and RHYTHM guitar up and down the neck get a lot easier.

So grab your 6-stringer and let’s dive into this lesson on 12 epic (major) blues guitar chords every guitarist should know.

The first few examples focus on chords played in the open position. Later we’ll cover some moveable shapes as well. So let’s get started with…

1. Open E7

Blues in the key of E is awesome on guitar. From Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton, the old-school blues masters loved playing in this key. This...

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Do You Have Fretboard Hopper Syndrome?

blues Dec 05, 2024

Do you have fretboard hopper syndrome?

Let me explain…

Let’s say you wanted to have a blast jamming along to jam tracks. So you pull one up and it’s called, "JAM TRACK IN A MINOR".

You’ve played the pentatonic box before and so you start winging it over the track. You’re randomly playing notes from the scale and trying to solo.

But after a few minutes you realize you’re stuck in one little spot on the neck. It starts to feel stale and dull.

Maybe you can zoom up the octave (12 frets higher) and try that scale to mix it up, but the notes in between are a mystery.

I see this all the time.

Players can’t connect ALL the areas of the fretboard.

They are stuck hopping around from one little box to the next. This is fretboard hopper syndrome. 

But wouldn’t it be great if there were no dusty areas on the neck for you? 

And what if you could get there using just 5 each chords – you probably already know?

With this imagine now...

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The ULTIMATE F Blues Scale Guitar Lesson

blues Nov 26, 2024

Many guitar players get stuck playing the blues in keys like E and A.

Which are great guitar keys. But they are not as popular as keys like F and Bb are for piano players and horn players. This means if you don’t know your scales and notes in these other keys. Jamming with different musicians can be tough.

In this post, I want to show you a great scale to know whether you are a beginner or an advanced player. I’m going to share ways to play the F blues scale on guitar, how to practice the F blues scale, and even songs that use the F blues scale. This all ties in with music theory as well. But it’s important to realize the blues scale is a Western interpretation of a style that is tough to pinpoint.

But let’s get straight into it, starting with…

What notes are in the F blues scale?

The notes in the F minor blues scale are: 

F - Ab - Bb - Cb - C - Eb - F 

Now, it’s important to point out, that when guitarist say “Blues Scale”...

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Fast And Easy Hit The Road Jack Chords And Guitar Lesson

blues Nov 18, 2024

Sometimes you gotta give someone the boot in your life…

You’ve got to say, "Hit The Road Jack..."

Ever been there?

In this post, I want to share with you a powerfully bluesy groove. You only need a couple of chords to have a lot of fun with this one…

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Hit The Road Jack" chords and guitar lesson! 

Who Wrote Hit The Road Jack?

"Hit the Road Jack" was originally written by a blues singer-songwriter named Percy Mayfield. Mayfield was from the South. He was born on August 12, 1920, in Minden, Louisiana.  

He grew up surrounded by rich musical traditions, which deeply influenced his songwriting and vocal style. The most popular version of “Hit The Road Jack” was recorded by Ray Charles in 1961. His version featured The Raelettes, particularly Margie Hendrix, whose powerful vocals provided a memorable call-and-response dynamic typically of the blues. 

The song has biting humor and sings...

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Why Learning Songs Feels Slower Than Dial-Up Internet

blues Nov 14, 2024

Remember when dial-up internet came out?

All those beeping and buzzing sounds just to get online. And then finally… 

“Welcome”...

….“You’ve got mail” 

Internet back than was like the stone age compared to today’s speeds.

True story: 

A few years back I went to a YouTube Space headquarters in Playa Del Ray, California. The internet there was the FASTEST I’ve ever seen. It was like plugging in directly to Google. (Google owns YouTube.) 

Massive files and videos that would normally take hours to upload on high-speed internet. We’re uploaded in mere minutes at the YouTube headquarters. It was insane!

Do you feel like learning new songs is slower than dial-up internet?

Do they take forever to get down? 

Often players get stuck here at the base of what feels like a big insurmountable mountain. Then, once they finally go to play some of the songs they’ve been trying to get down. They exclaim...

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Is the minor pentatonic the blues scale?

blues Nov 12, 2024

Recently a fellow asked:

===

I'm struggling to understand the blues scale: is it the same thing as the minor pentatonic?

===

Major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, blues scale, mixolydian… there are so many terms being tossed around by guitar players out there – it makes sense why this player feels this way.

Not knowing what scale to use for a solo, or where to even begin on the neck can be downright frustrating.

Often guitarists feel like they are getting traction learning theory etc. For example, they unlock how an A minor pentatonic scale can work over a C major chord. But then they get completely confused when someone is playing a blues in the key of C but uses the C minor pentatonic…

How does that work?

Well, to answer their question… 

No the pentatonic and the blues scale are not the same. They are two different scales. Two completely different sounds. In fact, many times guitarists think the go-to scale for soloing over the blues is the...

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The ULTIMATE Tennessee Whiskey Chords And Guitar Lesson (Chris Stapleton)

blues Nov 10, 2024

Here’s a smash hit song with an interesting backstory that now spans over 40 years.

It all started off as a classic country tune first recorded by David Allan Coe… then George Jones…  

But it wasn't until American singer-songwriter and guitarist Chris Stapleton got a hold of it, and he mashed it up with a soulful old blues groove. And as they say...the rest is history.

In this post I’m going to unpack some insider tips to help you understand the guitar style behind it – and whether you want to do an easy strumming version, or dive into the solos and lead parts, I’ve got you covered. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Tennessee Whiskey" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Tennessee Whiskey?

"Tennessee Whiskey" was originally written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove – two famous songwriters out of Nashville, Tennesse. Although now the song is most often associated with Chris Stapleton’s cover...

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