I’m a sucker for 3 things in a song:

1) Lyrics about trains

2) Swampy guitar parts

3) THE BLUES

Below I want to share with you some insider guitar tips on a classic song that’s got all 3.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Midnight Special” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Midnight Special?

“Midnight Special” is a traditional American folk song that goes back for generations. 

Its origins are deeply rooted in the oral traditions. However, the song's earliest documented lyrics appeared in 1905 as noted by sociologist Howard Odum. 

But, these lines were common in many other African-American songs of that era and didn't specifically reference a train or light. The first printed reference to "Midnight Special" as a song was in a 1923 issue of Adventure magazine. 

The "Midnight Special" refers to a passenger train, and in the song, its light symbolizes hope and freedom. Prisoners believed that if the train's light shone on them, it was a sign of impending release or...

One of my all-time favorite blues musicians is Muddy Waters.

This guy could sing, play, and lead a band like a boss. A great example of this is his tune “Mannish Boy”.

Ever heard it?

It starts off with this incredible call & response between Muddy’s voice and his guitar. 

He sings:

===

Oh, yeah

(epic blues lick)

Oh, yeah

(epic blues lick)

Everything gonna be alright this mornin'

===

And so on and so forth.

The licks he plays are tasty, soulful, and the epitome of blues guitar. In the video above, I take a quick look at them. This song is a blues standard originally done by Muddy Waters but many other great artists have covered it as well. 

Jon MacLennan

Years ago I was sitting in a music class with blues guitar grand puba Kenny Burrell…

He didn’t have his guitar with him that day. But he did have a grand piano in the room.

So he walked over to it and played the notes:

E

G

A

Bb

B

D

E

In that order, slowly, he hunted and pecked at the keys. (Kenny isn’t a piano player. But, he would often use the piano to demonstrate certain sounds he was talking about.)

He then looked up at the class and said, “Do you know what that is?”

The room was silent.

He said, 

“That’s the blues scale.”

Then he paused and said,

“Do you have that worked out? All over your instrument?... 

…because if not you’re going to want to do that.”

Decades later, I still remember this lesson. And as I became a more proficient musician. I’ve only seen MORE value in it. 

You see, when I play lead guitar, in pretty much ANY style, I rely on knowing the blues scale on my instrument. The blues seems to always sneak its way into my soloing somewhere.

But whe...

If you want to play incredible lead and rhythm guitar… then you’re going to need to know chords.

Below I’m going to share 10 Epic (Minor) Blues Guitar Chords Every Guitarist Should Know.
So grab your 6-stringer and let’s dive in, starting with…

1. Open Em

In my humble (but accurate) opinion, this is one of the greatest guitar chords of all time.

For many players, it may have even been the first chord you ever learned. Yet it sounds so good – especially if you drag your pick from the treble to the bass strings like this:

A great bluesy song that uses this Em is “I Put A Spell On You” as recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The original was done by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, but it’s an AWESOME 16-bar blues:

2. Moveable Minor

This chord is the same basic idea as the open Em chord but it makes it moveable. This can be tough if players have not learned to play bar chords effortlessly yet. But once you get it down, it can open up a lot of doors.

You see this can now be played ...

If you want to play any popular American music from the past 150 years… then you’re going to want to be familiar with the blues. 

When you do this makes learning your favorite songs so much EASIER.

You’ll start to identify the fundamental patterns beneath the surface of the music. And you won’t feel like you have to start back at square one, every time you go to learn a new song. In this post, I want to share with you 3 simple ways to play the 12 bar blues progression. 

These examples are going to be in the key of A major. However, the blues can be played in any key – major or minor. So let’s start with the…

12 Bar Blues Progression Chords

There are 3 main chords to a simple blues progression. These are called the I, IV, and V chords. The I, IV, and V chords are the most common chords in Western music and are essential for understanding harmony. They come from the major scale of a given key and are built on the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes (or degrees) of that scale.

In the key of ...

If you want to improve as a guitarist, one of the most important areas to focus on is technique.

Techniques are the keys to being able to unlock the sounds created on your favorite recordings.

But if a player is lacking the skills or understanding of the techniques required. Then their music is going to come up short.

Below I share 10 must-know guitar techniques for beginner and intermediate players. These are in no particular order, and there are many more than what I list here. But let’s get started with…

1) Slides

Slides are a versatile and expressive technique that can add a smooth, fluid sound to your playing. They can be added to single-note lines, chords, or even the beginning and ends of phrases or solos.

However, a lot of guitarists feel like they don’t have enough strength to slide. They can’t glide up or down the neck without the note dying off. This can be tough and annoying. 

2) Hammer-ons and Pull-offs 

These are technically two different techniques. Howe...

You might get a kick out of this…

In 2006, I went to Borders bookstore and bought John Mayer’s new album Continuum.

I came home, popped the CD into my player, opened up the jewel case to look at the liner notes, and got lost in the music. The first track is “Waiting On The World To Change”. 

Shortly after this, I played “Waiting On The World To Change” to my friend who was the bass player in my band at that time. He said, “Oh… these are some gospel changes.”

My ear wasn’t as developed as it is now. But his comment got me thinking.

I later learned the chord progression to “Waiting On The World To Change”, and noticed it was (almost) exactly the same as “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield.

But then something else happened…

I figured out the solo too. It's all played on one string… it just slides up and down the neck and uses bluesy bends. Then later, I learned the solo on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s, “Lenny” and discovered John Mayer’s solo on “Waiting On The World To Change” is ...

Would you like to start something up?

A new relationship?

A new skill?

An exciting night out on the town?

Well, here’s an iconic rock song to get you going. 

Below I’m going to break down the guitar style behind it. You only need 4 chords and a couple of blues guitar moves to make it all happen.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Start Me Up” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Start Me Up?

“Start Me Up” was originally written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the two primary songwriters for the Rolling Stones. Their collaborations produced some of the band's biggest hits, and this song is no exception.

The lyrics for “Start Me Up” sing about energy, confidence, and the excitement of getting going — both literally and metaphorically. "Start Me Up" is one of the Rolling Stones’ most iconic songs. It was released in 1981 and was a part of their Tattoo You album. 

The song had an interesting journey before it become the version we hear now. It all started as a slo...

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 – and the other musicians in the band all the time. ...

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 thing you need to know is that this so...