How To Create A Blues Guitar Riff From Scratch

Looking to brew up some blues guitar hoodoo but don't know the mystical formula? Though the blues is a deceptively simple guitar style, you can get started creating your own classic blues guitar riffs with a few simple tools. Check it out..

I'm going to give you some of the basic tools here, as well as a little guidance on what you should look to learn next.

Tool #1: Your main squeeze, the big daddy, the mystical master of the blues, is the pentatonic minor scale. Not only do we use it in blues guitar, but also funk, jazz, rock, metal, and everywhere else.

Here's the formula for a minor pentatonic scale: 1 b3 4 5 b7
Just five simple little notes and a world of possibilities.

In a couple of different keys, the scale would be:
C minor pent: C Eb F G Bb
A minor pent: A C D E G
E minor pent: E G A B D

This is an easy scale to move around the neck for any key you need. Tab? Sure...
The tab on the left is E minor pentatonic in the open position. The second is A minor pentatonic in the 5th position. That pattern is movable to any of the frets.

------------------------------------0--3 -------------------------------------5--8---
-----------------------------0--3------- ------------------------------5--8----------
----------------------0--2-------------- -----------------------5--7-----------------
---------------0--2--------------------- ----------------5--7------------------------
--------0--2---------------------------- ---------5--7-------------------------------
-0--3----------------------------------- --5--8--------------------------------------

Where to go from here:
- Add the blue note, the b5. In the E pattern above that would be a Bb. In the A pattern it's an Eb.
- The minor pentatonic can be played in many different position patterns. Learn at least 3.
- Learn the major pentatonic pattern. You'll find there's a relationship between the major and minor pentatonics


Tool #2: The swing (or shuffled) 8th note. To really play the blues you need to swing like a drunk at the edge of a cliff. Normally when you play 8th notes, each note is exactly the same length. We call those "straight 8ths".

A swing 8th pattern is actually based on an 8th note triplet - 3 note inside one beat. Count it like "tri-ple-et, tri-ple-et" What we do though is tie the first two notes in the triplet together. So you're basically playing just the first and third notes of the triplet. That makes the first 8th note long and the second 8th note short. - Boom... Swing 8ths.

Where to go from here:
- Learn to mix regular triplets with your swing 8ths. Work with both chords and single notes.
- Listen to lots of blues and jazz to absorb the feel of playing these.

Now, you can start constructing riffs by using those pentatonic scales and swing 8ths. But here's a couple bonus ideas to bust them open a bit.

Tool #3: The sliding 3rd. In the blues we're allowed to mix our major and minor ideas together. "Blasphemy!", says Beethoven. Well, Beethoven's dead and BB King is still touring.

A great way to get into this idea is the sliding third. In your minor pentatonic scale you have the minor 3rd (b3). We can also add the major 3rd (natural 3), and use both. In the E scale above that would be a G#. In the A scale it's a C#. The two notes can be used right next to each other (hence the term 'sliding 3rd') or separate. Your choice.

Tool #4: The 6th riff aka the Boogie Riff. From Johnny B. Goode to countless Chicago style blues guitar classics, this is a must have riff. Play an open E power chord (E and B) with your first finger on the B on your 5th string. Pick that twice. Then, leaving your 1st finger where it is, put your 3rd finger on the C# on the 5th string. Pick that twice. Go back and forth between those two and you have your basic sixth riff. It's moveable and there are countless variations on the idea.

More bonus tips:
- The notes that really define the sound of a pentatonic blues scale are the b3, b7, and the b5 (the 'blue note'). Use the first two liberally in your riffs, and the last sparingly for flavor.

- Most blues songs are built around a 12 bar blues format with some small variations. Learn it well, but don't be afraid of veering away from it for some other forms as well.

- Lastly, do a ton of listening. The more you listen, the more you absorb the common traits of the blues. This will help you to know when you're playing something traditional or happily breaking every rule in the book.

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