Jimmy Dillon

Let's learn how to play Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison today.

The Secret Of Blues Music Is in The Phrasing

Here’s another little blues session where I’m not so much teaching specific notes as I am demonstrating a concept: phrasing. A lot of players think they need more licks, more scales, and more notes, but the truth is that great blues players can say a lot with very little. The notes don’t change much, but the feel, timing, dynamics, and space between them make all the difference. Listen closely and you’ll hear that sometimes what’s not being played is just as important as what is.

A Few Notes Go A Long Way

Sometimes guitar players spend years looking for more notes when what they really need is more feel. In this lesson, I’m just playing over an E progression and showing how much music you can make with a handful of notes, a little vibrato, and the right attitude. The blues has always been about expression, not complexity. If you can make somebody tap their foot, nod their head, or get up and dance across the room, you’re probably doing something right.

4 Notes. Even More Blues

This is a continuation of the last lesson where we were working with just three notes. Now we’re adding one more note to the mix, and suddenly a whole new world opens up. The interesting thing isn’t the notes themselves, it’s the phrasing. Leaving space, letting notes breathe, and resisting the urge to fill every gap is what gives blues its personality. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can play is the note you don’t play. Just four notes, a little attitude, and a touch of that John Lee Ho**er spirit.

Here's a lesson on slide guitar basics. If you'd like to learn some more advanced stuff 👇

The Power Of Just 3 Notes.

One of the biggest lessons in blues guitar is that it’s not about how many notes you know, it’s about what you do with them. In this little “hit it and quit it” blues lesson, we’re using just three notes, but by changing the phrasing, timing, and feel, you can create all kinds of musical ideas. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to learn scales and licks, this is a good reminder that sometimes less is more. A few notes played with conviction will always beat a hundred notes with no feel.

Move One Chord Shape, Play The Blues

Here’s a fun little blues move using nothing but 7th chord shapes. Start with a D7 shape, move it up the neck, and suddenly you’ve got a whole new set of sounds to work with. What I love about this one is how much mileage you get from a single shape. Just slide it to the right fret, add a little rhythm, maybe a little wiggle, and you’ve got a bluesy groove that sounds a lot more advanced than it really is. Great exercise for learning the neck and hearing how chords connect to each other.

Why Your Strumming Matters More Than You Think

One of the biggest mistakes I see guitar players make isn’t the chords they’re playing, it’s how they’re striking the strings. Whether you’re using a pick, your thumb, or your fingers, learning to control your touch can completely change the feel of a song. Sometimes the difference between a song sounding stiff and sounding musical is simply learning when to ease up and let the guitar breathe. If you’re playing Eagles tunes, folk songs, singer-songwriter material, or anything with a little nuance, this is a skill worth developing. A great strum isn’t about playing harder. It’s about playing with intention.

Here’s some backyard blues guitar. Want to learn how to play like this? Grab my blues guitar bundle at https://jimmydillon.com/blues