Blues Guitar for Acoustic Players

[Gabriel Marcos]

I've been looking at getting the "Complete Guide to Playing Blues Guitar" books from Joseph Alexander. I'm not so much interested at this time in learning fingerstyle blues, but moreso blues by playing with a standard flat pick on the acoustic.

My question is: is this sort of book/subject material much better suited for an electric player, or will the acoustic still be fine and mostly doable for this sort of endeavor? [Maybe just not as good with the soloing, for example?]

I've just always been an acoustic-guitar person, but I want to have realistic expectations and learn from those with more experience in these matters if maybe the acoustic just won't be as suited to the track I'm thinking of going on with this book about blues guitar. Thanks!

[John Clifford]

You can absolutely play blues on an acoustic guitar. Or anything else. The question is what sort of sound you want to make. If you want to sound like BB King or Buddy Guy, you'll need to play an electric guitar. You can play their licks on an acoustic, but it won't sound the same. Acoustic guitars generally have higher action and heavier strings than electric guitars, which can make it more physically challenging to play "up the neck," but if you have a properly setup guitar, then it's just a matter of practice.

[Freeman Keller]

Gabriel, I consider myself primarily a blues player, at least my background is the blues, and looking at the summary of that series of books I have some ideas of what it is intended for. I would also like a little more information about exactly what you mean by "the blues" since it does cover so many players, songs, styles of play... Can you give me an example of a song or player that you would like to sound like? Are you interested in solo playing, accompaning your singing, playing with others.... Also what level and style of music do you play now?

[Mark Wybierala]

Every tutorial has something to offer so see what you can get out of what you have. Personally, I enjoy acoustic blues more than any done on an electric guitar. You can even play great blues on a classical guitar to great effect. There are a few things that you can take advantage of with an electric guitar that don't quite work as well on an acoustic but there is nothing like hearing a true blues artist on an acoustic instrument. Its real and so much more dependent on skill.