Besides the requisite 12- and 8-bar I IV V blues progressions, do you know at least 12 other distinct forms and progressions? Do you know at least six ways to voice, alter and extend all of the dominant and minor chords in those progressions? When comping the blues, are you adept at voice leading when making chord and voicing selections?

If you answered "no" to any of the above three questions, then three things are likely true; 1) you're not bringing anything fresh to the jam or rehearsal; 2) you're bored stiff with your own blues comping; and 3) you need this edition of Guitar Lab: Blues Progressions yesterday.

Video Introduction

Click below for a sample video from the course

About the Guitar Lesson Plan

Interactive Video Guitar Instruction

True to form in these Guitar Lab intensives, Chris Buono digs deep into the what, how, whys and wherefores of blues progressions. You will learn how to play 23 progressions in various keys and forms including a few eclectic 6-, 14- and 16-bar forms. So, just in terms of expanding your bag of progressions you'll be way ahead of the game, but that's just the start.

The truly juicy quality of this course is the six-string rocket science revealed within those 23 progression-specific video guitar lessons. Buono steps you through three choruses for each of the 23 progressions. The first chorus utilizes familiar 7th chords and "stock changes." Chris then spices up the second chorus with tasty chord extensions and voicings to demonstrate how to expand the palette of colors you can draw on when comping the blues.

In the third chorus, Buono takes you to graduate school and teachers you how to play and use next-level voicings, voice leading, riff-based approaches and a variety of other advanced concepts to freshen up your blues comps.

The accompanying 167-page manual features lead sheet charts with pint-sized chord grids beneath the chord symbols for quick reference and fingerings, for all 23 progressions.

Below each one-chorus lead sheet, Buono charts out all of the chords, including any passing chords, in larger grids that display the chord tone designations so that you're on top of every last detail.

All of the progressions are demonstrated with simple rhythmic figures, which are also notated in the accompanying charts, and all examples are played over killer practice rhythm tracks powered by live recordings with bassist extraordinaire Steve Jenkins.

Put your time in with Guitar Lab: Blues Progressions and you'll hear dramatic sonic changes busting out of your new bag of progressions, forms and voicings. Pull a few of these treats out at the next jam to freshen things up and you'll see heads turning and players rushing the stage to jump in.

About Your Instructor

Chris Buono

Heralded as a "multi-media guitar madman", Chris Buono infiltrates the modern guitar world from myriad directions. Be it on CD, in video, in the minds of gear aficiandos or in book form his reach is vast. At the forefront is Buono's passion for conveying knowledge to those who are willing to work for it. Through 20+ years of teaching in just about every forum a guitarist can including five years as a professor in the esteemed Guitar Department at Berklee College of Music and currently as a prolific TrueFire artist, Chris Buono has helped propel students from all over the world to new heights.