Jaunelemon
Verified buyer
02/21/25
Perfect jam session!
This is the perfect way to practice! Trading solos and comping, so much fun!
Trading Solos: Uptempo Blues
Interactive Video Jam Session with a Top TrueFire Artist
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About this course
In this Uptempo Blues edition of Trading Solos with Robben Ford, you’ll jam together over five frequently encountered uptempo blues grooves, in a variety of keys and feels including a Rhumba Blues in C Minor, an 8 Bar Blues in the Key of A, a 24-Bar Bo Diddley in the Key of A, an Extended Blues in the Key of G, and a Shuffle in the Key of C.
”It has been traditional throughout the history of music for musicians to get together to exchange ideas, jam, flesh out things they’re working on, and learn from each other in the process. That’s what we’ll be doing here in Trading Solos, working with 5 different uptempo blues tracks.
Playing with other musicians is really essential in the learning process; the great jazz musicians of all time, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, etc. all used to practice together. So, it's wonderful to be able to do this with you here in this setting.”
Robben will share an essential variety of his go-to blues moves, comping techniques, and other key approaches to help you develop a versatile blues vocabulary.
For each of the five grooves, Robben will show you a handful of licks and comping approaches that you can use while trading solos in the course. Then, you'll take turns applying those ideas, trading solos, and comping.
Robben will explain and demonstrate all of the key concepts and approaches along the way. You’ll get standard notation and tabs. Plus, Robben includes all of the backing tracks for you to work with on your own. In addition, you’ll be able to loop or slow down any of the videos so that you can work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your guitar and let’s trade solos with Robben Ford!
”It has been traditional throughout the history of music for musicians to get together to exchange ideas, jam, flesh out things they’re working on, and learn from each other in the process. That’s what we’ll be doing here in Trading Solos, working with 5 different uptempo blues tracks.
Playing with other musicians is really essential in the learning process; the great jazz musicians of all time, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, etc. all used to practice together. So, it's wonderful to be able to do this with you here in this setting.”
Robben will share an essential variety of his go-to blues moves, comping techniques, and other key approaches to help you develop a versatile blues vocabulary.
For each of the five grooves, Robben will show you a handful of licks and comping approaches that you can use while trading solos in the course. Then, you'll take turns applying those ideas, trading solos, and comping.
Robben will explain and demonstrate all of the key concepts and approaches along the way. You’ll get standard notation and tabs. Plus, Robben includes all of the backing tracks for you to work with on your own. In addition, you’ll be able to loop or slow down any of the videos so that you can work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your guitar and let’s trade solos with Robben Ford!
What you'll learn
- Execute triad-based melodic lines with chromatic movement
- Use percussive muting techniques for rhythmic effect
- Practice trading solos with an instructor over five different tracks
- Understand the concept and tradition of trading solos
- Develop ability to apply ideas in real-time musical situations
Release date: 05/16/2019 • 1h 29m runtime
Sample lessons
Track 3: Bo Diddley Squat
Track Overview
Track 3: Bo Diddley Squat
Comping Approach: Demo
Track 3: Bo Diddley Squat
Three Soloing Ideas: Demo
Track 3: Bo Diddley Squat
Playalong Preview
What's included
27 lessons • 15 charts • 5 Jam Tracks
Trading Solos: Uptempo Blues
Hi, I'm Robben Ford, and welcome to this Uptempo Blues edition of Trading Solos.
It's been traditional throughout the history of music for musicians to get together to exchange ideas, jam, flesh out things they're working on, and learn from each other in the process. That's what we'll be doing here in Trading Solos, working with 5 different uptempo blues tracks.
For each track, I'll show a few soloing and comping techniques that we can both use. We'll take turns applying those ideas; trading solos and comping for each other over the backing tracks.
Everything is tabbed and notated and you'll have all the backing tracks to work with on your own. You can loop and slow down the videos to work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your guitar and let's trade some solos!
It's been traditional throughout the history of music for musicians to get together to exchange ideas, jam, flesh out things they're working on, and learn from each other in the process. That's what we'll be doing here in Trading Solos, working with 5 different uptempo blues tracks.
For each track, I'll show a few soloing and comping techniques that we can both use. We'll take turns applying those ideas; trading solos and comping for each other over the backing tracks.
Everything is tabbed and notated and you'll have all the backing tracks to work with on your own. You can loop and slow down the videos to work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your guitar and let's trade some solos!
Track 1: Otis Rumba
So, the first track we're going to play over is a rhumba feel in C minor. This is similar to something that would have been done in Chicago, or by Otis Rush, who had quite a few hits with this kinda groove.
Let's take a listen here, and then I'll show you three comping approaches, followed by three soloing licks that we can use to trade solos with each other.
Let's take a listen here, and then I'll show you three comping approaches, followed by three soloing licks that we can use to trade solos with each other.
Track 1: Otis Rumba
So let's take a look at three approaches to comping over this track. I'll show you some of the ways that I finger the chord moves that I'm playing on the rhumba, and then give you some different ways you can play them as well. When I'm going from the V back into the I here, I'm resolving up a half-step. It's just a cool thing you can do to retain the "theme" of the V chord, and give it a different color. Next, let's look at three soloing ideas that I'd use over this kind of feel.
Track 1: Otis Rumba
Here are three soloing ideas for our track. The first one begins with a little "riff" that reminds me of Otis Rush, which I consider more of a melody. I'll show you a couple ways to play it, and how to take it a little further.
Another idea we can use in a solo to create a stronger dynamic and keep it moving forward is double-stops. I'm playing them into the IV chord, and even throughout the I chord, but then I'd have a tendency to move away from it. It's a strong, punchy thing.
A third approach is to use triads that exist within the context or scale of the chord. I play this series of triads: C minor, F and Bb. You can develop a cool riff by arpeggiating them, and I'm adding in some chromatic movement as well.
So, there are your three soloing ideas. Let's preview the playalong next, and then we'll trade back and forth!
Another idea we can use in a solo to create a stronger dynamic and keep it moving forward is double-stops. I'm playing them into the IV chord, and even throughout the I chord, but then I'd have a tendency to move away from it. It's a strong, punchy thing.
A third approach is to use triads that exist within the context or scale of the chord. I play this series of triads: C minor, F and Bb. You can develop a cool riff by arpeggiating them, and I'm adding in some chromatic movement as well.
So, there are your three soloing ideas. Let's preview the playalong next, and then we'll trade back and forth!
Track 1: Otis Rumba
Here we'll preview both the lead and rhythm parts together so you'll have a better idea where we're going when we trade solos. Let's take a listen.
Let's Trade Solos
Now it's time to trade some solos! I'll start things off by taking a solo, and then I'll back you up while you take lead! Make sure to play rhythm while I'm soloing using our comping techniques, and listen for the soloing ideas we broke down earlier. Let's jam!
Track 2: Blue Highway
The next track that we're going to trade solos over is an 8-bar blues; something that I'm partial to. We're in the key of A, with two bars of A, two bars of D, one bar of A, one bar of E, another bar of A and finally another bar of E (or you could actually just stay on the A).
Let's take a listen, and next I'll show you three comping approaches as well as three soloing ideas for the track.
Let's take a listen, and next I'll show you three comping approaches as well as three soloing ideas for the track.
+ 20 more lessons
Reviews
17 results
antom
Verified buyer
01/22/24
Useful and entertaining
Playalong with Robben, with his commented and transcribed examples, useful and entertaining
MarkG333
Verified buyer
01/04/23
What can I say? Jamming with Robben Ford for a few bucks and getting some of his amazing insights. What else do you need to know?
Blackguitars
Verified buyer
09/19/21
Nearly tried it
Not tried it yet but I am sure it's good!
edgaragerock
09/14/21
Uptempo blues
I’ve enjoyed listening to and playing through the Up Tempo trading solos course. The tracks are upbeat and the solos include slightly more jazzy lines than the Trading Moody Blues course which I also own. Both courses perfectly demonstrate Robben Ford’s lyrical approach to soloing which is tasteful and varied. He doesn’t waste notes or overplay and it is fun to listen to. In terms of difficulty, I think these solos are more challenging than the Moody Blues one so beginners might want to start with that first. Although I don’t think difficulty should put people off buying courses if they like the artist as you can always find simple licks even in difficult pieces. From a personal perspective I find his rhythm guitar interesting as rhythm often gets overlooked. The advantage of the trading solo courses is that it allows you to focus on it and hopefully learn some different approaches to grooves. Overall I’m enjoying working on it.
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