LESSONS
LESSON 2
Building the Accompaniment
Lessons Overview → Lesson 1 → Lesson 2 → Lesson 3 → Lesson 4 → Lesson 5 → Lesson 6 → Lesson 7 → Lesson 8
This lesson is part of the Early Electric Blues Guitar Lesson Series.
For best results, complete all nine lessons in order. Each lesson builds directly on the previous one.
Lesson 2: Building the Accompaniment
Develop the rhythmic accompaniment techniques that define the sound of Early Electric Blues. By expanding the foundation established in Lesson 1, you'll learn how rhythm, bass movement, chords, and dynamics work together to create a relaxed, expressive accompaniment that supports both the vocalist and the harmonica player.
15:06 • Opens on YouTube
OVERVIEW
Building directly on the rhythmic foundation established in Lesson 1, this lesson introduces the techniques that transform a steady bass into complete, functional blues guitar accompaniment.
Rather than treating rhythm and lead as separate ideas, you'll begin combining melody, rhythm, and bass into one continuous musical voice—the approach used by country blues players and the earliest electric blues guitarists throughout the 1930s, 40s, and early 50s.
You'll learn how to add top-end melody, hammered thirds, dominant chords, walking lead-ins, double stops, and turnarounds while maintaining the steady pulse established in Lesson 1. The objective isn't to play more notes—it's to develop groove, control, continuity, and accompaniment that naturally supports vocals and harmonica.
These concepts become an essential part of your vocabulary and prepare you for the more advanced accompaniment and lead concepts introduced throughout the remainder of the lesson series.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
In this lesson, you'll learn how to add melody while maintaining a steady bass pattern, creating the seamless accompaniment style that defines early electric blues guitar. We'll explore hammered thirds, flattened chord shapes, dominant 7th and 9th chords, Long A concepts over the IV chord, smooth walking lead-ins to both the IV and V chords, expressive double stops, movable Long A shapes, traditional blues turnarounds, and a Robert Lockwood Jr.–inspired phrase. Throughout the lesson, each new idea builds on the last, showing how these techniques combine into relaxed, supportive accompaniment that serves the song rather than competing with it.
LESSON CHAPTERS
For easier navigation, these timestamps are also included as clickable chapter links in the YouTube video description.
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00:06 — Lesson 2.0 – Fingerstyle, Top End & Rhythm (Full Demo)
02:35 — Lesson 2.1 – Adding the Open High E to Your Bass Pattern
03:52 — Lesson 2.2 – Hammered 3rd
04:20 — Lesson 2.3 – Build a Lick
05:25 — Lesson 2.4 – Flattened Chords
06:21 — Lesson 2.5 – Dominant 7th
07:13 — Lesson 2.6 – Long A over the IV
07:39 — Lesson 2.7 – Walk to the IV
08:08 — Lesson 2.8 – Walk to the V
08:33 — Lesson 2.9 – Double Stops
09:34 — Lesson 2.10 – Combining
10:05 — Lesson 2.11 – V Chord with 7th & 9th
11:03 — Lesson 2.12 – Movable Long A
11:54 — Lesson 2.13 – Turnarounds
12:55 — Lesson 2.14 – Robert Lockwood Jr. Lick
14:10 — Lesson 2.15 – Resolve with the 7th
14:38 — Lesson 2.16 – Closing
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
Lesson 2 begins transforming a simple rhythm guitar approach into complete blues accompaniment. By combining melody, rhythm, and bass into a single musical voice, you'll learn to support vocals and harmonica while creating movement and interest without sacrificing groove.
Rather than thinking of rhythm and lead as separate skills, this lesson demonstrates how the earliest electric blues guitarists blended both into a relaxed, understated style built on timing, touch, and economy of movement.
These concepts will continue to appear and expand throughout the remainder of the series.
CONTINUE THE SERIES
Lesson 3 builds on these accompaniment concepts by introducing additional rhythm vocabulary and melodic ideas that create greater movement, variety, and expression while remaining rooted in the same rhythmic foundation established in the first two lessons.
Questions?
If something in this lesson isn't clear, feel free to leave a comment on YouTube or reach out through the contact page.
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Next Lesson → Lesson 3
Hear These Ideas in Context
Many of the techniques covered throughout the lesson series can be heard on my recordings.
Explore recordings available through Devil's Tale Music.
For over two decades I've independently released recordings dedicated to preserving and celebrating traditional blues through Devil's Tale Music.​​