This sounded really good for starting to learn it David, when you get back to it it’ll be a lot quicker I’m sure to get to this level. Guitar sounded good too, I’m not sure I’ve seen you playing that one before.
See you at the crossroads 
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@Mari63 Thanks Mari. Those were the days 
The guitar is mostly wall art. It was a birthday present purchased when available in a store with used instruments with a view to one day being able to play acoustic finger-style blues, eventually with a slide. A long term goal.
If I recall how things have gone, I lost focus on this when I shifted focus to singing and the Chris Liepe course. Now mostly I am unfocused learning songs and dabbling a bit in lead. And right now restricted to only playing my acoustic as the electric is so heavy that it is against doctors orders to pick it up.
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Well wall art is good, long term goals are good, learning songs is good, learning lead is good - and listening to the doctor is good!!!
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so all in all, all is good 
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Hi @Mari63 oh my … 10 years, where does the time fly. Thanks so much for your kind words and appreciation. 
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Hey all,
As part of my consolidation for Grade 2 I’ve been learning Justin’s Acoustic Solo Blues to help consolidate the blues techniques. Here is a video of my current progress. JustinGuitar Acoustic Solo Blues - YouTube
As always feedback from the community is appreciated as it helps in the learning and development process.
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Whew, that sounded great James. Really consolidating those blues. Is this solo blues from the classic course?
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@alexisduprey thanks for the listen Alexis, much appreciated. In the Beginners Course Book that was published for the classic course Justin included some bonus content. The lesson videos for it are still on YouTube but not on the old or current website which is a shame as it’s a great piece to learn.
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Great foray into the blues (which I love)! Your Yorkie seems as interested in your playing as mine are when I play. 
I know you’ll be playing without looking any day now. 
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Hey James, nice share. Quite clean playing and I do think that blues piece is well beyond Grade 2 blues! Some good note picking.
I’ve been working on a solo blues one myself (the one from grade 3) and almost ready to post a AVOYP on it.
I do have a tip, and that’s around the rhythm. The chunka-chunka rhythm part is a swing rhythm, as you’re moving into the solo piece it sounds like you’re getting offbeat and switching to a straightforward rhythm, and then back to swing when you get back to the rhythm part.
Justin has some good advice on the transitions between the lead lines & rhythm parts in this lesson: Solo Blues 1 Lick-in' Riff | JustinGuitar.com
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Hey @Socio and @jkahn, I had the same exact thought listening to James’ piece. (Agree on the very good note picking, btw). However, when James mentioned that this old lesson is available on youtube, I checked it out and it seems like Justin himself is playing the same way: shuffle rhythm for the chords and straight eighth notes for the lead lines.
I do think it would sound better if the lead lines were played with the shuffle rhythm also, but maybe Justin considered that too advanced for this lesson?
Anyway, great job, James.
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Oh wow, that is surprising. Before my post I did a quick search on the website but didn’t really find it, although I admit I didn’t look to hard. Didn’t check YouTube.
If that’s how Justin played it, then what can I say? Well played.
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Bravo, James, sounded great and reflects excellent progress down this road.
I’d must call it the economy of your left hand action. No flying fingers, compact, smooth motion … excellent!
Would you mind posting the links to various videos you mentioned? When I overcome mental blocks and shift my play:practice balance to a more balanced ratio then this grabs me.
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@Crystalcz Thanks for taking the time to listen, Crystal I’m glad you enjoyed. I would never have thought I’d be playing the blues when I first started a year ago but since Justin’s course introduced its I’ve become hooked on it. Yes, that one is quite content to just lie there next to me whilst I play. It will be a while before I can play it comfortably without checking my fretting and picking hands but the more I practice the more confident I will become.
@jkahn @jjw Thanks for taking the time to listen, JK and John, it’s much appreciated That’s some great feedback and advice. Yes, that piece does feel a bit beyond Grade 2 but I learned a lot from it. I’m more or less getting there with the classic shuffle riff and the 4 variations taught by Justin but still got work to do on the palm muting between different notes to get that real chunka chunka. I completely understand where you are coming from regarding the lead lines and is advice that I will definitely be taking forward. This piece actually leads onto Justin’s Solo Blues Course so I’m thinking now to undertake that course as a side project. It’s not exactly how Justin teaches it as he plays the shuffle variation #1 pattern without the slide but for this piece it just felt more comfortable to me to slide.
@DavidP Thanks for taking the time to give this little blues number a spin David. Your view and feedback is much appreciated. It’s a road that I will continue to go along as a side project as it’s been extremely enjoyable so onwards to the Blues Solo Course which this piece actually leads up to. It’s a great little piece to work on economy of the left hand and coordination with the right hand. I feel it would be good if it were included in the playground section of the website as gives those completing Grades 2 and 3 a nice little additional project to work on. There are three YouTube videos covering the piece,
Solo Blues Part 1
Solo Blues Part 2
Solo Blues Part 3
Happy to also post a copy of the tab that accompanies the lesson if that’s alright with Justin.
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Thanks James.
I’ll drop a line to the team later.
I assume you created the pdf yourself as I note the link in the video is no longer functioning?
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@DavidP Hi David, no it’s in Justin’s Beginners Course Book as bonus material. I’ve just marked up the count following his video lessons. Easy enough to take a photo of the page of tab. There is another page where he explains it bar-by-bar.
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Thanks James. I shall now share this with the Team.
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Hi JJw1, you mean this video ? Easy Acoustic Solo Blues Lesson #1of3 (Guitar Lesson PR-001) How to play - YouTube
It sounds to me like Justin is playing the lead lines with triplets rather than straight eighth notes. So DID - e - ley DID - e - ley DID - e - ley
A metronome set to time the chunkas and the DIDs in the DID - e - leys might be helpful.
Sorry, this post was meant to be addressed to socio, not jjw1
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@twistor59 Thanks Phil. Yes, it goes in parts 1, 2TL, 3TL, 4TL, 1, 2, &, 3, 4, 1, &, 2, &, 3, &, 4, &… to be honest I’ve played this better practising with a metronome and along with Justin’s video. The one thing that I did notice is that I struggle keeping the foot tapping going from the shuffle riff to triplets without the metronome. I presume I just need to spend more quality time with the metronome to develop further maintaining my inner metronome and foot tapping. For some reason I found it harder when recording this one compared to a strumming song with vocals. I presume that I just need to spend more time in front of the camera recording myself and over time it will get better.
That was excellent James. Really smooth and clear. Superb stuff!!!
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