How To Create A Fingerpicking Blues Using Turnaround Riffs
by Simon Candy
In this video, you learn how to use blues turnarounds for a great fingerpicking sound.
Most people know that a turnaround will come in the last 2 bars of a 12 bar blues and do as its name suggests, turn the tune back around to the start.
However, you can also use your turnaround ideas in other areas of the blues form too, gaining much more mileage from each turnaround you learn.
In this lesson, you learn 3 blues turnarounds and 3 different ways you can use each across a 12 bar blues progression.
First, you learn about the turnaround and how it is typically used in a 12 bar blues.
You then learn 3 different turnaround riffs and how you can use them in 2 other areas of your 12 bar progression in addition to the last 2 bars.
I then show you how you can mix these turnarounds together across a 12 bar form for a great fingerpicking blues sound that will captivate your audience.
Watch the video below to learn more:
Blues Turnarounds
Below are 3 turnaround riffs you can use throughout the 12 bar blues form.
Be sure to watch the video above for a detailed breakdown of each as well as how to get the most mileage out of each turnaround riff.
Turnaround Riff 1
This first turnaround riff is simple but effective.
Notice the chromatic descending line on the second string leading to the B7 chord in bar 2:
• Turnaround 1 Application
Here is the turnaround applied through one chorus of a 12 bar blues in E:
* Watch the video above for a detailed breakdown and explanation of what is going on
Turnaround Riff 2
The second turnaround is a common one you often hear. Notice the descending chromatically quality to this one too:
• Turnaround 2 Application
Here is the turnaround applied through one chorus of a 12 bar blues in E:
* Watch the video above for a detailed breakdown and explanation of what is going on
Turnaround Riff 3
The third turnaround is based more on a bluesy riff coming mostly from the open position Em pentatonic scale:
• Turnaround 3 Application
Here is the turnaround applied through one chorus of a 12 bar blues in E:
* Watch the video above for a detailed breakdown and explanation of what is going on
Mixing Up Turnaround Riffs
The following is an example of mixing up the turnaround riffs over 2 choruses of a blues in E.
With 3 turnaround riffs under your fingers, there are many possibilities for you to play around with, creating great fingerpicking blues music as you go:
