Login
Play Better Banjo/Clawhammer Blues
Buy now

  • $97 or 3 monthly payments of $41

Clawhammer Blues

The art & science of playing slide, boogie woogie & blues on the clawhammer banjo. 
Buy now

Clear, Step-By-Step Program

The Clawhammer Blues Course will take you by the hand and guide you, step by step, through all of the essential techniques and ideas you need to play the blues in the clawhammer style.

Enrich the Expressive Potential of Your Playing

12 Bar Blues, The Blues Scale, Improvisation, Slurs, Slides, Movable Patterns, Boogie Woogie & more.

No Study of American Roots Music is Complete Without an Understanding of the Blues...

"Yowza ! Enjoying the course Ryan!! Sounds great, and helps me see the value of up the neck chord studies.” 

Steve R. (Eugene, OR)

What You'll Learn Inside the Clawhammer Blues Course...

Technical Skill Building
  • Blues Solos
  • Movable Blues Licks
  • Blues Chord Theory
  • Seventh Chords
  • Blues Scales
  • Five Classic Blues Song
  • Turnarounds
  • How to play with a slide
  • 12 Bar Blues
  • 8 Bar Blues
  • Blues rhythm strategies
  • Boogie woogie
  • Left hand articulations
  • and more!
Repertoire  
Here are the tunes you’ll learn during your training:
  • Sweet Home Chicago
  • How Long Blues
  • Key to the Highway
  • Poor Boy, Long Way from Home
  • PLUS…you’ll learn all about the 12 bar blues form and how to use it to figure out blues songs on your own.
Sign Me Up for Blues Course!

Now is the Time to Become a Better Banjo Player...

"Pretty cool, Ryan.  I have been studying this stuff for a long time but you add a new level of clarity to it.  Bravo!” 

Rob E. (Waxhaw, NC)

Contents

Clawhammer Blues - Introduction

Introduction & Lesson Notes
Preview

Basic Blues Chord Progressions

Progression Study - 12 Bar Blues - Key of G
Progression Study - 12 Bar Blues - Key of A
Progression Study - 12 Bar Blues - Key of D
Progression Study - 12 Bar Blues - Key of E
Progression Study - 12 Bar Blues - Key of C

Blues Rhythym Strategies

Blues Rhythym Strategies - Triplets
Blues Rhythym Strategies - Shuffle Feel

Blues Chord Studies

Closed Chord Concepts & Muting Techniques
Seventh Chord Concepts

Boogie Woogie

Boogie Woogie Study - Explanation & Exercises
Preview

Left Hand Studies - Articulations

Blues Articulations - Slides
Blues Articulations - Slides - A Closer Look
Blues Articulations - Bends & Vibrato

The Turnaround

Turnarounds - Concept & Playing Strategies

Blues Scale Study - Theory & Practice

Blues Scale Theory & Practice - Open A Scale
Blues Scale Theory & Practice - Closed A Blues Scale

Repertoire & Application Studies

Sweet Home Chicago

New Technique Study - Upstrokes

Upstrokes - Explained & Demonstrated

Repertoire & Application Studies - Continued

How Long Blues
Key to the Highway

Further Study - Blues Licks

Five Classic Blues Licks

Using a Slide

Introduction to Bottleneck (slide) Playing
Preview
Poor Boy, Long Ways from Home

Listening Recommendations

Intentional Listening Resource List

Clawhammer Blues - Supplemental Materials

Fretboard Diagrams - Scales, Patterns & More
12 Bar Blues Charts
Chord Charts

Private Lesson Opportunity

1:1 Banjo Lesson

No Risk to You

If at any time during your first 30 days of this training you aren’t completely satisfied,  just let me know and I’ll refund your tuition immediately.

No Questions Asked.  What have you got to lose?