👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ https://www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales
Deep River Blues Guitar Lesson (Doc Watson) Part 2
Today I want to share with you a guitar lesson on how to play “Deep River Blues”. This song goes back far into the roots of blues music. But it is a timeless classic that audiences have loved for generations. My goal is to peel back the layers on this song and show you how to play this classic blues all by yourself.
I will be taking a fingerstyle approach for this guitar lesson. Following in the footsteps of Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, and Tommy Emmanuel.
So make sure you’re tuned up and let’s get started!
Who Wrote Deep River Blues?
“Deep River Blues” is a classic traditional blues song that has been covered by a number of great artists over the years. It is a spinoff and essentially the same song as “Big River Blues”. It is a traditional blues song that has been recorded and performed by various artists over the years. The origins of the song are unclear, as it has been passed down through oral tradition and adapted by many different musicians.
What key is Deep River Blues in?
“Deep River Blues” is most commonly played in the key of E on guitar. But keep in mind depending upon the version the key can change. For example, Doc Watson would sometimes play it with a capo on the first fret which would make it in the key of F. But he would still play the same E chord grips just using the capo this would bump the key up higher. Tommy Emmanuel’s version is typically played with a capo on the 2nd fret, which would make the key F#.
The reason for the changing of keys is often to find the best key for the singer. You want to find a key that fits their vocal range and makes them sound the best.
If I am playing this song instrumentally. I will often just go back to the home key of E. This means I don’t need a capo and saves the hassle.
Deep River Blues Chords
To play this amazing blues song there are 4 core chord shapes E7, Edim7, A7, and B7.
👉Read the full blog here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/blog/deep-river-blues-guitar-lesson
👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ https://www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales
