Acoustic Guitar - Authentic Tone & "Swag"
With
Scott McKeon
What's in the course
34 lessons (1h 29m) · 2 free
01. Traditional Soloing with Call and Response
2:24
02. Solo Example 1 - BB King
0:52
03. Leaving Space
3:17
04. Solo Example 2 - Stevie Ray Vaughan (Rhythmic Chords)
0:54
05. Soloing Using Your Fingers
1:47
06. Solo Example 3 - Albert Collins
0:55
07. Combining Techniques
1:06
08. Solo Example 4 - Putting It All Together
0:56
Lesson transcript
Practicing with a Metronome
I think one thing that is good is to practice with a metronome and just feel comfortable with that pulse.
- Timing and Groove
It's not about being perfectly in time, but it's about being able to push and pull a little bit. Like just on the edge of pulling back gives it that kind of slightly more pocket. If you're too kind of polite with it, it hasn't got the same groove. So, it's about giving it a bit of swag, just pulling it back and pushing it.
Guitar Techniques
In terms of where you play on a guitar:
- When playing on an acoustic guitar, it can sound a bit more like a piano because the strings are thicker.
- If you play near the bridge, you get a lot more of that percussive sound of the guitar. It tends to be more staccato, which can really work for this sort of riff.
- Playing up the neck tends to produce a bit more of an elastic sound.
Sound Variation
It's all up to you where you play, but:
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Playing closer to the bridge provides a much more nasally sound.
-
Depending on how I feel and the style of the song, I'll alter where I play.
-
For example:
- Warm sound: Playing up over the neck gives you a much more woody, mellow sound, almost like John Lee Hooker.
- Funky sound: Playing near the bridge yields a nastier, funkier sound.
So even within playing around the 12 bars, you can kind of experiment with different positions to get the desired tone.
34 lessons
1h 29m of structured video lessons
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Scott McKeon has given a lifetime of dedication to his craft as a guitarist. Initially inspired by his dad's love of blues, soul and rock music, he took up the guitar at the age of four and has developed a reputation as one of the UK's most in-demand guitarists, both in the studio and performing live.
In 2014, Scott got a call to play in Sir Tom Jones' band, alongside Robbie McIntosh and Pink Floyd drummer Gary Wallis. The blues, rock 'n' roll and gospel-orientated set allows Scott to call on his early influences and travel the globe. Performances so far have included five European tours, three tours of the US and South America, and tours of Australia and the Far East, as well as TV appearances including Later... with Jools Holland and TFI Friday, and playing New Orleans Jazz Festival in 2019.
Scott's third album, 'New Morning', is an earthy, raw, guitar-led record showcasing his range and ability as a guitarist. The album was recorded live in the studio at RAK in London, capturing the energy and spontaneity of the sessions. It was produced by Paul Stacey (Black Crowes/Oasis), and features Jeremy Stacey (Sheryl Crow/Tal Wilkenfeld) on drums, Rocco Palladino (Tom Misch/D'Angelo) on bass, and Gavin Conder (Rufus Black/The Kondoors) as vocalist on several tracks.
Scott also has a signature fuzz pedal and signature pickups, modelled on his '62 Strat.
In his course, Scott shares the tone, phrasing and feel behind authentic Texas blues guitar, showing you how to dig into the style and make every note sing.
